I like words which look similar to English or French. Italian is derived from Latin which I learned at Grammar School. Italian is also similar to Spanish and Portuguese and sometimes French.
You probably know that the film title La Dolce Vita translates as the sweet life.
borsa - handbag (I was struggling to remember this one. Then I saw it begins like bag with a b, and ends with RS like purse. B.RS. Like so many Italian words you add a on the end. But the other letter is a modified a, an O. Borsa. Borsa. Borsa.
cane - dog - (like English canine teeth)
Cappotto - coat (like cape, the little kid looks cute in his cape and Otto is cute in his cappotto)
dolce - sweet - (like dulcet tones and la dolce vita)
la - the
mangio - I eat - (like French manger to eat)
riso - rice (sounds and looks similar to the English)
vino - wine (like vineyard and vine)
How do you remember plurals? Squash the last vowel. So o becomes i, and a becomes e.
ragazzo - boy
ragazzi - boys
ragazza - girl
ragazze - girls
stivali - boots (I was struggling to remember this until I thought of stirrups. My memory aid sentence is: You need stirrups for your boots to ride up the valley.)
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, Language teacher and tutor.
You probably know that the film title La Dolce Vita translates as the sweet life.
La Dolce Vita in Hatch End.
Gelateria - ice cream shop
caffe café or coffee shop (or tea shop)
pasticceria - pastry shop / confectionary
borsa - handbag (I was struggling to remember this one. Then I saw it begins like bag with a b, and ends with RS like purse. B.RS. Like so many Italian words you add a on the end. But the other letter is a modified a, an O. Borsa. Borsa. Borsa.
cane - dog - (like English canine teeth)
Cappotto - coat (like cape, the little kid looks cute in his cape and Otto is cute in his cappotto)
dolce - sweet - (like dulcet tones and la dolce vita)
la - the
mangio - I eat - (like French manger to eat)
riso - rice (sounds and looks similar to the English)
vino - wine (like vineyard and vine)
How do you remember plurals? Squash the last vowel. So o becomes i, and a becomes e.
ragazzo - boy
ragazzi - boys
ragazza - girl
ragazze - girls
stivali - boots (I was struggling to remember this until I thought of stirrups. My memory aid sentence is: You need stirrups for your boots to ride up the valley.)
Angela Lansbury, travel writer, Language teacher and tutor.
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