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Lesson Introduction
Are you bored with the way you greet your friends? Perhaps you would like to infuse your daily speech with some warmth and a bit of emotion. Well, go continental with us in today's podcast and learn how to say hello to your friends the Italian way. You'll make your friends happy, and look sophisticated doing it!
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anling says
June 15, 2008
Very nice lesson :)
In Sicily they say 'Ciao bedda mia' or 'Ciao beddu mio'. It's very cute.
They like to add a 'mia' or 'mio' when greeting people. For example, 'Filippo mio, come stai?'. As far as I can tell they don't greet people this way in other regions, right?
I also like to hear 'sangue mio' or 'my blood' as a greeting from family members.
What are other regional ways to address family/friends?
lunetta says
June 16, 2008
The cat-calling.... My least favourite part about Italy. It may be charming if you're only on vacation but in the long run it gets annoying. Sometimes it would be nice to be able to walk the streets without feeling you're being watched all the time.
That said, it's great when your friends greets you with a 'ciao bella'. It really makes you feel good! Sometimes you'll also hear 'ciao gioia'. My father-in-law uses that one all the time, both with me and my boyfriend.
billkaulitzlover says
June 16, 2008
I've heard many times italians saying on tv "ma dai" and i didn't know the meaning, finally i know. :)
Grazie!
nichi15 says
June 16, 2008
CIAO A TITTI
marcod says
June 16, 2008
who's TITTI?? ;) anyway ciao a Titti, ma ciao anche ad Andrea, ad Alberto, a Stefania
...insomma ciao a TUTTI!!
:)
billkaulitzlover says
June 16, 2008
ROFL
Ciao a Titti, hahhahahaha that was funny, i don't blame he/her for the mistake since italian has so many words with the letter i. LOL
alison13 says
June 19, 2008
Could you also say ciao bella to a man?
lunetta says
June 19, 2008
Hi Alison. If you're talking to a man, all you have to remember is to say bello instead of bella. :-)
alison13 says
June 19, 2008
Oh cool, thanks Lunetta. So it doesn't sound weird to say "hey beautiful" to a man? Because in English it kinda would...
lunetta says
June 19, 2008
It doesn't sound weird at all but you would only say it to a friend or a relative. Guys will say it each other as well.
michele says
June 19, 2008
it depends on the situation, of course! at least it should be an informal one... at any rate I would think you're pretty... enterprising (could I say so?), but probably, I'd like it!
conquerors says
July 8, 2008
Great podcast guys! Thanks so much- I'm learning!
Question:
What is the difference between quello/la and questo/a?
Thanks!
marcod says
July 8, 2008
questo (this) and quello (that) refer to the gender of the object that you're talking about.
quel, quello is that (male) ex. quel ragazzo (that boy), quello stupido (that stupid guy)
quella is that (female) ex. quella maglia (that sweater)
questo is this (male) ex. questo ragazzo, questo stupido
questa is this (female) ex. questa maglia
amyk says
July 19, 2008
Brilliant Podcast ! you guys are helping immensly :)
Thanks Heaps !
karendickson says
July 25, 2008
all i want to know in time for her party tomorrow is how to tell my Napoli friend "Happy Birthday, my friend" I think it's "Buon Compleanno, amico mio" does this need to be amica mia since she's female?
Ciao, Karen
marcod says
July 27, 2008
karendickinson, sorry I didn't see your post on the weekend! Anyway, you are correct--> amico mio for a male friend and amica mia for a female friend.
come è andata la festa?/ How did the party go?
com'era la torta?/how was the cake?
ptitpiaf says
October 24, 2008
hi guy,
i 've got an issue here and i don't get it
we will say thing like:
si, é un mio amico
and andiamo la casa mia....
so is ther any rule that can help us figure out when you put the possesif (mio/mia) before or after the nom?
edith
debcairns says
October 29, 2008
Ciao,
I'm a newbie and just wondering in regards to the male/female thing? Is it usually in reference to the gender of the person speaking or the person/item being referred to? Or is there no real "rule".
Grazie mille
Ciao,
Deb
hasanova says
October 29, 2008
if I'm talking about things:
questo treno (this train)
questa maglia (this sweater)
if the word ends with letter "o" => questo (male)
------------------------ letter "a" => questa (female)
is it right?
ire_ne says
October 29, 2008
Yes, generally it's right but there are some exceptions.
la radio, la mano, la dinamo They end in "o" but they're feminine.
il problema, il clima , il pirata, il telegramma They end in "a" but they are masculine.
hasanova says
October 30, 2008
hmmm i understood, like russian language... we must "imparare a memoria" :))
hasanova says
October 30, 2008
il la are articles arent?
ire_ne says
October 30, 2008
hasanova u have to "imparare a memoria" just the excepions and when u will know italian language so well u will not have to think about feminine and masculine. It will cames to your head automatically ;-)
ire_ne says
October 30, 2008
and, yes, "il" is the masculine article and "la" is the feminine. Both singular.
stanleyshin says
twertOctober 30, 2008
hasanova says
October 30, 2008
Grazie ire_ne.. you helped me(us)
ire_ne says
October 30, 2008
I'm here for that :-)
gwynett1 says
October 31, 2008
CIAO :))