Ferragosto: The Story Behind the Name
Ever wonder why Italy’s most epic summer holiday is called Ferragosto? The answer takes us all the way back to ancient Rome! The name comes from the Latin ‘Feriae Augusti’—the "Festivals of Augustus"—
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Stories, tips, and insights about Italian language and culture.
Gigli marini (Sea Lilies)
Walking along the promenade, with the beautiful sea stretching out before me here in Botricello, in Calabria, I saw them on the beach—a truly stunning sight. In their simple beauty, they are a testame
Figurati!
‘Figurati!’: More Than Just “Don’t Mention It” My husband has recently become quite charmed by the Italian expression ‘Figurati!’ It’s what we say when someone thanks us with a ‘Grazie’ or ‘Grazie mil
Buongiorno vs Buona giornata, what's the deal?
Buongiorno is your Hello when you bump into someone—think of it as a cheery “Good morning!” to kickstart the vibe. But when you’re dashing off and want to sprinkle some good wishes? That’s when Buona
Prego: The Italian Word That Does It All!
My students often look puzzled when they hear Italians toss around the word Prego in all sorts of situations. “What does Prego even mean?!” they ask, as if it’s some secret code. So, let’s clear up th
'Il treno dei bambini' Leaving Cert's New Book
Il Treno dei Bambini is a captivating story, brought to life as a beautiful movie on Netflix, but this isn’t all! It’s also a remarkable book by Viola Ardone, published in 2019 and a finalist for the
Italian Beginners, Online
Whether you are planning a trip to Italy or you have decided to learn this beautiful, musical and colorful language for fun, let’s start with our Beginners course.