Ognuno ha quello che si merita
You get what you deserve
Literally: ‘Everyone has what that for-oneself deserves’.

Normally I react to Berlusconi winning general elections with sadness and indignation.

Last night, as I learnt that millions of Italians had decided to give him another go at steering the country, all I could hope for is that electors knew what they were doing, and I wish that the new government can quickly find political balance and pull Italy out of stagnation.

I emigrated and am doing just fine, but those I have left behind deserve something better, and at this stage it does not matter too much from which side of the political spectrum change is initiated.

Good luck, mates.

Fai la cosa giusta
Do the right thing
Literally: ‘Do the thing right’.

Today Italians are voting to elect a new government for the 62nd time in 63 years. Make up your mind, dudes!

I sent my vote to the Italian consulate in London this week. I may have left the country in disgust, but I still hope that one day it is going to turn into a beautiful modern former Catholic country with a fantastic lifestyle (Spain, I am looking at you).

But if you live in Italy and cannot believe that your vote is going to count because nothing is ever going to change and all the candidates are delinquents anyway, well you have my deepest sympathy and respect.

Non riesco a dormire
I can’t sleep
Literally: ‘Not (I) succeed at to-sleep’.

Don’t know why, really.

I’m pretty sure that watching the season finale of Torchwood S02 is not going to help, but I can’t wait another day to find out how it all ends.

I hear it’s very sad.

Mi hanno clonato il Bancomat
My debit card has been cloned
Literally: ‘To-me (they) have cloned the cash/debit card’.

Listen to the audio file

Just my luck. Three days before going on holidays I notice that someone has just been using my debit card to withdraw over 900 pounds in Pakistan. Nationwide had already put a stop to the card even before I called them to block it, because five cash withdrawals in Lahore within a few hours, interspersed with transactions done in London at the very same time did look a bit suspicious to them.

However, I will not receive a new card before I leave, which means that I will not be able to withdraw cash in Australia (Nationwide’s debit card is absolutely ace and lets you take cash out from your current account abroad with no charge whatsoever).

Qualcuno in Pakistan sta spendendo i miei soldi
Someone in Pakistan is spending my money
Literally: ‘Someone in Pakistan is-in-the-process-of spending the my moneys’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

• ‘Bancomat‘ is a generic name for a cash card that doubles up as a debit card. I guess it should be called ‘la carta Bancomat’ (= ‘the Bancomat card’) but nobody does. Depending on the context, ‘Bancomat’ can also mean a cash point (ATM), as in ‘Vado al Bancomat’ (= ‘I am going to the cash point’). I guess in this case it should be called ‘lo sportello Bancomat’ (= ‘the bancomat counter’) but nobody does.
• Very often, when in English you use the ‘verb + -ing’ form, in Italian you use a simple ‘verb’ form. ‘I am going to Australia on Friday’ = ‘Vado in Australia venerdì’ (have I mentioned it lately at all?). However, if you want to stress the fact that something is happening this very moment, you can use the ‘stare + verb + ing’ form. For example, if you call someone at dinner time you can ask ‘Stai mangiando?’ = ‘Are you eating?’.
• Money is plural in Italian. So if you want to translate ‘Money is important but not essential’ in Italian you would say ‘I soldi sono importanti ma non essenziali’. Yeah, right.

Che ora è?
What time is it?
Literally: ‘What time is (it)?’

Listen to the audio file

We are travelling to Australia in three days and I have no idea how my body will react to the long journey and the eleven hour time difference, as I’ve never travelled so far or across so many time zones.

My sleeping pattern being already somewhat erratic, I thought I could tweak it some more and get used to Australian time as soon as possible.

So now I have breakfast at 8pm, then I go to the gym, I have lunch at 1am and then try and stay up as long as I can.

I will then sleep until 9, go to work later than usual, and leave work later than usual too.

The objective is to stay awake during the London to Hong Kong flight (UK night time, Australia day time), then sleep on the Hong Kong to Sydney flight (Australia night time) and arrive fresh as a rose on Sunday morning.

Instead, I just feel shattered, and a bit confused.

Ho sonno e voglio dormire
I am sleepy and want to sleep
Literally: ‘(I) have sleep and (I) want to-sleep’.

Listen to the audio file

Non c’è niente di buono alla TV
There is nothing good on TV
Literally: ‘Not there-is nothing of good at-the TV’.

Listen to the audio file

And by TV I mean what’s available to watch on Freeview.

A parte Skins. E Torchwood.
Apart from Skins. And Torchwood.
Literally: ‘At part Skins. And Torchwood.’

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

In Italian it is perfectly correct to have double negatives: so ‘There is nothing’ must be translated with ‘There isn’t nothing’ (‘Non c’è niente’). Similarly, ‘Non c’è nessuno’ (= ‘There isn’t nobody’).

Venerdì parto per l’Australia
On Friday I am leaving for Australia
Literally: ‘Friday (I) leave for the Australia’.

Listen to the audio file

On Friday night I am flying to Australia, but because of the time difference and the very long journey, I will arrive on Sunday morning.

I have never travelled so far.

Arrivo domenica
I am arriving on Sunday
Literally: ‘(I) arrive Sunday’

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

1. The first letter of days of the week does not take an upper case in Italian.
2. You do not need to put any word in front of the days of the week when you say you are doing something ‘on’ that day. ‘Parto sabato’, ‘Arrivo domenica’, ‘Ci vediamo lunedì’.
3. The names of countries take the article (‘the’) in front of them. Some are masculine (il Portogallo, il Brasile, il Libano), some feminine (la Francia, la Colombia, la Malesia), some plural (gli Stati Uniti).

Quanti telefonini hai?
How many mobile phones have you got?
Literally: ‘How-many mini-telephones (you) have?’

Listen to the audio file

Things may have changed now, but last time I lived in Italy (2001) it was not uncommon for people to have two or more mobile phone numbers.

Sometimes I would see them carry more than one handset. Sometimes they would only use one phone but keep a couple of extra SIM cards in their wallet (one with a cheap day calling rate, another that is more convenient at night, and a special one just to conduct extra-marital affairs, run shady deals or carry on business for that second and third unofficial, undeclared black economy jobs.

Io ne ho tre, ma ne uso solo uno.
I have got three, but only use one.
Literally: ‘I of-them have three, but of-them (I) use only one’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

‘Ne’ can roughly be translated as ‘of it’ or ‘of them’. It is used to replace a word that has previously been mentioned. It is placed before the action that refers to it, for example ‘Ne voglio poco’ = ‘I want a little (of it)’.

Mobile phone can be translated in Italian with either ‘cellulare’ or ‘telefonino’. Telefonino literally means ‘small telephone’ and is perhaps more widely used and slightly more colloquial.

Ho mal di testa
I have a headache
Literally: ‘(I) have bad of head’.

Listen to the audio file

I went out with a bunch of friends to The Two Brewers last night.

As it is my birthday tomorrow everyone gave me cards and bought me drinks. Many cards. And way too many drinks. Ouch.

Per favore, parla piano
Please, speak softly.
Literally: ‘For favour, speak soft/low’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

The structure of the phrase ‘Ho mal di testa’ can also be used for other conditions:

• Ho mal di denti (toothache)/li>
• Ho mal di gola (sore throat)
• Ho mal di stomaco (stomach ache)
• Ho mal di pancia (upset tummy)

Quando vieni a casa?
When are you coming home?
Literally: ‘When (you) come to house/home?’

Listen to the audio file

I love Saturdays. I love them even more when I get to do stuff with Dr B.

He is out now, so I sent him a text containing the phrase above, followed by the one below.

Mi manchi
I miss you
Literally: ‘To-me (you) are-missing/lack’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

‘Mi manchi’ is the same king of odd construction as ‘Mi piaci’ (I like you). ‘Mancare’ = to miss, to lack.

Ho troppe scarpe
I have too many shoes
Literally: ‘(I) have too-many shoes’.

Listen to the audio file

See my post on decluttering my shoes.

Avevo troppe scarpe
I used to have too many shoes
Literally: ‘(I) used-to-have too-many shoes’.

If you want to find out more

‘Avevo’ is one of the past tenses of ‘ho’ (I have). It translates the English expression ‘I used to…’.

The other past tense (the one that uses ‘ho’ followed by the verb ending in ‘-to’, like ‘ho mangiato’) is used for one-off past actions.

Listen to the audio file

La lista della spesa
The shopping list
Literally: ‘The list of-the shopping’.

Listen to the audio file

Today’s phrases are each said twice in the audio files, first by Dr B. and then by me.

Now that Dr B. is getting better at guessing what Italian words might mean, I enjoy sending him emails every now and then in Italian. Today’s said:

Ho comprato carta igienica, dentifricio e cetriolini sotto aceto
I have bought toilet paper, toothpaste and gherkins
Literally: ‘(I) have bought paper hygienic, toothpaste and little-cucumbers under vinegar’.

Listen to the audio file

Microsoft vuole comprare Yahoo!
Microsoft wants to buy Yahoo!
Literally: ‘Microsoft wants to-buy Yahoo!’

Listen to the audio file

I am sure not many are not aware by now that Microsoft has placed a bid to buy Yahoo! for $44.6bn (£22.4bn).

Both Yahoo! and Google have announced this week enhanced versions of their web-based email services, and Microsoft could be trying to protect the very lucrative Outlook from the competition.

Google e Yahoo! vogliono competere con Outlook
Google and Yahoo! want to compete with Outlook
Literally: ‘Google and Yahoo! want to-compete with Outlook’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

Volere (to want) is a very common and very irregular verb. Today you can see the difference between ‘he/she/it wants’ (vuole) and ‘they want’ (vogliono).

The infinitive (the ‘to + …’ form) of all verbs in Italian ends in -re. No special word at the beginning (like the English ‘to’) needed. This is the form you will find listed in dictionaries.

Stamattina ho rotto il mio sito
This morning I broke my website
Literally: ‘This-morning (I) have broken the my website’.

Listen to the audio file

This morning I upgraded WordPress (the software that manages Bitful) to v. 2.3.3 (security update) and, even following carefully the step by step detailed upgrade instructions I have written for myself, I managed to delete all the plugins.

So a few things might have been a bit wrong on this website during the day. I bet nobody noticed.

Stasera l’ho aggiustato
Tonight I have fixed it
Literally: ‘Tonight it (I) have fixed’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

The past expressed with ‘I broke’ or ‘I have broken’ will almost always be translated with ‘I have broken’ in Italian. There is a form that matches ‘I broke’ but it is nowadays very rarely used.

The l’ before ‘ho’ stands for ‘lo’. It is used to translate ‘it’ when ‘it’ is the object of the action (I broke ‘it’).

Ho un nuovo collega
I have a new colleague
Literally: ‘(I) have a new colleague

Listen to the audio file

A new guy started at work today. I had been interviewed for his job and was told I was very close to getting it, but lost out to him because he has a bit more experience.

My application was marked as ‘equally suitable’, so I should wish that he changes his mind and leaves the job so I can step in. It’s also going to be hard handing over the position to him (I have been covering it temporarily for a couple of months now).

I am hoping it is going to go well. I just have a little over two weeks before holidays and I do not intend to get too affected by this until I come back sometime in mid-March.

Besides,

Sembra simpatico
He seems nice
Literally: ‘(He) seems nice/likeable/pleasant’

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

‘Simpatico’ cannot be translated with a single word in English. It is very commonly used to describe people who are nice, amiable, likeable, pleasant, agreeable. Occasionally it can be used for objects (a dress, a film, a shop can all be ‘simpatico’ if they are fun, fresh, friendly).

Camere separate
Separate rooms
Literally: ‘(Bed)rooms separated’.

Listen to the audio file

I snore, so Dr B. wears earplugs. But lately I can’t sleep without waking up every couple of hours (loo, nightmare, leg cramps, or a particularly unpleasant combination of the three), and this is disrupting his rest too.

So lately I have volunteered to sleep on the couch. It’s nearer the fridge and the TV anyway

Dormo in soggiorno?
Shall I sleep in the living room?
Literally: ‘(I) sleep in living room?’

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

‘Room’ (generic) is ‘stanza’. ‘Camera’ (short for ‘camera da letto’) is bedroom.

There is no translation for ‘shall’ in Italian, so ‘Shall we go?’ would very simply be ‘Andiamo?’ = ‘(we) go?’

Oggi è il compleanno di mio suocero
Today is my father-in-law’s birthday
Literally: ‘Today is the birthday of my father-in-law’.

Listen to the audio file

Dr B.’s father is seventy today. I am happy to be joining the festivities, and to let this be his big day.

In my heart, this is also our big day: Dr B. and I met exactly five years ago. When I think of these five years, I can only close my eyes and smile. I could not have asked for anything better than this.

Oggi è anche il nostro quinto anniversario
Today is also our fifth anniversary
Literally: ‘Today is also the our fifth anniversary’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

Three facts to keep in mind when expressing possesssion:

1. apart from very rare exceptions, words like my, your, our etc always take ‘the’ before them; and
2. there is only one translation, whether the object is mentioned or not (‘our house is old’ or ‘ours is old’ would be ‘la nostra casa è vecchia’ and ‘la nostra è vecchia’); but
3. it changes if the noun it refers to is masculine: ‘il mio appartamento’ (my flat) or feminine: ‘la mia casa’ (my house).

Stasera prendiamo il treno
Tonight we are catching a train
Literally: ‘Tonight (we) take the train’.

Listen to the audio file

We are off to see Dr B.’s parents for the weekend. We will be coming back on Sunday night.

Torniamo domenica sera
We are back on Sunday night
Literally: ‘(We) return Sunday night’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

In English, when you catch something you use ‘a’ (a train, a cold, a ball). In Italian you don’t translate it using ‘a’ (‘un’, ‘una’) but ‘the’ (‘il’ or ‘la’):

• prendere il treno (to catch a train)
• prendere il raffreddore (to catch a cold)
• prendere la palla (to catch a ball)

Mi fa male la gamba destra
My right leg hurts
Literally: ‘To-me (it) does/makes bad the leg right’.

Listen to the audio file

The other night I was woken up several times by painful leg cramps. I spent most of yesterday limping and my right calf still hurts today. Any ideas what that could be? And please don’t mention it could be age-related, my birthday is coming up and I am more than a bit sensitive around the issue these days, thank you very much.

Aspetto, forse passa.
I’ll wait, maybe it goes away.
Literally: ‘(I) wait, maybe (it) passes’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

Another complicated construction that differs in Italian: body parts do not hurt, they do bad to you.

Of course, if you find the syntax too hrd to grasp, you can always use the other, more commonly used Italian way to say that something hurts, which is clutching the body part in question with a painful expression and throwing yourself on the ground grunting ‘Aaah’. Yes, we are taught that at school with our ABC.

Di solito esco di casa alle sette e mezza.
I usually leave home at half past seven.
Literally: ‘Of usual (I) go-out of house/home at-the seven and half’.

Listen to the audio file

Morning transport is bad, but I found that I can shave off 20 minutes from my commute – and have enough room in the train to hold my book open – if I leave ten minutes earlier.

Unfortunately it seems that yesterday everybody else had the same idea, and that altered my mood from bad to superbad.

I can’t afford to have two superbad days in a row, so today I am starting my journey at seven to beat the crowds.

Oggi esco mezz’ora prima.
Today I’m leaving half an hour earlier.
Literally: ‘Today (I) go-out half’hour before’.

Listen to the audio file

If you want to find out more

When you tell the time, you must put an article (‘the’) before the number, which I agree is rather odd. I think what is implied is the word ‘ore’ (hours).

The full translation of ‘It is seven o’clock’ (now only used for very formal announcements) would be:

Sono le ore sette
(They) are the hours seven

‘Ore’ is usually dropped, but its article (‘le’) remains.