Language 2

Mangiare e bere (eating and drinking)

Alberto Sordi in a very famous scene from the movie "Un americano a Roma" (An American in Rome).

Parole utili (useful words)
ristorante = restaurant
birreria = pub
birra = beer
enoteca = wine bar
vino = wine
gelateria = ice cream shop
gelato = ice cream
osteria = tavern, inn
trattoria = eating house
paninoteca = sandwich bar
panino = sandwich
pasticceria = cake, pastry shop
pasticcini = pastries
torta = cake
pizzeria = pizza shop
rosticceria = roasted goods store
tavola calda = snack bar
caffetteria = coffee shop
cameriere, cameriera = waiter, waitress
colazione = brekfast
pranzo = lunch
cena = dinner
coltello = knife
forchetta = fork
cucchiaio = spoon
tovagliolo = napkin
olio = oil
aceto = vinegar
sale = salt
pepe = pepper
pane = bread
zucchero = sugar
latte = milk

***
Frasi utili (useful phrases)

• Puoi (formal)/può (informal) suggerirmi un buon ristorante? = Can you suggest a good restaurant?

• Si mangia/si beve bene là? = Can we eat/drink well there?

• Quel ristorante è caro/economico? = Is that restaurant expensive/cheap?

• Vorrei prenotare un tavolo = I would like to reserve a table.

• C'è un tavolo libero? = Is there a free table?

• Vorrei un tavolo per due/quattro persone = I would like a table for two/four people.

• Cameriere/cameriera, può portarmi il menù? = Waiter/waitress, can you bring me the menu?

• Per favore = Please.

• Ho (molta) fame = I am (very) hungry.

• Ho (molta) sete = I am (very) thirsty.

• Cosa volete bere/mangiare? = What would you like to drink/eat?

• Per me un bicchiere di vino rosso/bianco = For me a glass of red/white wine.

• Io prendo una bottiglia di acqua minerale = I'll drink a bottle of mineral water.

• Volete ordinare? = Would you like to order?

• Vorrei delle lasagne = I would like some lasagne.

• Io prendo un pollo arrosto = I'll have/eat a roast chicken.

• Per il pollo bisogna aspettare mezz'ora, va bene? = For the chicken you have to wait half an hour, is it all right?

• Volete un contorno/dessert/caffè/liquore? = Would you like any side dish/dessert/coffee/liqueur?

• Sì, un'insalata e delle patatine fritte = Yes, a salad and some chips.

• Basta così? = Is is enough like this?

• Sì grazie, va bene così = Yes thanks, it's all right like this.

• No, mi porti per favore... = No, please bring me...

• Buon appetito! = Enjoy your meal!

• E' tutto molto buono = Everything is very good

• Mi porti il conto, per favore = Bring me the bill, please.

• Dov'è il bagno? = Where is the toilet?

***
Grammar tips
Verbo essere, tempo presente (To be, present tense)
Io sono = I am
tu sei = you are
lui/lei è = he/she is
noi siamo = we are
voi siete = you are
loro sono = they are

Verbo avere, tempo presente (To have, present tense)
Io ho = I have
tu hai = you have
lui/lei ha = he/she has
noi abbiamo = we have
voi avete = you have
loro hanno = they have

Aggettivi determinativi (definite articles)

• Masculine & singular: il, lo/l'. Examples: il pranzo (the lunch), lo zio (the uncle), l'albero (the tree).

• Feminine & singular: la/l'. Ex: la zia (the aunt), l'automobile (the car).

• Masculine & plural: gli, i. Ex: gli elefanti (the elephants), i cantanti (the singers).

• Feminine & plural: le. Ex: le zanzare (the mosquitoes).

Aggettivi indeterminativi (indefinite articles)

• Feminine & singular: una/un'. Ex: una zia (an aunt), un'automobile (a car).

• Masculine & singular: un, uno. Ex: un pranzo (a lunch), uno zio (an uncle).

For plural, a proper form for indefinite articles doesn't exist. We use some combined prepositions and this use is called "partitive article".

• Feminine & plural: delle. Ex: delle zie (some aunts).

• Masculine & plural: dei, degli. Ex: dei pranzi (some lunches), degli zii (some uncles).

Avviso importante (Important notice)

Starting from this week, the Italian Club will change the day of its weekly meetings: instead of Friday, it will be Wednesday! But the hour (17.30) and the place (Library third floor) will be the same.
See you on August 29, then!

Lifestyle 1 - Caffè (coffee)

 

 

In conclusion, one song which refrain mentions coffee (in Neapolitan language, quite difficult to translate for me):

Ah che bell' 'o cafè

pure in carcere 'o sanno fa'

co' 'a ricetta ch' 'a Ciccirinella

compagno di cella

ci ha dato mammà

(Oh, coffee is good | even in jail they know how to make it | with the recipe that mom gave to cell mate).

Language 1

In our first meeting we started to see some simple words and expressions.

Very polite cappuccino: it says you "buongiorno".

Benvenuti = welcome (many people)
Benvenuto = welcome (one male person)
Benvenuta = welcome ( one female person)
Benvenute = welcome (many female people)
Buongiorno = good morning
Buonasera = good evening
Buonanotte = good night
Arrivederci = goodbye
Ci vediamo = See you
Ciao = hello/bye (informal)
Come va? = how are you? (general)
Come stai? = how are you? (informal, one person)
Come sta? = how are you (formal, one person)
Come state? = how are you? (many people)
Bene = well
Molto bene = very well
Male = bad
Non c'e' male = not bad
Grazie = thank you
Prego = you are welcome

(Io) parlo italiano = I speak Italian
(Io) non parlo italiano = I don't speak Italian
(Io) parlo poco italiano / (io) parlo un poco di italiano = I speak Italian just a little
Non capisco l'italiano = I don't understand Italian
Mi dispiace = I'm sorry
Capisci l'italiano? = do you understand Italian? (informal, one person)
Capisce l'italiano? = do you understand Italian? (formal, one person)
Capite l'italiano? = do you understand Italian? (many people)
Parlo lituano, inglese, francese, tedesco, russo, spagnolo... = I speak Lithuanian, English, French, German, Russian, Spanish...
Parli lituano? = do you speak Lithuanian? (informal, one person)
Parla lituano? = do you speak Lithuanian? (formal, one person)
Parlate lituano? = do you speak Lithuanian? (many people)

Da dove vieni? = where are you from? (informal, one person)
Da dove viene? = where are you from? (formal, one person)
Da dove venite? = where are you from? (many people)
Dalla Lituania, dall'Italia = from Lithuania, from Italy
Da Vilnius, da Roma = from Vilnius, from Rome
Come ti chiami? = what's your name? (informal, one person)
Come si chiama? = what's your name? (formal, one person)
Come vi chiamate? = what's your name? (many people)
Mi chiamo... = my name is....
Piacere = nice to meet you

***
Pronunciation tips (left side is Italian writing, right side is pronunciation).
- ca, co, cu = ka, ko, ku (example: "coast")
- ce, ci = che, chi (ex. "children")
- che, chi = ke, ki (ex. "chemistry")
- sce, sci = she, shi (ex. "ship").

Benvenuti! (Welcome!)

Cominciamo! (Let's start!)

Well, actually the "Italian language and culture club" started yesterday, Friday 17 August 2012 (it's funny, because in Italy Friday 17 it's considered an extremely unlucky day :-). The club will meet every Friday from 17.30 to 19.00 in Birštonas Public Libray, third floor.

I paste here the advertisement poster, which is quite funny, in my humble opinion ;-).

For those who don't speak Lithuanian, the grey box in the poster says more or less:

- lessons of basic Italian language for travelling purposes;

- presentations about main Italian cities, Italian cuisine, history, culture, society;

- important information: the club will be held in English [I'm sorry, my Lithuanian is still very basic and I'm  not be able to express complex concepts].

That's all, folks, for the moment. Soon I'll post the first Italian words and expression we 'studied'. 

Arrivederci! (Goodbye!).