Italian For Dummies

Berlitz has taught languages to millions of people for more than 130 years. Francesca Romana Onofri and Karen Antje Moller are veteran language teachers. Teresa L. Picarazzi, PhD, teaches Italian at The Hopkins School and has lived and worked in Cortona, Florence, Ravenna, Siena, and Urbino.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Conventions Used in This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 3How This Book is Organized 3Part I: Getting Started 3Part II: Italian in Action 3Part III: Italian on the Go 4Part IV: The Part of Tens 4Part V: Appendixes 4Icons Used in This Book 4Where to Go from Here 5Part I: Getting Started 7Chapter 1: Saying It Like It is 9You Already Know Some Italian! 9Cognates 11Popular expressions 11Mouthing Off: Basic Pronunciation 12The Alphabet 13Vowels 13Consonants 15Stressing Words Properly 19Using Gestures 20Chapter 2: Jumping Into the Basics of Italian 21Setting Up Simple Sentences 21Coping with Gendered Words (Articles, Nouns, and Adjectives) 22Nouns and gender 22The indefinite articles 23Definite articles 24Adjectives 25Talking about Pronouns 26Personal pronouns 27Saying “you”: Formal and informal 27Verbs 28Introducing regular and irregular verbs 28Idiomatic uses of avere 32Having to, wanting to, being able to 37Presenting the Simple Tenses: Past, Present, and Future 38Chapter 3: Buongiorno! Salutations! 43Looking at Common Greetings and Good-byes 43Deciding between formal or friendly 45Replying to a greeting 45Specifying your reuniting 46Making Introductions 47Introducing yourself 47Introducing other people 50Getting Acquainted 53Finding out whether someone speaks Italian 53Talking about where you come from 54Extending and responding to invitations 60Chapter 4: Getting Your Numbers and Time Straight 63Counting Numbers 63Times of Day and Days of the Week 66Using the Calendar and Making Dates 68Making dates 69Telling time 70Chatting about the Weather 72Familiarizing Yourself with the Metric System 77Length and Distance 78Weight 78Part II: Italian in Action 83Chapter 5: Casa dolce casa (Home Sweet Home) 85Ordering Ordinals 85Inhabiting Your Home 87Hunting for an apartment 87Sprucing up your apartment 92Furnishing your new pad 93Housekeeping in style 95Cooking and cleaning 98Doing household chores 100Chapter 6: Where is the Colosseum? Asking Directions 103Finding Your Way: Asking for Specific Places 103Mapping the quarters and following directions 105Verbs on the Move 109Locations You May Be Looking For 113Chapter 7: Food Glorious Food — and Don’t Forget the Drink 119Eating, Italian Style 119Drinking, Italian Style 119Expressing your love for espresso 120Beverages with even more of a kick 121The Start and End of Dining Out 123Making reservations 124Paying for your meal 125Having Breakfast 126Eating Lunch 127Enjoying Dinner 129Shopping for Food 132Al macellaio (ahl mah-chehl-lahy-oh) (at the butcher’s) 132Pesce (fish) (peh-sheh) 133At the panetteria (breadshop) 134Chapter 8: Shopping, Italian Style 139Clothing Yourself 139Deciding between department stores and boutiques 139Sizing up Italian sizes 143Talking definitely and indefinitely 144Coloring your words 145Accessorizing 147Stepping out in style 148Chapter 9: Having Fun Out on the Town 151Acquiring Culture 151Going to the movies 154Going to the theater 156Going to a museum 160Going to a local festival 161Going to a concert 162Inviting Fun 164Chapter 10: Taking Care of Business and Telecommunicating 173Phoning Made Simple 173Connecting via cellphones, texts, and Skype 174Calling for business or pleasure 176Making Arrangements over the Phone 178Asking for People and Getting the Message 179What Did You Do Last Weekend? — Talking about the Past 182Discussing Your Job 186The human element 187Office equipment 187Chapter 11: Recreation and the Outdoors 191Taking a Tour 191Speaking Reflexively 195Playing Sports 196Talking about Hobbies and Interests 200Part III: Italian on the Go 207Chapter 12: Planning a Trip 209Deciding When and Where to Go 209Taking a Tour 211Booking a Trip/Traveling to Foreign Lands 213Arriving and Leaving: The Verbs “Arrivare” and “Partire” 216Going to the Beach and Spa 217Using the Simple Future Tense 217Chapter 13: Money, Money, Money 221Going to the Bank 221Changing Money 224Using Credit Cards 226Looking at Various Currencies 228Chapter 14: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and Buses 233Getting through the Airport 233Checking in 234Dealing with excess baggage 236Waiting to board the plane 237Coping after landing 238Going through Customs 240Losing Luggage 241Renting a Car 243Navigating Public Transportation 245Calling a taxi 245Moving by train 246Going by bus or tram 249Reading maps and schedules 251Being Early or Late 253Chapter 15: Finding a Place to Stay 255Choosing a Place to Stay 255Reserving a Room 256Checking In 259Personalizing pronouns 262This or these: Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns 263Yours, mine, and ours: Possessive pronouns 263Bending Others to Your Will: Imperatives 267Chapter 16: Handling Emergencies 271Talking to Doctors 272Describing what ails you 273Understanding professional medical vocabulary 277Getting what you need at the pharmacy 277Braving the dentist 279Reporting an Accident to the Police 280I’ve Been Robbed! Knowing What to Do and Say When the Police Arrive 281Dealing with Car Trouble 285When You Need a Lawyer: Protecting Your Rights 287Reporting a Lost or Stolen Passport 288Chapter 17: Small Talk, Wrapping Things Up 293Discovering Interrogative Pronouns 293Asking simple questions 295Taking care of basic needs 296Talking About Yourself and Your Family — Possessives Part 2 300Speaking Reflexively 305Talking shop 307Discussing your job 307Part IV: The Part of Tens 313Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up Italian Quickly 315Read Italian Food Labels 315Ask for Food in Italian 316Listen to Italian Songs 316Read Italian Publications 316Watch Italian Movies 316Tune in to Italian Radio and TV Programs 317Listen to Italian Language Tapes 317Share Your Interest 317Surf the Net 318Cook! 318Chapter 19: Ten Things Never to Say in Italian 319Ciao-ing Down 319Don’t Be Literal 320Five Fickle “False Friends” 320Food Faux Pas 321The Problem with “Play” 321Being Careful of “False Friends” 321Chapter 20: Ten Favorite Italian Expressions 323Mamma mia! 323Che bello! 323Uffa! 324Che ne so!/Boh! 324Magari! 324Tista bene! 324Non te la prendere! 324Che macello! 325Non mi va! 325Mi raccomando! 325Chapter 21: Ten Phrases to Say So That People Think You’re Italian 327In bocca al lupo! 327Acqua in bocca! 328Salute! 328Macché! 328Neanche per sogno! 328Peggio per te! 328Piantala! 329Vacci piano! 329Eccome! 329Lascia perdere! 329Part V: Appendixes 331Appendix A: Verb Tables 333Italian Verbs 333Irregular Italian Verbs 336Italian –IRE Verbs with a Special Pattern (-isc-) 343Common Irregular Past Participles 345Appendix B: Dictionaries 347Appendix C: About the CD 359Track Listing 359Customer Care 360Appendix D: Answer Keys 361Index 369