Read Online Italian All-in-One For Dummies by Consumer Dummies - Free Book Online Page B

-tee?) ( Guys/kids, are you ready? )
    La cena è pronta. (lah cheh -nah eh prohn -tah.) ( Dinner is ready. )
    Another use of pronto you should know is pronto soccorso ( prohn -toh sohk- kohr -soh) ( first aid; emergency room ). In this context, pronto means rapid.
    Presto ( prehs -toh), on the other hand, means either early or soon and as an adverb is invariable (ending always in -o ). For example: Siamo arrivati presto ( syah -moh ahr-ree- vah -tee prehs -toh) ( We arrived early ).
    Here are a few other terms to help you cover the basic needs:
    abbastanza (ahb-bah- stahn -zah) ( enough )
    il bagno (il bah -nyoh) ( bathroom )
    Come ti trovi. . . ? ( koh -meh tee troh -vee. . . ?) ( How do you like. . . ? [used only in certain situations, like a job or new city])
    consigliare (kohn-see- lyah -reh) ( to recommend; to advise )
    Da quanto tempo? (dah kwahn -toh tehm -poh?) ( For how long? ) ( Since when? )
    ditta ( deet -tah) ( company; firm )
    gemello/a (jeh- mehl -loh/lah) ( twin [masculine/feminine])
    partita (pahr- tee -tah) ( game )
    Talking About Your Family
    Italian has specific rules for using possessive adjectives with family members. For singular family members, you don’t use the article, but plural family members do take the article, as in these examples:
    mia sorella (no definite article) ( mee -ah soh- rehl -lah) ( my sister )
    le mie sorelle (with definite article) (leh mee -eh soh- rehl -leh ( my sisters )
    Want to talk about more relatives? Use this list as your guide:
    marito (mah- ree -toh) ( husband)
    moglie ( mohl -yeh) ( wife )
    figlio ( feel -yoh) ( son )
    figlia ( feel -yah) ( daughter )
    figli ( feel -yee) ( children )
    nipote (nee- poh -teh) ( niece, nephew, granddaughter, grandson )
    nipoti (nee- poh -tee) ( nieces, nephews, granddaughters, grandsons, grandchildren )
    suocero ( swoh -cheh-roh) ( father-in-law )
    suocera ( swoh -cheh-rah) ( mother-in-law )
    genero ( geh -neh-roh) ( son-in-law )
    nuora ( nwoh -rah) ( daughter-in-law )
    zio ( dzee -oh) ( uncle )
    zia ( dzee -ah) ( aunt )
    cugina/o (kooh- jee -nah/noh) ( cousin [feminine/masculine])
    cugine/i (koo- jee -neh/nee) ( cousins [feminine/masculine])
    nonna ( nohn -nah) ( grandmother )
    nonno ( nohn -noh) ( grandfather )
    nonni/e ( nohn- nee/neh) ( grandparents, grandfathers/grandmothers )
    madre ( mah -dreh) ( mother )
    padre ( pah -dreh) ( father )
    genitori (geh-nee- toh -ree) ( parents )
    Discussing What You Do
    Che fai? (keh fahy?) ( What do you do ?) is a common Italian expression that has several nuanced meanings. The context of the conversation or your interlocutor’s body language will tell you whether you’re being asked the English equivalent of What’s going on; what’s new; what’s up? or whether you’re being asked what you do for a living. In the latter case, you answer Faccio il (dottore, tassista, . . .) ( fahch -choh eel [doht- toh -reh, tahs- see -stah, . . . ]) ( I’m a [doctor, taxi driver, . . .] ) or Sono (dottore, tassista, . . .) ( soh -noh [doht- toh -reh, tahs- see -stah, . . .]) ( I’m a [doctor, taxi-driver, . . . ] ).
    Talkin’ the Talk
    Friends Flavio and Dino are checking in and making plans for the day. (Track 6)
    Flavio: Che fai?
    keh fah -ee?
    What are you up to?
    Dino: Niente. Hai qualche idea?
    nyehn -teh. Ah -ee kwahl -keh ee- deh -ah?
    Nothing. Any ideas?
    Flavio: No. Fa anche freddo, non saprei proprio . . .
    noh. fah ahn -keh frehd -doh, nohn sah- preh -ee proh -pryoh . . .
    No. And it’s also cold, I wouldn’t know . . .
    Dino: Sai se gli altri fanno qualcosa?
    sah -ee seh lyee ahl -tree fahn -noh kwahl- koh -zah?
    Do you know if they [our friends] have any plans for today?
    Flavio: Possiamo chiamarli. Chissà, si può andare tutti al cinema.
    pohs- syah -moh kyah- mah -reh. kees- sah , see pwoh ahn- dah -reh toot -tee ahl chee -neh-mah.
    We can call them. Maybe we can all go to the movies.
    Â 
    Talking shop
    Work is such a big part of so many