Archive for the ‘Culture Shot’ Category
44. A Cheesy Collateral (Culture Shot)
August 31st, 2009
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. VIP Member Lisa sent us one of the most entertaining email we’ve ever received. She says: “I read this article in the New York Times about an Italian bank keeping wheels of Parmesan cheese as collateral for bank loans to cheese makers. I was blown away by this but not really surprised because Italians are so resourceful! What a brilliant way to make loans available for cheese makers by allowing their aging cheese to guarantee their loans! I think this would make a great lesson as well as a cultural surprise for your listeners, Jane and Massimo!”
You said it, Lisa, Italians can surely be resourceful, and what an example you brought up! So here it is, a Culture Shot about banks, loans, Parmesan cheese, and, most important, about the worldwide famous “arte di arrangiarsi italiana” (the Italian art of going with the flow). Enjoy!
[Getting Around The House Vol. 1: The Kitchen & The Bedroom - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, an audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Getting Around The House, Vol. 1: The Kitchen and the Bedroom“, composed of an audio file and PDF transcript of some of the names of things you find in the kitchen and in the bedroom that you absolutely need to know if you ever travel to Italy!
Culture Shot - Episode Nr.44
43. Agosto, Moglie Mia Non Ti Conosco (Culture Shot)
August 16th, 2009
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. LearnItalianPod VIP subscriber Alexandra from Vancouver is in Italy for study reasons. She says: “It’s the week of mid-August here in Milano and I wasn’t really prepared for what appears to be a desert city. I mean, it is… empty! Where’s everyone? And what’s with the sentence “agosto, moglie mia non ti conosco” that I keep hearing all the times?”
Dear Alexandra, welcome to the Italian “Ferragosto”, and thanks for the inspiration! - So, here they are, one of the most famous Italian summer’s sentences ever and a celebration of the Italian summer all in one Culture Shot. Enjoy!
[Going Shopping in Italy - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, an audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Going Shopping in Italy”, containing the 29 most popular, must-know Italian sentences to use when going shopping in Italy - a very useful single audio file that you can take with you, listen and practice whenever and wherever you want to master the language of (Italian) shopping!
Culture Shot - Episode Nr.43
42. The Most Famous Italian Word (Culture Shot)
August 2nd, 2009
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Here’s what VIP Member Richie from Chicago has to say about his recent trip to Italy: “I had the best time ever. It’s just incredible how beautiful Italy really is… and how Italians can be charming and generous, once you just try to speak their language! And, about the Italian language… how many times can Italians repeat the word “ciao”? I heard it everywhere, all the times… it must be the most famous Italian word!”
Right on, Richie! Used to say “hi” and “goodbye”, used as informal exclamation with different meanings, used doubling the word, the word “ciao” is known all over the world and it is currently used in several languages as a loan word. So, let’s celebrate the word “ciao”, by finding out its origin, its different meanings, and some curious facts about it. Enjoy!
[Money & Banking - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, an audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Money & Banking”, containing all of the most popular, must-know Italian words and sentences used when dealing with money and banking in Italian - a very useful single audio file that you can take with you, listen and practice whenever and wherever you want to master the language of (Italian) money!
Culture Shot - Episode Nr.42
41. The Mayor’s Water (Culture Shot)
July 13th, 2009
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. VIP Member Gloria was in Venice just a few days ago. She wrote us an incredibly nice email, where she says: “As I was walking around this marvelous city, I couldn’t help but notice a lot of billboards featuring the smiling mayor of Venice saying ‘Anch’io bevo l’acqua del Sindaco’ (I, too, drink the Mayor’s water). At first, I thought it was some kind of joke, but then my Italian friend Carlo explained to me: that’s actually the city of Venice promoting what was previously unthinkable: that Venetians should drink tap water”.
So, let’s dedicate this Culture Shot to “The Mayor’s Water” and let’s see what’s making this advertising campaign run by the city of Venice so unique! On the grammar section, we will review some of the most interesting expressions from the story giving grammar rules and extra examples. You will find a lot of useful Italian language to learn on this lesson, so let’s get right to it!
[Asking & Telling The Time - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, an audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Asking & Telling The Time”, containing all of the most popular, must-know Italian words and sentences used when asking or telling the time - in fact, we have collected all of the sentences about time that we’ve ever published (and many more!) in a single audio file that you can take with you, listen and practice whenever and wherever you want: this is really a great resource to have and practice before taking your next trip to Italy!
Culture Shot - Episode Nr.41
40. The Fox and The Crow (Culture Shot)
June 28th, 2009
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Longtime VIP Member Patricia from Boston sent us a terrific email. She writes: “One of the fondest memories I have of my recent trip to Italy is the discovery of some great Italian tales written by an ancient author called Fedro. It all happened one night, by absolute chance, as I heard my Italian friend Luisa reading two fables to her children, before they went to sleep. Such a fascinating moment… and a great idea for a Culture Shot, right Jane & Massimo?”
Absolutely, Patricia! So, let’s feature a terrific, super famous, ancient Italian tale: “La Volpe e Il Corvo” (The Fox and the Crow). On the grammar section, we’ll be reviewing the hypothetical constructions, and we’ll learn and practice some more useful Italian sentences. Enjoy!
[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the super popular, “must-memorize”, regular 1st conjugation Italian verb “Parlare” (To to speak, to talk).
Culture Shot - Episode Nr.40
39. Two Letters, Single Sound (Culture Shot)
May 17th, 2009
Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Our dear friend and longtime VIP subscriber Carlo, who is from England but lives in Rome, says: “I have got to tell you, Jane and Massimo… some of the sounds of the Italian language, like “GL”, “GN”, or “SC”, are so difficult to pronounce correctly. Please make an episode about it, I need to get this right!”
Excellent idea, Carlo! So, let’s practice the pronunciation of some of the difficult sounds of the Italian language, like “GL”, “GN”, and “SC”. And yes, we are going to practice these sounds with the help of some good old tongue twisters! - Oh, by the way, all of these tongue twisters are used in Italian schools to teach Italian to Italian kids, so… they work!
[VIP Members Only Extra Bonuses!] Login to the Learning Center to download an audio file containing every letter of the Italian alphabet together with pronunciation instructions and a sample word for each letter, with the addition of blank spaces after each word instance so you can repeat over and over. That’s the ultimate way to learn how to pronounce Italian the right way.
Culture Shot - Episode Nr.39
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