LearnItalianPod.com - Learn to Speak Italian with Podcasts

5. A Timeless Movie Star (Fame & Fortune)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:09:00 +0000

This time, the spotlight is on one of the greatest actresses in the history of cinema. Her name is Sophia Loren, a smart and talented actress – and a beautiful woman – who won numerous awards and honors, including two Oscars. Let’s learn all about this true icon of Italian cinema worldwide, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only: Login to the Learning Center to find the full transcript of this lesson in Italian and English, the premium audio containing the examples from the lesson with plenty of extra sentences with blank spaces after each sentence so you can practice your pronunciation over and over, and some great interactive flashcards, English to Italian – so each flashcard will challenge you on “how to say something in Italian when you are thinking in English” – a great, “real-life situation” exercise.

Fame & Fortune – Episode #5 – [May 20, 2013]

4. An Indomitable Willpower (Fame & Fortune)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:49:16 +0000

This time, the spotlight is on one of the most extraordinary women in the scientific world, a woman who dedicated her life to scientific research with extraordinary results. Her name is Rita Levi Montalcini, a great scientist who won the Nobel Prize for medicine. Let’s learn all about this incredible woman who had an indomitable will power and the personality of a princess, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

Fame & Fortune – Episode #4

3. The Ultimate Renaissance Man (Fame & Fortune)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:40:38 +0000

This time, the spotlight is on the ultimate Renaissance Man, one of the greatest if not the greatest genius of all times, Leonardo da Vinci. Let’s learn all about the genius and creativity of a truly wonderful mind, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

Fame & Fortune – Episode #3

2. The “Maestro” of Modern Cinema (Fame & Fortune)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:55:29 +0000

Federico Fellini, the Oscar-winning “Maestro” who masterfully explored the fantasies and dreams of the human mind, is one of the movie directors who have most influenced the history of modern cinema. Let’s learn all about one of the most creative movie directors of all time, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any “real life” conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

Fame & Fortune – Episode #2

1. The Great Explorer (Fame & Fortune)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:46:28 +0000

Italy has an comprehensive list of famous people who have excelled in all fields imaginable by man. Actors, architects, composers, artists, scientists, engineers, chefs, athletes – you name it! – for each imaginable field there is or there has been a famous Italian. – What is better than celebrating the lives of the men and women who have made Italy famous all over the world while at the same time learning the beautiful Italian language? – And that’s exactly what this new series, Fame & Fortune, is all about. Episode #1 is dedicated to the ultimate explorer, the great traveler Marco Polo. – Enjoy!

Fame & Fortune – Episode #1 – [NEW SERIES!]

37. No Tipping Necessary (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 01:41:47 +0000

This news comes all the way from China where a recently opened restaurant is using – unbelievable but true – a robot-waiter to serve customers at the table. The robot-waiter is the invention of the restaurant’s owner, who is a technology enthusiast. Some say that the service of the robot-waiter is quite slow, but everyone agrees that he never complains about the tip! – And so today, let’s learn all about the new incredible robot-waiter, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #37

36. Touring Italy On A Vespa (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:19:26 +0000

VIP Member Christine from Australia recently told us a story of a couple who bought an old Vespa, the famous Italian motorbike, and travelled all across Italy with it. They said they had the best time of their life! – Little did we know that this “Vespa tourism”, which consists of renting a Vespa to travel all around Italy, has become quite fashionable and now everybody’s doing it! – So, let’s learn all about this new trend, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #36

35. The Chocolate Stamp (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:03:22 +0000

Longtime VIP Member Angela, who is from Belgium, sent an interesting news about her country. Belgium is famous for its delicious chocolate so the Belgian post office took this love for chocolate to the extreme by releasing – incredible but true – a stamp that smells and tastes like chocolate! – Let’s learn all about this new limited edition chocolate stamp, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #35 – [February 18, 2013]

34. The Fountain’s Facelift (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 04:34:14 +0000

Did you know that 60% of the world’s art treasures can be found in Italy and good part of that art is in the beautiful city of Rome? – Rome is famous for its museums, churches, art galleries, and magnificent works of art. Recently, one of the true symbols of Rome, the world-renowned Trevi Fountain, was in need of a face lift. A famous Italian house fashion stepped up and founded the restoration of this famous Italian icon. — And so today, let’s learn all about the “Fontana di Trevi” (the Trevi Fountain), and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any “real life” conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #34

33. The Ultimate Slow Food Experience (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:16:45 +0000

VIP Member Carla from New York just came back from a wonderful trip to Italy. She believes that the best way to understand and appreciate a culture is to learn how to cook its typical dishes, so she spent two weeks in a beautiful Tuscan villa learning how to cook Italian food, and she absolutely loved it! – Recently tour operators have discovered how much people love the so-called “slow food experience”, and they are offering a wide variety of culinary experiences. – So, let’s learn all about the “slow food experience”, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any “real life” conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #33

32. The Power of Silence (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:26:41 +0000

This time, let’s talk about… silence. It seems like that one of the most difficult things to do these days is to find a quiet corner where to unwind, relax, and reflect. After all, we all live in the so-called information overload era. – A famous department store in London decided to give its customers the “gift” of silence by launching a new initiative called “No Noise”. So today, let’s learn all about this new initiative, and let’s practice lots of useful words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of the Italian language to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #32

31. There’s an App for Everything (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 01:52:21 +0000

These days it’s all about smart phones or, as they call them in Italy, “telefonini intelligenti”. Italians love their smart phones and most of all they love their applications (in short, apps), which are fully functioning programs that run on smart phones. The app fever has officially invaded Italy, and Italians love to share the most original apps with friends and family. So, let’s learn all about smart phone applications, and let’s practice lots of useful words and expressions that you can use in any “real life” conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #31

30. Italian Tradition? Maybe Not! (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 21:04:53 +0000

Let’s talk about those traditions and customs that all over the world are believed to be Italian, but that in reality are virtually unknown in Italy. – For example, while in Italy, try ordering a cappuccino at the end of a meal, or ask the waiter for chicken with pasta, and most likely you will see him or her looking at you with very skeptical eyes. — And so today, let’s learn all about some so-called Italian traditions that are in reality unknown in Italy, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any “real life” conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #30

29. The Holiday Cake War (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 17:47:12 +0000

Since Christmas is just a couple of days away, let’s talk about the two traditional cakes that all Italians will have on their table on Christmas Day: the world famous “Panettone” and “Pandoro”. – Like every year, the competition between these two delicious cakes is fierce: some Italians prefer “Panettone”, others prefer “Pandoro”. So, let’s learn all about the all-Italian “holiday cake war”, and let’s practice lots of useful words and expressions that are sure to take your Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #29

28. The Trendy Knitting (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:31:19 +0000

Let’s talk about a new trend, or better, an old activity that has recently become quite popular: knitting. – Jane’s grandma Rina is an expert in this craft, and she taught her how to knit, and so now Jane loves to spend time knitting with her girlfriends as she finds it very relaxing. Apparently, she’s not the only one who loves knitting: in fact, more than a few VIP Members share her same passion. – So, let’s learn all about this “new but old hobby” and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any “real life” conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #28

27. Don’t Forget Your Lucky Charm (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 02:33:30 +0000

Let’s talk about superstitions and lucky charms. It is a well known fact that Italians are in general extremely superstitious: a newspaper reported that Italians spend about 8 billion dollars a year on fortune tellers and astrology. One of the most famous lucky charms is the red horn, and it is said that you can find a red horn in each Italian household. – So, let’s learn all about superstitions and lucky charms, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any “real life” conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #27

26. Man’s Best Friend (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:38:12 +0000

Let’s find out what Italians’ favorite pets are. About a year ago, a major Italian association who protects animals run a survey asking Italians to indicate their favorite pet. You will not be surprised to hear that the dog is still “man’s best friends” followed by (who else?) the cat. – But some Italians got creative and they said they would love to have a snake pet, or a goose pet, or even a donkey pet! – So, let’s learn all about pets and animals, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any “real life” conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #26

25. The Hunt for The Perfect Location (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 18:09:41 +0000

We are just a few weeks away from the beginning of the Holiday Season, and one of Italians’ favorite activities these days is to look for the “perfect” location where to spend a few days of well-earned rest with family and friends. So, let’s find out where Italians love to go during the Holiday Season, let’s learn all about their favorite destinations, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #25

24. An All Italian Jewel (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:55:33 +0000

Long time VIP member Jason from Scotland visited the small Italian city of Modena on a recent trip to Italy, and he just fell in love with it. He says: “Not only Modena is one of Europe’s major economic realities, but it’s a wonderful place where to have fun and meet a lot of interesting people”. – So, let’s learn all about this small beautiful city, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #24

23. The Return of The Chestnut Man (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:29:23 +0000

This time’s episode is all about one of Italy’s favorite traditions: the arrival, during the month of October especially in smaller cities, of the so-called “Chestnut Man” (in Italian, “Castagnaro”). For many Italians, October is a month full of great memories, and one of these memories is eating warm roasted chestnuts while enjoying a stroll with friends and family. – So, let’s learn all about the mythical “Chestnut Man”, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #23

22. Different Cities, Different Rules (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:44:15 +0000

VIP Member Carla from San Diego, California, just recently went on a Mediterranean cruise. When she stopped in different cities all around Italy she found out some interesting rules that some cities enforce to protect their historical centers. – So, let’s listen to this interesting piece of news, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #22

21. Want to Buy an Italian Village? (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 19:17:31 +0000

If your dream is to buy a piece of Italy, today could be your lucky day… but of course, you would need to win the lottery first! – VIP Member Simon from New York found out that an entire Tuscan village is up for sale. Simon loves Italy; his grandparents came from a tiny village in the south of Italy and now he is working hard to buy a property in Italy. “If I ever won the lottery – he says – this would be the way I would spend all the money!” – Let’s listen to this exciting piece of news, and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of Italian to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #21

20. The Secret of a Long Life (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:14:09 +0000

Get ready for a treat as this episode could reveal the secret of a long life! – That is, according to VIP Member Roberta from Vancouver, Canada, who went to the beautiful Italian island of Sardinia just a month ago, and was impressed by the discovery of this tiny little village where about 300 of the native residents are more than one hundred years old. – So, let’s hear all about “il segreto di una lunga vita” (the secret of a long life), and let’s practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any real-life conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #20

19. The Golden Goodness (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 13:34:12 +0000

This week’s news is about a museum entirely dedicated to one of the most popular condiments in the world, mustard. – Mustard is loved everywhere, in America, Europe, Australia, and all over the world. Listen to this interesting piece of news and practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of the Italian language to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #19

18. The Underwater Spaceship (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 06:14:03 +0000

This time, we’ll take you to one of the most exotic vacation destinations you’ll ever hear about! – Our friend and VIP Member Mark, who is an architect from New Zealand, sent us this very interesting article about a luxurious underwater hotel that is currently being built in Dubai. – Sounds amazing, right? – Just listen to this interesting piece of news and practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of the Italian language to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #18

17. The New Mirror of the Soul (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 02:15:40 +0000

This time’s news is all about a very special kind of spa treatment. Longtime VIP Member Rossella, who for work reasons just relocated to Phoenix Arizona, found this incredible spa that offers, among the usual services, a complete reading of the feet. She says feet reading can read the emotions and personality of a person. – So, just listen to this interesting piece of news and practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of the Italian language to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #17

16. It’s Like Flying, Only Better! (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:33:10 +0000

This time’s news is all about outdoor, adventure, and… flying!. VIP Member Julie from Denver, Colorado loves three things: Italian food, the Italian language and the so-called zip line, a fun outdoor activity that is becoming very popular all over the world! So, let’s learn all about a new type of adventure, and practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that are sure to take your knowledge of the Italian language to the next level. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #16

15. Down The Slippery Slope (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 17:44:32 +0000

VIP Member Petra from Germany, who visits Italy every year during the summer, sent us a terrific email with a very interesting article that we would like to share with you. The article is about school and a very unusual way for students to move from one class to another. – So, just listen to this unusual piece of news to learn and practice lots of useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any real-life conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #15

14. May The Best Pizza Win (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 12:06:08 +0000

When we think about Italy and food the first thing that usually comes to mind is the word pizza or pasta. Some people argue that you can eat a perfect pizza only in Italy, but the recent international championship of pizza, which was held in Italy, proved them wrong. – In fact, you can find excellent pizza all over the world, and if you do not believe us, just listen to this story then learn and practice some useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any real-life conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #14

13. Let’s Talk About Subway (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 03:30:49 +0000

This time’s news comes straight from London. Long time VIP Member Eddy sent us a terrific email. He says: “My fiance’ is Italian and as we’re getting closer to get married, I need to practice more Italian because I want to be able to speak with her family. Here in London I don’t drive and I love taking the subway to go everywhere. All the time I spend in the subway is time I use to practice your Italian lessons! – Speaking about subway, why don’t you make an episode about it?” – Great idea, Eddy, thank you! – So, just listen to this story while learning and practicing some useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any real-life conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #13

12. An Extraordinary Orchestra (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 20:40:27 +0000

Jane’s mom emailed us this great inspirational story about a very special group of women from Egypt, and when we read it we knew it was just perfect for our weekly Italian lesson. So, just listen to this uplifting story while learning and practicing some useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any real-life conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #12

11. The Dog Ice Cream (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 20:37:13 +0000

This time’s news is all about our beloved four-legged friends: dogs. – VIP Member Ashley from London, England emailed us a wonderful article about how she loves to spoil her puppy with a tasty little treat… an ice cream exclusively made for dogs! – So, just listen to this great story all while learning some useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any real-life conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #11 – [June 24, 2012]

10. The Vegetable Cathedral (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 17:58:53 +0000

Here’s another interesting news story, thanks to VIP member Jason from Vancouver, Canada, who is studying architecture in Italy. This piece of news is so unusual yet fascinating (it’s about an Italian vegetable cathedral made of trees!) that when we heard of it, we knew we had to share it with all of you. – So, just listen to another wonderful example of Italian creativity while learning some useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #10

9. TAT, TVTB, It’s SMS The Italian Way! (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 28 May 2012 01:30:27 +0000

It seems like that just about everyone in Italy has a wireless phone, and more than a few VIP Members, after returning from their trip to Italy, have pointed out how much Italians love sending text messages. – Today’s news is all about the so called SMS, or “short message service”, as the service turns 20 years old this year: we’ll talk about this revolutionary technology all the while learning some useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any real-life situation and actual examples text messages in Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #9

8. A Tiny Little Village (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 13 May 2012 18:58:08 +0000

Jane found a very interesting article about the smallest village in Italy, and when we saw a few pictures of this tiny little place, we totally fell in love with it and we knew we had to share this story with you. So, let’s talk about “il villaggio piu’ piccolo d’Italia” (the smallest village in Italy) all while learning how to use the superlative adjective plus some common Italian words and expressions that you can use to improve your Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #8

7. The Bocce Revival (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 06 May 2012 19:45:03 +0000

This time is VIP Member Rebecca from New York who sent us a wonderful article about what she calls “the bocce revival”. – The game of “bocce”, an all-Italian game very popular in the past but forgotten in recent years, is going through a major revival in the city of New York. – So, let’s talk about the comeback of the game of “bocce” and let’s learn some useful Italian verbs and expressions that you can use in any conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #7

6. A True World Championship (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 17:18:19 +0000

VIP Member Mark from South Africa sent us a very funny email. He says: “Thank you for the eco-friendly lesson about water! You have no idea how much I have enjoyed it. Now, after water, can we talk about wine? I hear that Italy did pretty good at last year’s wine world-championship.” — You bet Italy did good, Mark! So, let’s talk about Italian wine all the while learning some useful Italian words and expressions that you can use in any type of formal and informal conversation. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #6

5. Sparkling or Still? (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:44:56 +0000

Jane’s “Nonna Rina” (Grandma Rina) is a very active woman: she likes the outdoor, biking, hiking, traveling, and her favorite destination is “Le Cinque Terre”, a wonderful group of five villages surrounded by hills on the Liguria’s coast. – When Jane heard the news we’re about to give you she said to herself: “Grandma Rina, this is for you!” – So here it is, a great “eco-friendly” piece of news about the wonderful “Cinque Terre” that you can use to improve your Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #5

4. If You Want a Ferrari, Get in Line (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:07:54 +0000

We’re always listening to our VIP Members for ideas and suggestions, and this episode is no exception! – Several VIP Members (Luca, Jordan, and Angela) feel like we need to dedicate one of our “That’s Amore!” episodes to an all Italian legend: the Ferrari, and since the new Ferrari museum just opened in Italy, what better time than this to do it! – So here they are, some great news about the legendary Ferrari that you can use to improve your Italian. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #4

3. The Garden Mania (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 21:45:25 +0000

Long time VIP Members Lauren from New Zealand sent us a wonderful email. She says: “I finally I did it! I moved to Italy and found a tiny apartment with a lovely garden. I am planning to grow some fresh vegetables; I heard this is what everyone is doing now here in Italy…”. – You’re rigth, Lauren, the “garden mania” has officially exploded! So, let’s hear everything about this new great garden mania all while learning lots of useful Italian words and expressions. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #3

2. The Longest Outdoor Escalator (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:48:58 +0000

Jane’s friend and VIP Member Maria Tereza called from Italy, where she’s studying art, and reported a news about the longest outdoor escalator from her native country Colombia. She said she loves our new “That’s Amore!” series as she finds it very useful and entertaining, and she would really enjoy listening to some news in Italian about her country. – You asked, we listened! — So, let’s learn about this new world record for the longest outdoor escalator all while learning lots of useful Italian words and expressions. Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #2

1. An All Italian Sushi (That’s Amore!)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 19:33:57 +0000

Gooooood morning everyone and welcome to our new show called “That’s Amore”, a fun-to-practice news program slash learning Italian experience: news in Italian from all over the world that you can listen and practice on your way to and from work, while you work out, cook or simply relax, and that are sure to take your knowledge of the Italian language to the next level. – This time, we’re going to discover a not-so-well-known connection between Italy, Japan, and its most famous dish, Sushi. – Enjoy!

That’s Amore! – Episode #1

6. Q&A with Jane & Max: What Did You Say He Did?

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:13:38 +0000

In Italian, there are mainly two ways to tell someone the content of a conversation: one is using the direct speech, the other is using the so-called reported speech. – This time, thanks to VIP Member Valentina who lives in London, England, we’re going to answer to this basic but fundamental question: “In Italian, how do I tell someone the content of a conversation?” — Excellent question, Valentina, so let’s find out the answer. Enjoy!

Q&A with Jane & Max – Episode #6

5. Q&A with Jane & Max: During Carnival, Anything Goes!

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 19:26:13 +0000

Certainly one of the most welcomed winter holidays, in Italy the “Carnevale” (Carnival) is a huge event celebrated with parades, masquerade balls, music, entertainment, and parties. Pranks of any kind are common during “Carnevale”, so much that the saying “A Carnevale ogni scherzo vale” (During Carnival anything goes) has become part of the Italian language and culture. – A few VIP Members asked this simple question: “What is Carnival like in Italy?” – So, here’s the answer, of course, all in Italian. Enjoy!

Q&A with Jane & Max – Episode #5

4. Q&A with Jane & Max: The Language of Love

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:40:04 +0000

Valentine’s day is just around the corner, and Italian is considered by many to be the language of love. So, what better question than the one sent by VIP Member Regina from Denver who is simply asking: “How do you say ‘I love you’ in Italian? – I understand that in Italian there are different ways to say ‘I love you’ depending on who you are saying it to.” – Excellent question, Regina, and so appropriate at this time of the year. So let’s find out the answer. – Enjoy!

Q&A with Jane & Max – Episode #4

3. Q&A with Jane & Max: I Hope You Have Time For This!

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:46:44 +0000

This time’s question was sent by VIP Members Alex and Cristina from Sidney, Australia, and so it goes: “Knowing the subjunctive is the only way for someone to express doubt, possibility, or uncertainty in Italian. As you often say, it’s a must know! So, how do we learn and use the subjunctive mood in Italian?” — Another great question, and one for which knowing the answer will make a big difference on your knowledge of the language. So, let’s get to it. Enjoy!

Q&A with Jane & Max – Episode #3

2. Q&A w. Jane & Max: I Can’t Believe You Left Them There!

LearnItalianPod.com — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:55:54 +0000

Knowing the answer to this question can make the difference between speaking an average and a great Italian: “How do I substitute, in a sentence, a noun with its appropriate pronoun?” – Great question! In fact, Italians do it all the times; no, it’s not easy, but yes it’s THAT important to know. Practice this lesson to find the answer. Enjoy!

Q&A with Jane & Max – Episode #2

1. Q&A with Jane & Max: The Formal Mode

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:00:58 +0000

Welcome to the all new “Q&A with Jane & Max” episode #1: The Formal Mode. – This time’s question is basic and to the point, but it is important that you know the answer if you want to speak Italian correctly: “When and how do you use the formal mode in Italian?” – Practice this lesson to find the final answer. Enjoy!

Q&A with Jane & Max – Episode #1

45. This Is How True Love Is Born (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:27:10 +0000

Sometimes love comes around in the most unexpected ways, and that’s exactly what happened to our Italian friends Lucia and Renzo. And so today, we’ll listen to a romantic yet funny story about how a true lasting love was born out of a little accident.

By studying and practicing this lesson, you will learn a lot of “ready-to-use” Italian sentences that use the so-called “Verbi di Movimento” (in English “verbs of motion”) like “Andare” (To Go), “Arrivare” (To Arrive), and so on. – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – The Pronominal Verb “Andarsene” [To Go Away] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “The Pronominal Verb ‘Andarsene’ [To Go Away]“. You can use this verb as a model for conjugating other pronominal verbs, like “Tornarsene” (To go back), “Occuparsene” (To take care of something), “Intendersene” (To be an expert), and many more!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #45

44. It Takes Two To Tango (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:18:06 +0000

Our friend and VIP Member Anna sent us a lovely email a few days ago. She says she’s currently taking an Italian class but she’s having some trouble with the Italian expressions of time that use the verbs “Metterci” and “Volerci”, which are usually translated in English with the meaning of “It Takes”. Then she says: “Jane and Massimo, I need you to cover this soon, as my finals are around the corner!” – You asked, we listened, Anna!

So here it is, the nitty-gritty of the important, must-know Italian verbs “metterci” and “volerci”. — Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Mettere” [To Put] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Mettere’ [To Put]” conjugated in the present, two forms of past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, plus some of the most common and useful idiomatic expressions that use this important verb.

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #44

43. What A Grumpy Old Lady She Is! (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:31:43 +0000

Let’s listen to a funny story about a grumpy old lady who’s always complaining about everything and wherever she goes, she drives everyone crazy. — By studying and practicing this lesson, you will learn a lot of “ready-to-use”, 100% real “everyday” Italian words, sentences, and verbs about food, weather, health, and Italian culture and lifestyle. – Then as usual, after listening to the exclamations, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – The Reflexive Verb “Divertirsi” [To Have Fun] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “The Verb ‘Divertirsi’ [To Have Fun, To Enjoy Oneself]” conjugated in the present, two forms of past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, plus some of the most common and useful idiomatic expressions that use this important verb.

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #43

42. The Midnight Beast (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:39:54 +0000

Our friend and VIP Member Judy from San Diego, California, confessed that she has some trouble in learning the present tense of most Italian verbs, and she’s asking for help and advice. — You knocked at the right door, Judy! – Let’s listen to a story chock-full of Italian verbs used in the present tense about a bad dream that ends up well. — Then as usual, after listening to the exclamations, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Leggere” [To Read] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Leggere’ [To Read]” conjugated in the present, two forms of past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, plus some of the most common and useful idiomatic expressions that use this important verb.

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #42

41. Say It Like You Mean It (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:02:27 +0000

This is truly one of those shows that, if you study it and practice it for a while, it will certainly help you in taking your knowledge of the “real-life” spoken Italian language to the next level. In fact, you are going to learn and practice the top ten exclamations that Italians use everyday to express their feelings about what’s going on with their lives. These are expressions you usually won’t find in books but that are integral part of spoken Italian. – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Parlare” [To Speak, To Talk] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Parlare’ [To Speak, To Talk]” conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #41

40. To Everything There Is A Season (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:43:36 +0000

Italy is surely a land of well-defined seasons: harsh winters with snow, ice, and freezing temperatures; beautiful and blooming springs full of life; extremely hot summers when Italy literally closes down for vacation, and beautifully warm autumns. All of this is life in Italy! – And so today, let’s dedicate this lesson to the beauty of each season the way Italians see it. — Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Prendere” [To Take] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Prendere’ [To Take]” conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #40

39. It’s Not To Be, It’s To Have (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 22:39:40 +0000

VIP Member and friend Giuseppe from Vancouver, Canada, made a good point when he noticed that the Italian verb “Avere” (To Have) is used with many idiomatic expressions that normally use the verb “To Be” in English. Then Giuseppe asked us if we could do a lesson about it. — Great idea, Giuseppe! — So, let’s learn and practice 12 must-know Italian idiomatic expressions that use the verb “Avere” in Italian but that are translated in English with the verb “To Be”. — Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Vedere” [To See] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Vedere’ [To See]” conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #39

38. If You Must, Do It With Grace (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:52:43 +0000

One of the most famous Italian dictionary and encyclopedia publishers has declared war to vulgarity and bad words. “If you have to insult someone” – they say – “then do it with grace”. – This time, get ready for something unusual (and fun!) as we join the war to vulgarity by learning and practicing the 10 top sentences you can use to insult someone in Italian without actually using any bad words. In a nutshell, “insulting… with grace”! – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

VIP Members Only Extra Bonus – Back To Basics: The Verb “Andare” [To Go] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Andare’ [To Go]“, containing the “must-memorize” verb “Andare” (To Go), conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #38

37. The Miracle of San Gennaro (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:16:48 +0000

Our friends Jim and Carla were in Naples, Italy, a few days ago, just at the right time to witness one of the most important days in the life of this beautiful city: the day of the San Gennaro Feast. Every year, on September 19, thousands of devotees crowd into the “Duomo di Napoli” (Naples Cathedral), to witness the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of their protector and patron saint, San Gennaro.

Let’s celebrate this traditional day of faith and prayers, which holds a special place in the hearts of Italian people everywhere. — Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Verb "Dire" [To Say, To Tell]] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Dire’ [To Say, To Tell]“, containing the “must-memorize” verb “Dire” (To Say, To Tell), conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #37

36. The Devil’s Violin (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 23:47:48 +0000

Our friend and VIP Member Cathyanne says she’s going to Italy to see her friends and to perfect her Italian. “Once in Italy”, she says, “I will rent a violin, I will play it in some orchestras, and I will give lessons”. – Then she asks if we can dedicate a LearnItalianPod episode to what, in her opinion, is the most important thing ever made in Italy: the violin! – You asked, we listened.

Let’s dedicate this lesson to an Italian music legend who has been called “the very first rock star” of history, the great “devil’s violinist” Niccolo’ Paganini. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Verb "Mangiare" [To Eat]] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb ‘Mangiare’ [To Eat]“, containing the “must-memorize” verb “Mangiare” (To Eat), conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses, with the addition of blank spaces after each verb instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #36

35. A New Hair-Do, Italian Style (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:05:54 +0000

Alexandra, a longtime friend and VIP Member, who a couple of years ago left everything behind to fulfill her lifetime dream of living in Italy, sent us a terrific email. Recently, she felt that she needed a new hairstyle, so she clipped a photo from a magazine with the hairstyle she’d like to have, went to a beauty salon, and announced: “This is the way I want my hair to look. Let’s do it!” – Wow, talking about being decisive, Alexandra!

So, let’s hear Alexandra’s story (almost) as it happened and let’s learn a lot of useful “ready-to-use” Italian words and sentences that will greatly improve your knowledge of Italian. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Parts of the Body] Login to the Learning Center to download, as a special extra bonus, a useful audio file and PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Parts of the Body”, containing all of the “must-know” parts of the human body in Italian – and, as an added value, the PDF transcript contains a chart with a drawing of the human body which will allow you to see each body part while you listen to its name, so you can learn faster!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #35

34. Oh No, I Think I Lost It! (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 19:09:01 +0000

Longtime VIP Member Alice sent us a great email from Rome, Italy. She was in a bus a few days ago when “il controllore” (the ticket controller) jumped in and started checking tickets. – “What followed,” – she says – “can only be described as comedy at its very best. There was this woman without a ticket, and she would say anything in order not to get a fine. – I know the fact itself isn’t funny at all, but the tone of the conversation made me feel like I was in a sitcom!”

So, let’s pay a tribute to “real-life Italian comedy”, as Alice defines it, by listening to a conversation between a woman caught without the ticket on a bus and the ticket controller”. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - How Would You Say It: Taking The Train] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Taking The Train“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating English sentences into Italian on the fly. Practice this, and get ready to catch the (Italian) train!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #34

33. How Would You Like Your Sandwich? (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:19:06 +0000

Episode #33 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “How Would You Like Your Sandwich?” -Ask any Italian what their favorite snack is and chances are very good that you will hear the words “panino imbottito” (literally “small stuffed bread”), the all-Italian version of a tasty sandwich. – Today, let’s celebrate good food by following our friend Elena as she’s ordering a delicious made-to-order all-Italian “panino imbottito”. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - How Would You Say It: I Need Help] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: I Need Help!“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating English sentences into Italian on the fly. Practice this, and learn how to deal with all kind of emergencies (even if we certainly wish you’ll never have to use it).

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #33

32. Come Fly With Me (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 22:07:58 +0000

Episode #32 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Come Fly With Me” – Summer is in full swing in Italy and summer time usually means a more relaxed traveling and the opportunity to fully recharge one’s body, mind and spirit. – Let’s follow our Italian friend Giovanni as he visits his travel agent to book a trip to a wonderful foreign destination. – Then as usual, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. By studying and practicing today’s dialogue, you will learn a lot of useful words and sentences that you will definitely use if you ever travel to Italy. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - How Would You Say It: At The Hotel] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Hotel“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating English sentences into Italian on the fly. Practice this, and make your next check-in to the Italian hotel a breeze!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #32

31. Haven’t We Met Before? (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:05:03 +0000

Episode #31 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Haven’t We Met Before?” – The “haven’t-we-met-before” pick up line is possibly one of the most conventional and cheesiest ways a man can use to approach a woman he likes. Our friend Antonio doesn’t care to sound cheesy and, to add insult to injury, he even calls the woman he’s talking to with the wrong name. Not good, Antonio, not good. — Will our friend be able to clean up the mess and get a date going? Just listen to today’s dialogue to find out. – Then as usual, after listening to the conversation, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - How Would You Say It: At The Restaurant] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Restaurant“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating English sentences into Italian on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for a delicious meal the Italian way!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #31

30. The Commute Is Killing Me! (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:20:11 +0000

Episode #30 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “The Commute Is Killing Me!” – The protagonist of today’s story, Anna, is a student at a prestigious Italian university who just moved to her new apartment. Everything should be well, except that… it is not. – So, let’s listen to an informal phone conversation between Anna and her friend Carlo and let’s find out why she’s not happy and what her plans are. – Then as usual, after listening to the conversation, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - How Would You Say It: Courtesy Expressions] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Courtesy Expressions“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating English sentences into Italian on the fly. Be courteous to your fellow Italians, and they’ll love you forever!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #30

29. The Island of Glass (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:07:27 +0000

Episode #29 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “The Island of Glass” (L’Isola del Vetro). – According to recent news, the island of Murano and its worldwide famous glass making tradition are in real danger of disappearing soon. A decreasing labor supply and most importantly, the growing competition from China and Eastern Europe, are putting this “100% made in Italy” glass making industry on its knees. But the Venetian glass makers are not ready to surrender yet…

So, let’s pay a tribute to this fantastic artistic tradition by learning about its fascinating story and cultural aspects. – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Verb "Piacere" (To Like)] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb Piacere (To Like)“. This verb it’s not as easy as it seems (no worries, we’ve made it easier for you!) but it is a must-know if you really want to “Say It Like Italians Do!”

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #29

28. One For Each Body Part (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 00:30:24 +0000

Episode #28 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “One For Each Body Part” – This lesson has the double purpose to teach you a lot of cool new Italian idiomatic expressions while at the same time to help you memorize the different parts of the body. – Yes, Italians have at least one great idiomatic expression for each body part you can think of and so here they are, the 10 most famous Italian idiomatic expressions, each one featuring a different body part! – Then as usual, after listening to the sayings, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: Sapere vs. Conoscere] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: Sapere vs. Conoscere“. These verbs have the same translation (“To Know”), but they are used with different meanings, and they are must-know if you want to master the Italian language!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #28

27. The Tortellino X-perience (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:11:33 +0000

Episode #27 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “The Tortellino X-perience” – Scientists from the University of Bologna are so passionate about their hometown’s world famous pasta, “Tortellini”, that their passion has become the inspiration for their latest software: a multimedia teaching game called “Tortellino X-perience”, that promises to teach anyone the very difficult art of making this delicious pasta. – So, let’s celebrate “Tortellini”, technology, and another amazing display of Italian creativity by learning all about the “Tortellino X-perience”. – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Verb Dare (To Give)] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb Dare (To Give)“. This verb is a must-know if you really want to “Say It Like Italians Do!”.

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #27

26. We All Scream For Ice Cream (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 23:51:19 +0000

Episode #26 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “We All Scream For Ice Cream” – Summer’s here, and with summer, comes ice cream! – “Gelato” (the Italian word for “ice cream”), is loved by kids and adults alike, it is arguably the most famous dessert in the world, and it is indeed a must on hot summer days! — Let’s celebrate the beginning of summer by finding out a few curiosities and facts about this delicious dessert. – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Verbs Stare (To Stay)] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verbs Stare (To Stay)“. Often confused with the verb “Essere” (To Be), the Italian verb “Stare” (To Stay) is an absolute must-know if you ever want to speak fluent Italian. Practice this super-useful bonus, and get this ubiquitous verb under your belt once and for all!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #26

25. The 7 Ways To Good (and Bad) Luck (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:03:15 +0000

Episode #25 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “The 7 Ways To Good (and Bad) Luck” – It is a well known fact that Italians are big on superstitions. Today, let’s have fun by uncovering the top seven ways to bring “la buona fortuna” (the good luck) or “la cattiva fortuna” (the bad luck) according to the Italian tradition. – Then, after listening to the superstitions, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Verbs Can, Want, Must] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verbs Can, Want, Must“, containing three verbs you absolutely must-know if you want to speak fluent Italian: the verb “Potere” (Can), “Volere” (Want), and “Dovere” (Must) conjugated in the present, past, and future tenses. That’s everything you need to master these three pillars of the Italian language!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #25

24. I Declare You Husband and Wife (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 31 May 2011 00:40:49 +0000

Episode #24 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “I Declare You Husband and Wife” – This time, get ready to have fun as we’re going to talk about Italian wives, husbands, and the meaning of marriage… according to Italians! — Jane’s parents are celebrating their 25th anniversary this week, and we couldn’t think of a better way to congratulate them than featuring the 10 most famous Italian sayings about marriage. – Yes, it’s all here: the good, the bad, and the ugly of being married according to the Italian tradition. – Then as usual, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - How Would You Say It: Getting Married] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Getting Married“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating English words and sentences into Italian on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for “The Big Italian Wedding”!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #24

23. Once Upon A Time (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 22 May 2011 23:16:06 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #23 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Once Upon A Time” – The expression “Once Upon A Time” (in Italian, “C’era Una Volta”) is the classic opening line of a tale or a fable. This time, get ready to listen to one of the most popular fables of all times and train your ears to truly understand the Italian language. – The title of the fable is “La Tartaruga e La Lepre” (in English, “The Tortoise and the Hare”), and this popular fable is still used in Italy to teach Italian to students in schools. – After listening to the fable, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Verb To Be & To Have] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Verb To Be & To Have“, containing the two most important, must-know verbs of all of the Italian language: the verb “Essere” (To Be) and “Avere” (To Have) conjugated in the present, past, future, conditional, and subjunctive tenses. That’s everything you need to master these two pillars of the Italian language!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #23

22. The Perfect Picnic Menu (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 15 May 2011 23:17:10 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #22 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “The Perfect Picnic Menu” – Longtime VIP Member and friend Maria, who lives and works near Florence in Italy, sent us “una email molto divertente” (a very funny email). She says: “Next week, I’m organizing a picnic for my Italian friends but, truth to be told, I have no idea what to bring to the picnic. Do you have any suggestions, Jane and Massimo?” — But of course we do, Maria! In fact, we love picnics so much that we’re dedicating a lesson to it. — So, listen to the perfect picnic menu, train your ears to truly understand the Italian language, then take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: Going Shopping] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: Going Shopping“, containing the twenty-nine most popular, must-know Italian sentences you can use when going shopping in Italy. – Practice these, and become a true Italian shopaholic!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #22

21. Cracking Italian Jokes (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 08 May 2011 23:41:22 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #21 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Cracking Italian Jokes” – A famous university professor once said that anyone who can truly understand and appreciate a sense of humor in a non-native language can be considered to have mastered that language. – In fact, understanding properly a joke in a foreign language means also understanding the cultural background of the people speaking that language. – Listen to three classic Italian jokes, train your ears to truly understand the Italian language, then take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Asking & Telling The Time] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Asking & Telling The Time“, containing all of the most popular Italian words and sentences you need to know when asking or telling the time. Practice these, and become a “master of time”!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #21

20. Welcome To The Library (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:26:32 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #20 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Welcome To The Library” – Let’s take a guided tour inside a big Italian University library to learn and practice a collection of new words and sentences that you will need to know and use when visiting a library, a museum, or any multi-level big facility. — So, listen to the guided tour, train your ears to truly understand the Italian language, then take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonus - Back To Basics: The Italian Alphabet] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Back To Basics: The Italian Alphabet“. Listen to every letter of the Italian alphabet together with a sample word for each letter, then practice your pronunciation by repeating over and over. That’s the ultimate way to learn how to… “say it like Italians do”!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #20

19. Happy Birthday To You! (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:34:06 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #19 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Happy Birthday To You!” – Get ready, ’cause today we’re going to do something different! What do we mean by that? How about Jane singing “Happy Birthday” to her fictitious eight years old son Massimo? Yes, it’s all here, a fun and useful lesson that you can definitely use to surprise (and impress!) any Italian person on the day of their birthday.

So, listen to this fun dialogue, train your ears to truly understand the Italian language, then take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: Finger-Licking Italian Delights - VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Finger-Licking Italian Delights“, containing the names of the most common sweets of the Italian cuisine, words like “cannoli, confetti, spumone, zuppa inglese”, and many more. Practice these, and “get ready for a sweet (Italian) treat”!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #19

18. Thank You For Calling (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:56:44 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #18 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Thank You For Calling” – It’s just past lunchtime and you decide to kick-start the afternoon with some shopping, determined to buy those great Italian shoes you saw the other day. So, you call the store and… surprise: the store is closed, and the answering machine is on. I bet you didn’t know that in Italy the majority of stores close for lunch, didn’t you!

Listen to a retail store answering machine message, train your ears to truly understand the Italian language, then take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: The Italian Regular Verbs (Ending in -are, -ere, -ire)]- VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “The Italian Regular Verbs (Ending in -are, -ere, -ire)“. Learn and practice the three regular Italian conjugations of verbs (ending in -are, -ere, -ire) in the present, past, and future tenses. Remember, your knowledge of Italian verbs will truly determine your real level of Italian language!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #18

17. A Room For Two, Please (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:00:18 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #17 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “A Room For Two, Please” – Making a hotel room reservation over the phone in Italian can be a real challenge; not only on the phone you can only rely on the words spoken and tone of voice, but your body language is not there to assist you in communicating.

So, let’s go back to the basics of how to book a hotel room but with the added challenge of doing it over the phone. – By studying and practicing this episode, you will learn some useful sentences and vocabulary that you most likely will be using when booking a room or any accomodation in Italian, in person or over the phone. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: The 7 Ways to Greet in Italian- VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “The 7 Ways to Greet in Italian“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. Learn and practice the seven types of greetings that you absolutely need to know (they’re used all the times!), and learn how to properly greet… like Italians do!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #17

16. Listen To The Music (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 23:51:46 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #16 of the fun-to-practice and extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Listen To The Music” – Listening to the radio late in the evening in the quiet comfort of the house can be one of the most relaxing things to do, especially after a long day of work.

Relax by listening to our very own DJ Jane from the fictitious Radio Meraviglia as she entertains us, and train your ears to truly understand the Italian language. – Then, after listening to the story, take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. – By studying and practicing this episode, you will learn some very useful expressions that you can use in any informal conversations in Italian. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: Asking & Giving Directions - VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Asking & Giving Directions“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. Use these words and sentences on your next trip to Italy when asking and giving directions – master these, and never get lost again!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #16

15. May I See Your Passport, Please? (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 23:07:05 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #15 of the extra-useful and fun-to-practice “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “May I See Your Passport, Please?” – You just landed at the Italian airport, eager to start enjoying your vacation of a lifetime, and the very last step before you begin exploring beautiful Italy is going through customs and immigration.

Listen to a conversation between Maria, a just-arrived tourist, and an Italian Customs Officer, train your ears to truly understand the Italian language, and finally take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. — By studying and practicing this episode, you will learn a lot of useful words and sentences that you can use in formal conversations when dealing with official authorities in Italian. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: The Italian Art Vocabulary - VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “The Italian Art Vocabulary“, containing the sixty-four (64) most popular, must-know Italian words related to art: master these, and get ready to show some serious Italian artistic talent!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #15

14. There’s Nothing Like Family (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 23:41:06 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #14 of the fun-to-practice and super-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “There’s Nothing Like Family” – Generally speaking, Italians consider family the center of their social life and the primary source of both emotional and financial support; it is said by many that the heart of Italian culture is indeed the family. — Listen to our Italian friend Maria as she answers questions about her family, train your ears to truly understand the Italian language, and finally take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. — By studying and practicing this episode, you will not only learn the names of the family members in Italians, but also some useful sentences and expressions that you can use when talking about your family in Italian. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: Family Members' Names - VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Family Members’ Names“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. – Zio (uncle), nipote (nephew, grandson), suocera (mother-in-law), nuora (daughter-in-law)… it’s all here. Meet and greet the Italian family!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #14

13. Let’s Watch A Movie! (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:48:15 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #13 of the fun-to-practice and exciting “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Let’s Watch A Movie!” – Spending an evening at home watching a movie and enjoying snacks and popcorn can be a great way to unwind and recharge. The only challenge… choosing a movie that everyone likes! – Listen to Jane and Massimo’s conversation, train your ears to truly understand the Italian language, and finally take the “7 Question Challenge” to test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills. – By studying and practicing this episode, you will learn some great idiomatic expressions and some useful grammar constructions that you can use in any type of conversation in Italian. Enjoy!

[New Extra Bonus: At The Movie Theater - VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “At The Movie Theater“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. – Practice this, and make your next (Italian) movie night a success!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #13

12. This Is Your Captain Speaking (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:41:13 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #12 of the extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “This Is Your Captain Speaking” – Imagine that your are in Italy, sitting on a plane that is taxiing out to the runway for takeoff. You are about to fly to Rome where you will spend a few days of well deserved vacation. All of a sudden, the captain is speaking through the PA system: listen to the captain’s announcement and train your ears to truly understand the Italian language! — Then, after listening to the announcement, take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills by answering to seven challenging questions. Enjoy!

[New Extra Bonus: Airport & Planes - VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Airport & Planes“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. – Learn and practice all the vocabulary you need to know to make your next (Italian) flight a joy!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #12

11. In The Mood For Love (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:47:11 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #11 of the extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “In The Mood For Love” – February, with its Valentine’s Day, is well know as “the month of love”. It is said by many that Italian is the language of love and one of the most romantic languages in the world, and so today, let’s celebrate our loved one by learning and practicing three super romantic “100% Italian-style” love phrases that you can also use to serenade your other half! — Then, after listening to the love phrases, take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension, speaking, and grammar skills by answering to seven challenging questions. Enjoy!

[New Extra Bonus: Happy Valentine's Day! - VIP Members Only] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Happy Valentine’s Day!“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. – Learn and practice everything you need to know to celebrate your Valentine’s day… the Italian way! (Buon San Valentino a tutti!)

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #11

10. A Healthy Lifestyle (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:43:20 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #10 of the extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “A Healthy Lifestyle” – Listen to our Italian friend and fitness enthusiast Gina as she shares with us a few great ideas for being healthier and exercise more, then take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension and speaking skills by answering to seven questions about Gina’s story. — Whether you are living a healthy lifestyle or not, you will find this episode fun to practice, very useful, and truly inspirational. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: Asking & Giving Directions - VIP Members Only!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Asking & Giving Directions“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. – Learn and practice some useful words and sentences that you can use on your next trip to Italy when asking and giving directions – memorize these, and never get lost again!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #10

9. Tell Me A Little Bit About You (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:09:18 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #9 of the extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Tell Me A Little Bit About You” – Listen to our Italian friend Maria talking about her life: who she is, where she lives and what she does, and train your ears to listen and truly understand the Italian language! – Then, after listening to Maria’s narration, take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension and speaking skills by answering to seven questions about the story. — By studying and practicing this episode, you will be learning a lot of useful words and sentences that you can use in any kind of formal and informal conversations when asked to talk about yourself. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: Jobs & Professions - VIP Members Only!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Jobs & Professions“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. – Practice the Italian names of some of the most common jobs and professions and get ready for… “the Italian job”!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #9

8. Lost In The Crowd (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:47:06 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #8 of the extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Lost In The Crowd” – Listen to a very important announcement made on the public-address system of a busy Italian department store and train your ears to listen and truly understand the Italian language! — Then, after listening to the announcement, take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension and speaking skills by answering to seven questions about the story. Enjoy!

[Featured Extra Bonus: Children & Kids' Talk - VIP Members Only!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Children & Kids’ Talk“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by practicing listening comprehension and pronunciation. – Learn some useful words & sentences you need to know when traveling to Italy with children and kids.

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #8

7. This Year, I’m Learning Italian! (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 04:08:34 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #7 of the extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “This Year, I’m Learning Italian!” – A new exciting year has started, and this is usually the time when we all make resolutions and think about what we want to accomplish in the year ahead. And if you made up your mind that this year you will become a master of the Italian language, then this episode is for you! Listen to a phone conversation between a prospective student and the fictitious Italian school “Istituto Lingua Italiana”. Then, after listening to the dialogue, take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension and speaking skills by answering to seven questions about the story. — Buon Anno a Tutti, and “Happy Italian!”

[How Would You Say It: School & Education - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: School & Education“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready to enroll to the Italian school!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #7

6. What Does Christmas Mean To You? (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 23:12:57 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #6 of the extra-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “What Does Christmas Mean To You?”. — Let’s get into the spirit of the Holidays with a beautiful story that is sure to inspire you and at the same time to train your ears to truly understand the Italian language! – Then, after listening to this inspiring tale, take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension and speaking skills by answering to seven questions about the story. Buone Feste A Tutti! (Happy Holidays To Everyone!)

[Holiday Greetings... The Italian Way! - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Holiday Greetings… The Italian Way!“, a terrific way to learn and memorize everything you need to know to celebrate the Holiday season… the Italian way!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #6

5. Leave A Message After The Beep (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 22:41:00 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #5 of the super-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Leave A Message After The Beep”. Listen to Massimo leaving a message to his friend Antonio’s answering machine and train your ears to listen and truly understand the Italian language! – Then, after listening to Massimo’s narration, take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension and speaking skills by answering to seven questions about the story. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Pick Up The Phone - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Pick Up The Phone“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and never miss an important (Italian) phone call again!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #5

4. Saturdays Are For Shopping (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 16:52:29 +0000

Learn Italian with www.LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #4 of the all new and super-useful “Listen Up & Learn” lesson series is entitled “Saturdays Are For Shopping”. Listen to Jane talking about how she and her family spend their Saturdays going to the market for groceries in the morning, then shopping at the mall in the afternoon and train your ears to listen and truly understand the Italian language! – Then, after listening to Jane’s narration, take the “7 Question Challenge” and test your comprehension and speaking skills by answering to seven questions about the story. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: It's Party Time - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: It’s Party Time!“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready to party!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #4

3. Let’s Go Out For Dinner (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:15:47 +0000

Learn “real” Italian with the newest show on LearnItalianPod.com: “Listen Up & Learn”, episode #3! – Today’s story is entitled “Let’s Go Out For Dinner!”. Listen to Jane talking about how much she enjoys going to her favorite restaurant for dinner and train your ears to listen and truly understand the Italian language. — Remember, being able to fully understand the Italian language is THE key to success in becoming a fluent speaker. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Sports & Outdoor Activities - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Sports & Outdoor Activities“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready to sweat and have fun!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #3

2. What A Super Busy Day! (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 03:30:40 +0000

Learn “real” Italian with the newest show on LearnItalianPod.com: “Listen Up & Learn”, episode #2! — First of all, a huge “Thank You” to all our LearnItalianPod VIP Members and listeners that have sent in feedback to let us know how much they have enjoyed the first episode of this new series. Thank you again to all of you! — Today’s story is entitled “What A Super Busy Day!”. Listen to Massimo talking about his busy day schedule and train your ears to listen and truly understand the Italian language. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Home Appliances - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Home Appliances“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and make your life easier around the (Italian) house!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #2

1. Letter To A Friend (Listen Up & Learn)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 02:55:26 +0000

Learn Italian with the newest show on LearnItalianPod.com: “Listen Up & Learn”, episode #1! — Of the four basic Italian language skills, reading, writing, listening and speaking, one of the most difficult to acquire is listening comprehension. – It’s a well known fact that the majority of people don’t attempt to speak a foreign language even when they have the chance to do it because they do not fully understand what is being said, so they become insecure and miss the chance to practice and truly learn the language. — But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, LearnItalianPod.com is here to the rescue with this new, exciting series that will train your ears to listen and understand the Italian language. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: At The Office - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Office“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and take care of business at the (Italian) office!

Listen Up & Learn – Episode #1

37. A Comedy So Good It’s Divine! (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 22:50:22 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – This time, we’re going to learn lots of useful Italian and have a lot of fun by paying a tribute to one of the greatest writers of all time: Dante Alighieri. – In Italy, Dante is referred as “il padre della lingua italiana” (the father of the Italian language); his Divine Comedy is often considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and “un capolavoro della letteratura mondiale” (a masterpiece of world literature). — So, let’s celebrate Dante’s masterpiece by learning what the “Divina Commedia” (Divine Comedy) is all about and why it is considered so important to the Italian language. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: The Music Never Ends - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: The Music Never Ends“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and let the (Italian) music play!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #37

36. 10 Italian Sayings That Mean Friendship (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 21:32:05 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – It is a well known fact that by nature, Italians are very friendly, warm people who love to socialize and who find happiness in spending time with their friends. – Let’s celebrate true friendship by learning and practicing 10 must-know Italian sayings about friendship that will greatly improve your vocabulary and comprehension of Italian. For each saying, we’ll give you the translation, grammar explanations, and some useful extra examples and variations. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: It's All About Family - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: It’s All About Family“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready to join the “big Italian family”!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #36

35. What Does The Newspaper Say? (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:42:26 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Reading the Italian newspaper is an excellent way to practice your reading skills and improve your knowledge of the Italian language and culture. What’s nice about it is that you don’t need the actual paper; in fact, you can browse many Italian newspapers directly on the Internet. — So, let’s practice a lot of useful, ready-to-use Italian words, sentences, and expressions by listening to Jane and Massimo as they make comments about what they’re reading on the newspaper. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: The Idiomatic Verb "Fare" - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: The Idiomatic Verb “Fare”“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and learn how real Italians use the verb “fare” (to do, to make)!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #35

34. Let’s Get Down To Business (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 03:41:37 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Several LearnItalianPod VIP Members, who go to Italy for business on a regular basis, have requested one “Travel Survival” episode all dedicated to the language of business. You asked, we listened! — This time, let’s get down to business and let’s practice a lot of useful, ready-to-use Italian words, sentences, and expressions that you can use in many different occasions if you ever need to deal with formal, business-like situations while in Italy. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: To Like or Not To Like? - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: To Like or Not To Like?“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and and finally master the difficult but indispensable Italian verb “piacere” (to like)!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #34

33. Good Health is Everything (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 02:50:49 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – According to the feedback received, everyone seems to like this “Travel Survival” series and find it very useful, so… here’s more! This time, let’s go back into “travel survival mode” and let’s practice a lot of useful, ready-to-use Italian words, sentences, and expressions that you can use in many different occasions if you (or someone with you) ever need health care while in Italy. We certainly hope you’ll never need this lesson, but, as the saying goes, “better safe than sorry”. After all, good health is truly everything!

[How Would You Say It - Asking Questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It – Asking Questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and become a master of asking questions… in Italian!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #33

32. It’s All About Money (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:07:19 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Let’s go back into “travel survival mode” and let’s practice a lot of useful, ready-to-use Italian words, sentences, and expressions that you can use in many different occasions when dealing with everything related to money while in Italy: from paying at the cash register, to exchanging money, to taking care of business at the bank, we will cover it all on this episode. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: At The Campsite - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Campsite“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for an exciting (Italian) adventure!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #32

31. Play It Again, Sam (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:19:12 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Film dubbing is a big business in Italy. Almost all foreign movies are dubbed, and they are dubbed so well and so consistently that it is common for a single dubber to shadow the career of a foreign movie star for years. All major Hollywood stars are associated with very specific Italian voices and most of the times, when Italians hear the true voice of a movie star, they’re actually disappointed!

So, let’s have a lot of fun by listening and practicing some of the most famous movie lines ever, but… the way Italians heard them and love them. – The seven worldwide famous movie lines you’re about to hear will greatly improve your vocabulary, comprehension of Italian, and understanding of Italian culture. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: This or That? - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: This or That?“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #31

30. When The Phone Rings, Be Ready! (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:53:14 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Talking on the phone can represent the ultimate challenge for someone learning a foreign language. In fact, on the phone you only rely on tone of voice and the words spoken, and you don’t have body language to assist you in understanding. That’s why talking on the phone in Italian is both indispensable (if you ever need to do it in real life) and a great exercise to dramatically improve your knowledge of the language.

So, let’s get the phone ringing and practice two great, “real-life” phone conversations in Italian. The two phone conversations you’re about to hear, one informal and the other formal, will greatly improve your vocabulary, comprehension of Italian, and understanding of Italian culture. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: The Art of Socializing - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: The Art of Socializing“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready to make a lot of Italian friends!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #30

29. From Animal Kingdom To Italian Saying (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 23:45:26 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – One of the things that caught our attention while reviewing a long list of Italian sayings is how many of them, and surely some of the most famous ones, are made up using animal names. “Pulce” (flea), “mosca” (fly), “cane” (dog), “gatto” (cat), “elefante” (elephant), and “lupo” (wolf) are only few examples of animals that are used in popular Italian expressions.

So, let’s get ready to learn some great, “real-life” Italian sayings that you won’t find in books: these are idiomatic expressions that Italians use all the times in their everyday lives. The 12 Italian sayings you’re about to hear will greatly improve your vocabulary, comprehension of Italian, and understanding of Italian culture. Welcome to the (Italian) animal kingdom, everyone!

[How Would You Say It: Action Words - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Action Words“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for some (Italian) action!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #29

28. The Big Italian Meal (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:57:29 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Some says that the only two things you need when visiting Italy are “stomaco vuoto” (an empty stomach), and “un grande appetito” (a big appetite). It is a very well known fact that Italian meals can be long multi-course affairs, particularly when visiting, staying with a family, or celebrating any events.

Yes, Italians love long meals, and it’s definitely not by chance that Italian cuisine is considered “una delle migliori cucine del mondo” (one of the best cuisines in the world). — So, let’s have a lot of fun by reverse-engineering, course by course, a classic big Italian meal, all the while learning and practicing a lot of very useful Italian words, sentences, and grammar rules that are sure to make your Italian better. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Describing Personalities - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Describing Personalities“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and answer the question: “What (Italian) personality are you?”.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #28

27. Which Came First, The Egg or The Hen? (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:28:14 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – This time, get ready for something special as we’re going to finally answer, once and for all, to an enigma that has bothered mankind forever, and we’re going to do it while learning a lot of useful Italian.

Here’s the question: “e’ nato prima l’uovo o la gallina?” (in English: “which came first, the egg or the hen?”). A team of scientists seems to have found the answer to this challenging question, and we are going to share the news with you.

So, let’s have a lot of fun by solving a timeless mystery, all the while learning and practicing a lot of very useful Italian words, sentences, and grammar rules that are sure to make your Italian better. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Getting Married - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Getting Married“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for “The Big Italian Wedding”!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #27

26. L’Ora di Carosello (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 22:35:24 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – “Carosello” (in English: “Carousel” or “Merry-Go-Round”), was a very famous ten-minute advertising program broadcasted every evening from 8:50 to 9:00 PM on Italian national TV, and it ran for twenty years straight from the late Fifties until the late Seventies. “Carosello” was a huge success and, for generations of Italian kids, the end of a Carosello episode marked the time to go to bed.

So, let’s learn about one of the most famous Italian cultural icons ever, “Carosello”, all while learning and practicing a lot of very useful Italian words, sentences, and grammar rules that are sure to make your Italian better. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Politics - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Politics“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for some serious (Italian) political talking!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #26

30. The Best Summer Vacation Ever (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 20:27:50 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #30 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “The Best Summer Vacation Ever”. Summertime, time for vacation! For those visiting Italy, there’s a wealth of choice of things to do and to see. Sea, mountain, cities, monuments, art, and food are just some of the many Italian attractions.

So, let’s celebrate summertime in Italy by following a conversation between Jane and her Australian friend Tony, who’s asking her for advice on what to do and where to go on his trip to Italy. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: At The Border - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Border“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready to cross the Italian border for the vacation of a lifetime!

25. Our Little Friends NE & CI (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 02:00:23 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Several VIP Members (thank you Luis, Sandra, and Carmen) have requested that we dedicate a lesson to the hugely common Italian little words “NE” and “CI”. Just listen to two native Italians speaking and good chances are you will hear the two little words “NE” and “CI” repeated several times. – “NE” and “CI” are called “idiomatic” words because, even if they act as pronouns, they are particular to the Italian language and cannot be translated literally – and yes, they are a “must-know”!

So, let’s learn, once and for all, everything we need to know about these two super important words and let’s practice a lot of very useful Italian words, sentences, and grammar rules that are sure to make your Italian better. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: At The Photo Shop - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Photo Shop“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and don’t forget your camera to immortalize your best (Italian) memories!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #25

24. The Juliet Club (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 20:58:32 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – This time, let’s talk about love! – LearnItalianPod VIP Member Carolina, who is from New York but studies in Verona, Italy, sent us a terrific email. – She says: “Every day on my way to school I pass by the most famous balcony in the world: Juliet’s balcony. It is usually crowded by visitors from all over the world who stop there to celebrate the supreme symbol of romantic love”.

“What I didn’t know is that in Verona there is the “Juliet Club”, formed by a group of volunteers that have the not so easy task to reply to the thousands of love letters that Juliet still receives every year. – As soon as I learned about the Juliet Club, I said to myself: ‘This is the perfect idea for a LearnItalianPod lesson!’ – Am I right, Jane and Massimo?”

Carolina, you are 100% right and this is a super suggestion, thank you! — So, let’s celebrate love, Juliet, and the secretaries of the Juliet Club by learning and practicing a lot of very useful Italian words, sentences, and grammar rules that are sure to make your Italian better. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Jewelry - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Jewelry“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and learn everythign about (Italian) jewelry!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #24

23. I Want, I Can, I Must! (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:37:08 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – We have said several times how important it is to learn and practice verbs and it is a known fact that your knowledge of verbs will truly determine your real level of Italian language.

So today, let’s have fun by learning and practicing three super important Italian verbs together with a lot of useful, ready-to-use sentences and expressions. – The three verbs are the so-called “modal verbs” or “helping verbs”: volere (to want), potere (can), and dovere (must, to have to). – These verbs have different meanings when used in different tenses and you absolutely must know how to properly use them in order to be able to understand and speak “la bella lingua”… so, let’s get to work!

[How Would You Say It: The Days of The Week - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: The Days of The Week“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #23

22. Ten Pick Up Lines That Work (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 01:45:08 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – VIP Member Giuseppe from Atlanta, Georgia sent us one of the most unusual emails that we have ever received. He says: “My good friend Tom and I are going to be leaving for Italy in a couple of weeks for the trip of a lifetime. – We’re both single and, of course, we’d love to be able to meet women when in Italy, and who knows, maybe have a little romance…” – Then he adds: “Thanks to LearnItalianPod, we both speak some Italian… but what we really need now are some pickup lines we can use to meet and start flirting with Italian women. – Can you help us, Jane and Massimo?”

Giuseppe, this is truly a tough one! But no worries, we love the challenge! – So, after doing some research and asking a few Italian friends, here they are… “10 Pickup Lines That Work”. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: The Names of the Stores - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: The Names of the Stores“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for some serious shopping!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #22

21. The Ubiquitous Word “CHE” (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 31 May 2010 22:43:10 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com — VIP Member Luna sent us some great feedback. She says: “If there’s one word in the Italian language that’s truly used everywhere, that is the small word “che”… and what makes it interesting (and somewhat confusing!), is that this small little word can have several different functions within a sentence. – So, Jane & Massimo, why don’t you tell us once and for all everything we need to know about this ubiquitous word?”

Luna, you asked, we listened! Let’s learn how to use the important word “che” and let’s practice a lot of useful, ready-to-use example sentences. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Fruits & Veggies - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Fruits & Veggies“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and live a healthier lifestyle… the Italian way!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #21

20. 15 Slang Expressions Only Real Italians Use (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 24 May 2010 00:24:57 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #20 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “15 Slang Expressions Only Real Italians Use”. This time, we’re going to do something different… oh, and you’re going to love this one! – Get ready to learn some Italian slang you won’t find in books: these are colloquial words or expressions that Italians, both male and female, use all the times in their everyday lives.

The 15 Italian slang words or expressions you’re about to hear will greatly improve your vocabulary, comprehension of Italian, and understanding of Italian culture. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: At The Beach - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Beach“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for the (Italian) summer!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #20

19. Travel Survival #2: Transportation (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 16 May 2010 22:28:43 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #19 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “Travel Survival #2: Transportation”. According to all the positive feedback received, it looks like you really enjoyed our first “travel survival” episode last week, and that made us really happy… again, thanks to each and everyone of you!

Today, let’s again get into “travel survival mode” and let’s practice a lot of useful, ready-to-use Italian words, sentences, and expressions that you can use in many different occasions when needing transportation while in Italy: autobus (bus), treno (train), taxi (taxi)… you name it, we are covering it on this episode. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: The Name of The Months - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: The Name of The Months“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #19

18. Travel Survival #1: Sightseeing (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 09 May 2010 23:27:17 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #18 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “Travel Survival #1: Sightseeing”. This time, get ready to go into “travel survival mode” and to do a lot of practice!

LearnItalianPod VIP Member Olivia gave us a great idea. She said: “How about a lesson dedicated to people about to go visit Italy, a lesson where we can all learn and practice some basic, “must-know” sentences so we can better enjoy our fun activities in Italy, like taking an excursion, sightseeing a city, hiring a guide, going to a museum, and so on?”

Olivia, we loved your idea so much – thank you! — So, here it is: “Travel Survival #1: Sightseeing”. On this lesson you’ll find a lot of useful, ready-to-use Italian words, sentences, and expressions that you can use in many different occasions while touring and enjoying beautiful Italy. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: To Be vs. To Have - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: To Be vs. To Have“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly. Practice this, and finally master those irregular Italian verbs!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #18

17. Mom Is Always Mom (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 03 May 2010 00:09:06 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #17 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “Mom Is Always Mom”. Like in many other countries, on May 9th 2010 Italians celebrate “Mother’s Day”, and, sure as sunrise, this is a very important day in Italy: in fact, Italians truly love their moms (we’re sure you know this already!) and they love to celebrate their mother’s day in a big way!

So, let’s celebrate “Mother’s Day” the Italian way, by learning and practicing a collection of famous greetings that Italians use year after year to celebrate their moms! On this lesson you’ll definitely find a lot of useful, ready-to-use Italian words, sentences, and expressions that you can use in many different occasions. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: The World and The Universe - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: The World and The Universe“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #17

16. Seven Steps To Happiness (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 02:36:35 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #16 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “Seven Steps To Happiness”. VIP Member Gianni, who is from Las Vegas, Nevada but who lives in Italy in the beautiful city of Venice, sent us a wonderful email. – He says that an old Venetian fisherman has given him the “Seven Steps To Happiness”, and that he wants to share them with us. — We liked those seven steps so much that now we are going to share them with all of you.

So, let’s learn and practice a lot of useful, ready-to-use Italian words, sentences, and expressions by listening to the recipe for happiness from an old Venetian fisherman. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: At The Zoo - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Zoo“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating words and sentences on the fly.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #16

15. To Stay or To Be: That is The Question (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:57:51 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #15 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “To Stay or To Be: That Is The Question”. Several LearnItalianPod VIP Members have requested that we explained why and when the verb “stare” (to stay) is used versus the verb “essere” (to be). Although both “essere” and “stare” mean “to be”, they are not interchangeable, and this can create a bit of confusion to students of Italian. — So, let’s shed some light on these two verbs and let’s try, once and for all, to answer the question: “To Stay or To Be?”. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: In The Park - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: In The Park“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Practice this, and get ready for a walk in the (Italian) park!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #15

14. The Omnipresent Verb “Fare” (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 02:54:21 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #14 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “The Omnipresent Verb ‘Fare’”. VIP Member Matteo from San Francisco, California sent us some great feedback. He says: “I love learning Italian. He’s such a musical language, and you can get caught up in that music!”

- Then he adds: “I’ve recently spent one entire month in Italy, and one of the things I’ve noticed is how much Italians use the verb ‘fare’ (to do, to make), and how many Italian idiomatic expressions use this verb, where English use other verbs. I think that a lesson about this verb is in order, Jane & Massimo… do you agree?”

We do, Matteo, thank you! So, let’s learn and practice the important verb “fare” together with a lot of useful, ready-to-use idiomatic expressions. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: Going Out - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Going Out“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Practice this… and get ready to party!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #14

13. Where Does It Come From? (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 02:06:53 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #13 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “Where Does It Come From?”. VIP Member Francesca from Orlando, Florida sent us a great email. She asks: “What about the name “Italia”? Where does it come from?” That’s an interesting question, Francesca! — So, let’s learn about the origin of the name “Italia” plus some very interesting cultural and historical facts about beautiful Italy!

On the practice section of this lesson, available to LearnItalianPod VIP Members only, you will also find a thorough grammar explanation of the super-common and important “Relative and Absolute Superlatives” with lots of extra example sentences that you can practice. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: School & Education - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: School & Education“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Practice this to learn everything you need to know about the Italian school system!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #13

12. 10 Italian Proverbs You Can’t Live Without (5 Min. A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:16:39 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #12 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “10 Italian Proverbs You Can’t Live Without”. Many linguistic experts agree on the fact that there is no better way to learn Italian language and culture than to practice Italian proverbs. In fact, they say, by learning and practicing proverbs one learns about the nuances of the spoken language as well as the traditions of a culture.

So here they are, 10 absolutely must-know Italian proverbs that will greatly improve your vocabulary and comprehension of Italian. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It - Tech Talk: Computers - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It – Tech Talk: Computers“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Practice this, and you’ll be a master of the [Italian] computer lingo!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #12

11. What’s With The Last Name? (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 01:45:01 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #11 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is entitled “What’s With The Last Name?”. What’s really interesting about Italian last names is that the vast majority of them were created from a few very specific sources: from a parent’s name, from a job or trade, from a nickname describing a unique quality, or from a location’s name. For this reason, they usually yield some important clues about family heritage.

So, let’s learn some very interesting cultural facts about Italians and let’s find out what those Italian last names really mean! — On the practice section of this lesson, you will also find a thorough grammar explanation of the important “present and past participle of verbs” with lots of extra example sentences.

[How Would You Say It: Weather and Seasons - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Weather and Seasons“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Practice this, and weather won’t be an issue in Italy!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #11

10. Che Bella Figura! (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 04:37:42 +0000

Episode #10 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “Che Bella Figura!”. Italian author Beppe Severgnini in his interesting book “La Bella Figura – A Field Guide To The Italian Mind” says that only in Italian does there exist an expression like “fare bella figura”. It corresponds to the English “to look good, to make a good impression”, but it literally means “to make a good figure” and it’s more of an aesthetic judgment (and it also says a lot about how Italians think and act). — Practice this lesson, and discover how you can make a “bella figura” and impress your Italian friends!

[How Would You Say It: Let's Talk Colors - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Let’s Talk Colors“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Colors can boost our mood instantly and cheer us up – so let’s practice them!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #10

9. 25 Great Ways To Be Romantic (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:52:56 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #9 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “25 Great Ways To Be Romantic”. It has been said many times that Italian is the language of love. So, what better way to celebrate the end of the “month of love”, February, than to learn and practice 25 terrific Italian sentences you can use when you want to be romantic with the one you love!

[How Would You Say It: Courtesy Expressions - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Courtesy Expressions“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Practice this great extra bonus, and be courteous to your fellow Italians!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #9

8. 7 Conversation Starters That Never Fail (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:50:04 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #8 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “7 Conversation Starters That Never Fail”. We’re sure there are times when you wish to start conversing in Italian, but you do not find the right words or topics to begin the conversation. That’s really a shame, because even one simple conversation with a native Italian will greatly improve your knowledge of the language. – So, LearnItalianPod.com comes to rescue and here you have it, 7 great ideas of “always-working” conversation starters that will get the conversation going!

[How Would You Say It: Shapes and Sizes - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Shapes and Sizes“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Practice this great extra bonus, and get ready for some serious (Italian) measurement!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #8

7. Twisting Your Tongue… The Italian Way! (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 23:44:09 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #7 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “Twisting Your Tongue… The Italian Way!”. Tongue twisters are a great way to practice pronunciation, and they’re useful to sharpen your ability to articulate words and sentences. — And let’s face it, just trying these tricky phrases is usually… a lot of fun! — So today, let’s have fun by learning and practicing three super-famous, terrific Italian tongue twisters that are sure to make your tongue twist, your brain work, and will definitely put a smile on your face!

[How Would You Say It: At The Post Office - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Post Office“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Practice this terrific extra bonus, and using an Italian post office will always be a breeze!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #7

6. The Top Ten Italian Verbs (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:46:09 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #6 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “The Top Ten Italian Verbs”. Anyone learning Italian will soon discover how important it is to learn and practice verbs – in fact, your knowledge of Italian verbs will truly determine your real level of Italian language. — Let’s have fun by learning and practicing the top 10 Italian verbs, the ones you absolutely must know in order to be able to understand and speak “la bella lingua”!

[How Would You Say It: Shopping is Fun! - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Shopping is Fun!“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Let’s practice lots of great sentences you can use when shopping (and bargaining for a discount) in Italy.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #6

5. Caffe’ e Cornetto, per Favore! (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:19:21 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #5 of LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is entitled “Caffe’ e Cornetto, per Favore!”. History has it that the President and CEO of the largest coffeehouse company in the world had the idea of his business after a trip to Milan, in Italy, where he was fascinated by Italian coffee shops. So today, let’s hear about Italians and one of their favorite treats, coffee (or cappuccino) and “cornetto”, the Italian version of the French croissant. You will learn and practice a lot of useful Italian words and sentences you can use to impress your “barista” if you ever walk into a real Italian coffee shop!

[How Would You Say It: Taking A Train - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: Taking A Train“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Let’s practice some useful sentences you can use when taking a train in Italy.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #5

4. I Need A Pharmacy (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 04:57:48 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #4 of the all new LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is called: “I Need A Pharmacy”. In Italy, for small emergencies and for minor aches, colds or flu, the best solution is to go to a “farmacia” (a pharmacy). – Even if we certainly wish that you’ll never need this lesson, let’s follow the old adage “better be safe than sorry”, and let’s learn a lot of Italian words, sentences, and useful information you can use if you ever need to go to a pharmacy while in Italy.

[How Would You Say It: I Need Help! - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: I Need Help!“, a terrific way to test and improve your knowledge of Italian by translating sentences on the fly. Let’s learn and practice some useful sentences you can use in case of emergencies, or if you need help.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #4

3. Happiness Is A Bowl of Pasta (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:28:24 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #3 of the all new LearnItalianPod “5 Minutes A Day” lesson series is now live! This one is called: “Happiness is a Bowl of Pasta”. Pasta is definitely “the queen of Italian cuisine”, and it is also certainly one of the most loved foods in the world. So, let’s have a little fun today and let’s learn and practice a lot of useful Italian words, sentences, grammatical and cultural facts around “la pasta”, and more in general, about eating… the Italian way. Enjoy!

[At The Restaurant: How Would You Say It? - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “At The Restaurant: How Would You Say It?“, a terrific way to improve your Italian and be prepared for those “real-life” situations when you want to say something in Italian but you can only think it in English. Practice this, and you’ll see the difference next time you walk into an Italian restaurant!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #3

2. Going On A White Week (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 03:45:40 +0000

Learn Italian with the newest show on LearnItalianPod.com: “5 Minutes A Day”, episode #2! “5 Minutes A Day” lessons are “fun-to-listen-to” and “fun-to-practice” 5 to 10 minutes lessons that will provide you with knowledge on a great variety of topics and they are great for beginner, intermediate, and upper intermediate students of Italian.

On this second episode, we are going on a “white week” (settimana bianca), which means “going on a ski-holiday, going to the mountains”. Italians love to take their “settimana bianca” in January or February. You will get the chance to practice and improve your pronunciation and learn some interesting grammatical and cultural facts about this topic. Enjoy!

[How Would You Say It: At The Hotel - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “How Would You Say It: At The Hotel“, a terrific way to improve your Italian and be prepared for those “real-life” situations when you need to say something in Italian but you can only think it in English.

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #2

1. 7 Most Common New Year’s Resolutions (5 Minutes A Day)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 22:43:54 +0000

Learn Italian with the newest show on LearnItalianPod.com: “5 Minutes A Day”, episode #1! “5 Minutes A Day” lessons are “fun-to-listen-to” 5 to 10 minutes lessons that will provide you with knowledge on a great variety of topics and they are great for beginner, intermediate, and upper intermediate students of Italian. – On this first episode, let’s talk about New Year’s resolutions, and let’s discover what the 7 most common New Year’s resolutions are for Italians. You will get the chance to practice and improve your pronunciation and learn some interesting grammatical and cultural facts about this topic. Enjoy!

[The 7 Ways To Greet In Italian - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “The 7 Ways To Greet In Italian“, where you will learn how to properly greet… like Italians do!

5 Minutes A Day – Episode #1

50. They Arrested Santa Claus! (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:25:19 +0000

Christmas is just a few days away, and, to get you into the holiday mood, what could be better than celebrating Santa Claus? But, as you will see, this is definitely not going to be a traditional celebration… In fact, we’re reporting an incredible piece of news from Italy: in Naples, they have arrested Santa Claus! – And so today, in a nice twisted way, we’re going to dedicate Culture Shot #50 to the icon of the holiday season, Babbo Natale!

On the grammar section, we will review “how to ask questions” in Italian together with some of the most interesting words and expressions from the story. — Oh, and one more thing: if you are a LearnItalianPod VIP Member you will love today’s extra bonus, as it contains everything you need to know to celebrate this holiday season… like Italians do!

[The Italian Holiday Season - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “The Italian Holiday Season“, containing everything you need to know to celebrate this holiday season… the Italian way! Practice this terrific extra bonus to learn how to say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” in Italian plus many, many more useful words and sentences!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.50

29. Look, It’s Snowing! (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:37:53 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #29 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Look, It’s Snowing!”. It’s Sunday early in the morning in Milan. Outside it is cold, as it’s the middle of winter. Christmas is just around the corner. Lucia and Italo just woke up, and there’s a quiet and peaceful atmosphere in the house. All of a sudden, it begin to snow… the Holiday season is finally here!

Let’s follow our friends Lucia and Italo as they enjoy a relaxing winter Sunday morning breakfast at their house and let’s learn a lot of informal and useful “everyday” Italian. On the grammar section, we will review and practice the “must-know” Italian pronominal verbs. Enjoy!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus: The Pronominal Verb "Andarsene"] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” Italian pronominal verb “Andarsene” (to go away).

49. Nicknames Galore! (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:40 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. What happens when one fourth of the families living in a small Italian town of 50,000 people have the same last name and they can only be distinguished by their nicknames? Easy… a lot of confusion, as it becomes almost impossible to know who’s who; and confusion remains until those families find a way to actually make their nicknames become legal last names!

This is not science fiction, and that’s exactly what happened a few days ago in the small Italian town of Chioggia, near Venice. – So we’re going to dedicate this Culture Shot to yet another really peculiar and interesting piece of Italian creativity. Enjoy!

[Jobs & Professions in Italian - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Jobs & Professions“, containing the Italian names of some of the most common jobs and professions, words like “impiegato, negoziante, postino, idraulico”, and many, many more!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.49

28. I’m Left On Feet! (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:17:46 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #28 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “I’m Left On Feet!”. Does it sound like nonsense? Well, let’s explain! – Italians use the famous expression “rimanere a piedi”, which in English can be translated as “to be left on feet”, to say that their car broke down and therefore they can only… walk!

So today, let’s follow our friend Lucia as she calls ACI, the Italian roadside assistance, after her car suddenly stopped working, and let’s learn a lot of useful Italian that everyone can use in the unfortunate case of a car breakdown while in Italy. Enjoy!

[Car & Motorbike - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Car & Motorbike“, containing thirty-eight must-know “ready-to-use” words and sentences you can use on your next trip to Italy if renting a car or motorcycle, and when driving on the road, stopping at a gas station, and even if you ever need road assistance. Now that’s a useful extra bonus!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.28

48. Hurrah for The Lantern (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:23:46 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. When you think about a sea-bathing establishment right on the beach, you mentally picture men, women, and children all together enjoying their time outside. Not so if you enter the sea-bathing establishment “La Lanterna” in Trieste, Italy, where men and women cannot mingle together but are in fact separated by a wall!

What’s even more incredible is that “i Triestini” (the citizens of Trieste) love their wall, and no one wants to hear about knocking it down: in fact, the sea-bathing establishment is one of the busiest establishments in the entire area. So, let’s dedicate this Culture Shot to a peculiar piece of Italian culture: “il bagno La Lanterna”. Enjoy!

[The Imperfect Subjunctive - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Il Congiuntivo Imperfetto”, containing the full conjugation of the imperfect subjunctive for the verbs “essere“, “avere“, “parlare“, “vendere“, and “dormire” (one sample verb for each of the three conjugations!) – That’s really the perfect tool you need to master the Italian imperfect subjunctive!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.48

27. Brand or No Brand? (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:16:15 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #27 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Brand or No Brand?”. When it comes to buying clothes, Italians are divided into two opposing categories: on one side those who refuse to buy anything that is not “branded” and on the opposite side those who do not care about names or brands but look for a good deal instead. And if people from the two categories are part of the same family, and are wife and husband… then an argument is in order!

So, let’s follow our lovely couple Lucia and Italo as they’re planning to go shopping for clothing and let’s learn a lot of useful, informal, 100% “real” Italian, together with some new, interesting vocabulary. Enjoy!

[Clothing in Italian - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Clothing in Italian“, containing containing all of the “must-know” names of clothes, words like “cravatta, collana, camicia, pantofole”, and so on, so the next time you go shopping for clothes in Italy, you’re going to be 100% ready!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.27

47. The Food of The Gods (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:52:58 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Chocolate has been considered “il cibo degli dei” (the food of the gods) since the beginning of time. Let’s face it: Italian or not, you will hardly find anyone that doesn’t like the taste of chocolate. But the good people from Perugia, Italy have taken the love of chocolate to the next level and every year they dedicate an entire week to this incredibly good food, by running “The European Fair of Chocolate!”

So, let’s dedicate this Culture Shot to “the food of the gods”, and let’s see how Italians’ creativity can transform a great food into an incredible celebration of life. Enjoy!

[Finger-Licking Italian Delights - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Finger-Licking Italian Delights”, containing the names of the most common sweets of the Italian cuisine, words like “cannoli, confetti, spumone, zuppa inglese”, and many more. – And if this isn’t making you drooling for sweets, then we don’t know what will!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.47

26. Hi Grandma, It’s Me! (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:37:27 +0000

Episode #26 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Hi Grandma, It’s Me!”. Even if nowadays is not like it used to be, when the traditional Italian family (which included grandparents and grandchildren) lived all together in the same house, for Italians family still remains of fundamental importance.

So, let’s take a little break from our couple Lucia and Italo and let’s celebrate the Italian family by following our Massimo as he makes a phone call and says hi to his grandma Giovanna. On the grammar section, we will review some of the most interesting expressions from the dialogue giving grammar rules and extra examples. Enjoy!

[Family Members' Names - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Family Members’ Names“, containing all of the family members’ names, words like “zio, nipote, nuora, suocera”, and so on. Practice these, and become part of the “good old” big Italian family!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.26

46. The Ultimate Lottery Prize (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:58:12 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. If there’s one expression that perfectly describes Italian people imagination and creativity, that is “una ne fai, cento ne pensi” (one thing you do, one hundred things you come up with). A major Italian supermarket chain took the thinking to the extreme so, at this time of major economic crisis, they came up with the ultimate lottery prize… a job for a year!

Considering Italy’s unemployment rates, this is definitely a desirable prize for someone unemployed, so no wonder the lottery is having a huge success! Let’s dedicate today’s Culture Shot to another unusual masterpiece of Italian creativity: “the job lottery”. Enjoy!

[Children & Kids' Talk - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, a super useful audio file with PDF transcript entitled “Children & Kids’ Talk“, containing some of the most popular sentences you need to know when traveling to Italy with children and kids. The bonus also contains a section called “Kids’ Talk” made of short sentences you can teach your kids so they can speak and communicate with other Italian kids!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.46

25. I’m Not Here For Anyone (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:39:28 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #25 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “I’m Not Here For Anyone”. It’s Wednesday morning in Milan. Lucia is home, and she’s getting ready for an important business meeting. There’s only one problem: a terrible headache is driving her crazy.

So, let’s see how our friend Lucia deals with her chronic headache, and in doing so, let’s learn some of the most common Italian idiomatic expressions you’ll ever hear, together with a lot of useful, informal, 100% “real” Italian. On the grammar section, we will review some of the most interesting expressions from the dialogue giving grammar rules and extra examples. Enjoy!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus: The Verb "Innamorarsi"] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” Italian reflexive verb “innamorarsi” (to fall in love).

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.25

45. Off The Beaten Path (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:55:04 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Maybe you’ve already been to Italy once, you’ve seen the monuments, visited the major museums, and stayed in the historic city center and now you’re looking for something different… Maybe you really aren’t that much into cities and don’t like the traffic and the noise… Or maybe your goal is to take your Italian to the next level and you want to meet some Italians you can talk to… If all or part of the above is true, then there’s one word you need to hear… “agriturismo”.

Agriturismo”, an Italian term for what we might call a “farm holiday” or “agricultural tourism”, is about experiencing rural Italian life and a slower-paced holiday. Sounds inviting, doesn’t it? So, let’s get “off the beaten path” and let’s dedicate today’s Culture Shot to a wonderful new way to experience Italy: the “agriturismo”. Enjoy!

[Getting Around The House Vol. 2: The Living Room - 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. 2: The Living Room“, composed of an audio file and PDF transcript of some of the names of things you find in the living room (il soggiorno, il salotto) that you absolutely need to know if you ever travel to Italy!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.45

24. I Lost My Wallet! (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 03:22:48 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #24 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “I Lost My Wallet!”. There is nothing than can ruin a day more than losing a wallet, and the thought of all the time one has to waste to report the fact to the police, the bank, close all the accounts, and so on.

So, let’s get very practical and let’s see how to deal with the unfortunate situation of losing a wallet in Italy. We sure hope this will never happen to you, but you know how they say, “better safe than sorry”. We’ll learn a lot of new, useful vocabulary, and on the grammar section, we will review some of the most interesting expressions from the dialogue giving grammar rules and extra examples. Enjoy!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” Italian reflexive verb “Divertirsi” (to enjoy oneself, to have fun), and some of the most common and useful idiomatic expressions that use this important verb.

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.24

23. It’s Back To School Time! (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:59:46 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #23 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “It’s Back To School Time!”. For millions of Italian students the first day of school is just around the corner. In Italy in fact school traditionally begins the second week of September.

Let’s follow our friend Lucia as she makes sure her son Mattia has everything he needs to start school the right way. On the grammar section, we will review some of the most interesting expressions from the dialogue giving grammar rules and extra examples, and we’ll give an overview of the Italian school system. You’ll really find a lot of useful, informal, 100% “real” Italian on this episode, together with a lot of new vocabulary – so, let’s get to it right away!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” Italian verb “Mettere” (to put, to place, to set, to stick on, to apply), and some of the most common and useful idiomatic expressions that use this important verb.

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.23

44. A Cheesy Collateral (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:26:25 +0000

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

30. How To Deal With Street Annoyances (HTI)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:23:36 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. VIP Member Rachel from Miami, Florida, says: “When I was living in Italy a couple of years ago, there were quite a few times when I encountered difficult situations while walking on the street. For example, with men approaching me and trying to get my phone number, street vendors trying to sell me something I didn’t want, or people asking for money… ”

“I never really knew how to deal with these kind of experiences in Italian, as if I tried to be polite, I think I always came off as being encouraging! I think a “How To Italian” episode on how to safely get out of these kind of situations, while being polite yet firm, would be a great idea for people getting ready to visit il Bel Paese!”

Terrific suggestion, Rachel, grazie! So, here it is: “How To Deal With Street Annoyances”… the Italian way!

["The Parts of The Body" - LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, an audio file and PDF transcript entitled “The Parts of the Body“, containing all of the “must-know” parts of the human body in Italian – and, even better, the PDF transcript contains a chart with a drawing of the human body which will allow you to see each body part while you listen to its name, so you can learn faster while having lots of fun!

How To Italian – Episode Nr.30

43. Agosto, Moglie Mia Non Ti Conosco (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 01:04:12 +0000

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

22. Add A Seat To The Table (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:34:00 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #22 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Add A Seat To The Table”. There are at least two things that every Italian loves to do: the first is “to spend time with friends”, and the second is… to eat well. And when these two things are combined and done together, there you have it… “the perfect time!”

So, let’s follow our favorite couple, Lucia and Italo, as they plan a nice dinner with friends. You’ll really find a lot of useful, informal, 100% “real” Italian on this episode, the language that Italians really do speak informally as they go along with their everyday lives. Enjoy!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” Italian verb “Leggere” (To Read), plus some of the most common and useful idiomatic expressions that use this important verb.

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.22

42. The Most Famous Italian Word (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:13:32 +0000

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

21. A Hot Summer’s Night (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:52:09 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #21 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “A Hot Summer’s Night”. Someone said that nothing can surpass a nice summer’s night in a town on the sea in Italy. A bright moon, a clear sky, the ideal temperature, music in the streets, and everywhere people enjoying the summer.

So, let’s celebrate summertime in Italy by following our favorite family, Lucia, Italo, and their children Mattia e Marina, as they’re enjoying a “hot summer’s night” in beautiful “Portofino”, on the Italian Riviera. On the grammar section, we will review some of the most interesting expressions from the dialogue giving grammar rules and extra examples. Enjoy!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” Italian verb “Piacere” (To Like).

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.21

Phrasebook #11: “Ready, Set, Go!”

LearnItalianPod.com — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:41:14 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Finally, your dream trip to Italy is becoming a reality, and it is just about to begin. Now for the big questions: “how and what to pack?” – You certainly don’t want to spoil your dream vacation in Italy just because you left something necessary back home. What you do need is… a packing list! – Don’t have one? No worries, LearnItalianPod.com is here!

Here it is, a very comprehensive packing list (including more than 100 items!) that you can use to prepare for your next trip to Italy. So, get ready to learn and practice 104 must-know, indispensable Italian words, and get your packing right!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members: Download The Premium Version of This Lesson!] If you are a LearnItalianPod VIP Member, login to the Learning Center and download the complete, “advertising free”, “premium version” of this episode, containing all of the 104 essential items from the packing list in both Italian and English, with the addition of blank spaces after each word instance so you can practice your pronunciation over and over!

41. The Mayor’s Water (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:15:04 +0000

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

20. I Told You So! (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:55:25 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #20 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “I Told You So!” – The sentence “Te l’avevo detto” (I told you so, in English) is the one phrase that everyone hates to hear when something goes wrong, and it’s a sure way, when used between husband and wife, to end up in an argument. So, let’s see a little argument over directions between husband Italo and wife Lucia, and let’s practice some of the most common popular Italian expressions you’ll ever hear! On the grammar section, we will review some of the most interesting expressions from the dialogue giving grammar rules and extra examples. Enjoy!

[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 & Giving Directions”, containing some of the most popular, must-know Italian words and sentences used when asking or giving directions – in fact, we have collected all of the sentences about directions that we’ve ever published plus 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 you take your trip to Italy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.20

40. The Fox and The Crow (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:20:20 +0000

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

3. Quando, Quando, Quando (Canta Che Ti Passa)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:23:56 +0000

Learn Italian with the newest show on LearnItalianPod.com: “Canta Che Ti Passa”, episode #3! This time we feature a very famous, happy and joyful Italian pop song called “Quando, Quando, Quando”.

Presented at the Festival di Sanremo contest in 1962 by great singer and music producer Tony Renis, “Quando, Quando, Quando” didn’t win the contest, but went on to become a huge success all over the world, recorded by hundreds of different artists. The sung Italian of this great song is so clear and precise that you are sure to greatly improve your Italian pronunciation by practicing these lyrics. Happy singing, everyone!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, lesson #3 (which includes audio file and PDF transcript) of the new mini series “How Would You Say It”. This lesson is entitled “At The Restaurant”, and that’s a terrific way to improve your Italian and be prepared for those “real-life” situations when you need to say something in Italian but you can only think it in English.

Canta Che Ti Passa – Episode Nr.3

19. Say It With Food (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:49:08 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Italians love food, and love to eat… that’s a fact. For them, food is pleasure as much as nourishment. What they also love to do is to express opinions about people or things using food names that best describe them! So, let’s follow Lucia and Italo as they play this little funny game called “Say It with Food”: the first that cannot come up with a popular idiomatic sentence that uses food names to express opinions about people or things loses. Get ready to learn and practice some of the most common popular Italian idiomatic expressions you’ll ever hear, a lot of food names, and have lots of fun!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” Italian verb “Mangiare” (To Eat).

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.19

2. Nessun Dorma (Canta Che Ti Passa)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 02:48:38 +0000

Learn Italian with the newest show on LearnItalianPod.com: “Canta Che Ti Passa”, a terrific new series that will teach you how to dramatically improve your Italian through its most famous songs!

In this second episode of the show, we are going to feature one of the best known songs in all opera history, an all Italian song (“aria” in the world of opera) called “Nessun Dorma”, made hugely famous all over the world by the great Luciano Pavarotti. So, let’s learn pronunciation, idiomatic expressions, cultural facts, and more about this great song! Happy singing, everyone!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, lesson #2 (which includes audio file and PDF transcript) of the new mini series “How Would You Say It”. This lesson is entitled “At The Hotel”, and that’s a terrific way to improve your Italian and be prepared for those “real-life” situations when you need to say something in Italian but you can only think it in English.

Canta Che Ti Passa – Episode Nr.2

1. Volare (Canta Che Ti Passa)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:38:50 +0000

Welcome to all of you Italian learners to the newest show on LearnItalianPod.com: “Canta Che Ti Passa”, episode #1! One of the easiest and most fun way to improve every aspect of your Italian, including pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and expression, and at the same time to learn more about Italian culture, is through…Italian music!

So here it is, the newest LearnItalianPod show that will teach you how to dramatically improve your Italian through its most famous songs! In this first episode of the show, we start with the all time Italian classic, perhaps the most well-known Italian song ever: that is “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu”, also known as “Volare”, sung by the great Domenico Modugno. So, let’s learn pronunciation, idiomatic expressions, cultural facts, and more about this great song! Happy singing, everyone!

[LearnItalianPod VIP Members Extra Bonus!] Login to the Learning Center to find, as a special extra bonus, lesson #1 (which includes audio file and PDF transcript) of the new mini series “How Would You Say It”. That’s a terrific way to improve your Italian and be prepared for those “real-life” situations when you need to say something in Italian but you can only think it in English. You will be amazed at how effective this new “How Would You Say It” series can be!

Canta Che Ti Passa – Episode Nr.1

18. At The Galleria degli Uffizi (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:50:15 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #18 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “At The Galleria degli Uffizi” – Let’s follow Lucia and her colleague Tina, who is an architect from New York in Italy for business, as they visit the “Galleria degli Uffizi” in Florence, one of the most famous museums of paintings and sculpture in the world. We will review and practice almost everything you need to say when visiting an Italian museum – and we’re pretty sure that if you ever travel to Italy, you will definitely find this lesson super useful. Enjoy!

[Two Great Extra Bonuses for LearnItalianPod VIP Members!] Login to the Learning Center to download: – 1) an audio file and PDF transcipt containing the sixty-four (64) most popular, must-know Italian words related to art (words like trecento, quattrocento, terracotta, quadro, cupola, incisione, and so…), with definitions and the addition of blank spaces after each word instance so you can repeat it over and over. That’s the ultimate way to learn the Italian artistic vocabulary! – 2) Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” irregular verb “Vedere” (To See).

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.18

39. Two Letters, Single Sound (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 18 May 2009 03:57:16 +0000

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

38. The Pizza Vending Machine (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:18:54 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Our dear friend and longtime VIP subscriber Lisa from Chicago sent us a fantastic piece of news about an invention made in Italy which, if it works, is going to change forever one of the icon of the Italian food: la pizza! That’s the “pizza vending machine” – a machine that doesn’t just sell pizza, but is actually a mini pizzeria that kneads the dough, spreads the toppings and bakes a personal pizza in just three minutes as you watch through a little window!

So, let’s dedicate this Culture Shot to this incredible and revolutionary new piece of “Made in Italy”, and let’s learn and practice a few must-know Italian food names together with some common and useful Italian idiomatic expressions. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonuses!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” irregular verb “Dire” (To Say, To Tell).

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.38

17. Don’t Shoot The Messenger (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:54:44 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Episode #17 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Don’t Shoot The Messenger” – Italo is outside of the house for a walk, as he does every evening after dinner. The telephone rings in the house, Lucia answers and… there are bad news for Italo: an important business deal that was supposed to be sealed the following day has been delayed. Time for Lucia to bring the bad news to Italo. – So, let’s learn and practice how to bring news, either bad or good, to people, and what to say if the person receiving the news tries to “shoot the messenger”. On the grammar section, we will review the superlatives, both absolute and relative. Enjoy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.17

16. Whose Turn Is It Tonight? (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:12:59 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #16 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Whose Turn Is It Tonight?” – Italo and Lucia just finished dinner in their house in Milan. It’s time to do the dishes: whose turn is it to do it tonight? Italo says Lucia, and Lucia says Italo… but someone has got to do it! How to decide whose turn is it? Easy: with the good old “pari o dispari” (even or odd) game! So, let’s hear how to make quick decisions in a very democratic way by playing the old “odd or even” game. In doing so, we’ll learn how to do some quick math and, on the grammar section, we will finish reviewing the comparatives, with the so-called “comparatives of equality”. Enjoy!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonuses!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” irregular verb “Prendere” (To Take).

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.16

37. Aprile Dolce Dormire (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:33:09 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Jane was talking the other day to her sister Lucia who lives in Italy and she was telling her how sleepy she was feeling right in the middle of the day. Her sister said: “Jane, ricordati, Aprile dolce dormire… (Jane, remember, April sweet sleeping…)”. – And Jane suddenly remembered when, as a little girl, she had to learn a cute tongue twister used in school to learn and memorize the names of the months. So, come join us in learning and practicing this terrific tongue-twister that is sure to make your Italian better!

[VIP Members Only Extra Bonuses!] Login to the Learning Center to download Audio & PDF Transcript of the “must-know” irregular verb “Stare” (To Stay) and a comprehensive review (with extra audio!) of “Italian Altered Nouns” with rules of usage, so you will learn how to form diminutives, “vezzeggiativi”, augmentatives and pejoratives.

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.37

15. A Fun Networking Event (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:17:32 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod! Episode #15 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “A Fun Networking Event”. We’re back in Venice. Another day has passed and Italo has been invited for a networking event after his business meeting. So, let’s hear how Italian professionals network and exchange business cards. If you plan to go to Italy for any type of work or business, you’ll definitely find this episode very interesting, as it contains a lot of popular and useful expressions used in informal but business-like situations. In the grammar section, we will explain, review, and practice the comparatives of majority and minority. Enjoy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.15

36. The Day of The Fools (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 23:24:27 +0000

In Italy, as well as in the rest of the world, April 1st is traditionally a day of jokes, silliness, and pranks of any kind. The traditional Italian “Pesce d’Aprile” (April Fools’ in English) consists of someone attaching a paper cutout of a small fish to the rear shoulders of a friend or a family member with tape or glue. As we’re getting closer to April 1st, we’ve decided to dedicate this Culture Shot to some of the best April Fools’ pranks ever, with one condition: all pranks we’ve chosen are related in some ways to Italy and Italians! On the grammar section, something you’ll find very useful… a comprehensive review of the super important, must-know “Italian present perfect”. Let the fun begin!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.36

14. How Did Your Day Go? (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 05:10:14 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod. Episode #14 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “How did your day go?” – Lucia just came back home from work. Waiting for her at home is her son Mattia. Lucia asks her son how his day went, and sure enough, Mattia has some great news for his mother! So today we are going to hear a casual, informal conversation between a mother and a son. You’ll find one more time a lot of informal, “real” Italian here, the way it is spoken between Italians! In the grammar section, we will explain, review, and practice “impersonal constructions” which are so popular in Italian. Enjoy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.14

35. The Yellow Mimosa (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:59:07 +0000

Here is what our longtime VIP member and friend Barbara says: “I’m writing this email from Florence in Italy, where I’ve been living for a couple of months already, to study art. A few days ago, the 8th of March, I went out with my best Italian friend Maria, and as we walked down the street, three guys from my class said hi and they gave us this beautiful yellow flower, la “mimosa”. I’ve been told this is the way Italians celebrate ‘La Festa della Donna’ every 8th of March. How nice! – Then right away I thought: ‘What a great idea for a LearnItalianPod’s episode!’ – See, I always think of you, Jane & Massimo…” – How nice of you, Barbara, and what a great suggestion! So, let’s celebrate women from all over the world and let’s learn something nice about this beautiful yellow flower and what it represents. Enjoy!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.35

13. Planning A Surprise (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:17:22 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com! Episode #13 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Planning A Surprise”. Lucia is planning a surprise party to celebrate her husband Italo’s birthday, and she decides to call Gianni, a friend of the family, to discuss what to do. We’ll hear a phone conversation between two friends: you’ll find a LOT of informal Italian here, the “real Italian”, the way it is spoken between Italians – so, listen up, as this can make the difference on your quest to master the Italian language. On the grammar section, we will learn how to use the partitive articles and the indefinite adjectives and pronouns. Enjoy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.13

12. At The Newsstand (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:14:17 +0000

Let’s do a little recap. In the first eleven episodes of this “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” we’ve followed our friend Italo during one of his days. Now, let’s go back in time, and let’s see what happened to his wife Lucia during the same day. In doing so, we’ll review and practice conversations on useful and practical subjects. Episode #12 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “At The Newsstand”. It’s early in the morning in Milan. Lucia leaves the house and like every morning, she stops at the newsstand around the corner to buy the newspaper. Let’s hear how it goes… On the grammar section, we’ll keep learning the hypothetical constructions – this time, the one called “no longer possible”. Enjoy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.12

34. Honey, We’re Having A Baby! (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:47:30 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Our good friend and VIP member Juliet sent us a wonderful email. She says: “I love the podcast, and have been listening to it ever since I met and married my lovely Italian husband. Every time we go back to see his family, my Italian has improved. Would you consider doing an episode on having a baby? We are, and I’ve learned that there are seemingly endless ways of telling this to people.” – Juliet, first of all congratulations for having a baby, and second, what a terrific suggestion! – So, on this Culture Shot we’ll hear some of the most original ways Italian women use to announce “we’re having a baby!” to their significant others, families, or friends. Enjoy!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.34

11. Goodnight My Love (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 00:10:57 +0000

Episode #11 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Goodnight My Love”. Italo is finally in his bedroom at the hotel in Venice, ready to go to bed. There’s only one thing he needs to do right before falling asleep: calling his wife Lucia, ask her about her day, and wish her goodnight. Let’s hear an informal phone conversation between a husband and a wife at the end of a long day of work. You’ll find a lot of “real, everyday, informal” Italian on this episode, and on the grammar section, we’ll keep learning the hypothetical constructions. Enjoy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.11

10. At The Internet Cafe (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 23:29:25 +0000

Episode #10 of the “Upper-Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “At The Internet Cafe” – It’s 9:00 PM in Venice, and our hero Italo, after visiting Piazza San Marco, the famous Harry’s Bar, and other beautiful tourist places, decides to spend the last half hour of the day at an Internet Cafe, to check his email, and to write some notes for his business meeting the following day. So, let’s hear and practice quite a few useful sentences and expressions that you can use if you ever need to go to an Internet cafe in Italy, and in doing so, we’ll also begin learning the hypothetical construction, aka “if sentences”. Enjoy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.10

33. Una Multa Indimenticabile (Culture Shot)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:57:53 +0000

Learn Italian with LearnItalianPod.com – Our friend and VIP subscriber Debra, born and raised in London, England, but now living in Italy, sent us a terrific and very funny email. She says: “A few days ago, I happened to read a very funny story entitled “Una Multa Indimenticabile” (Literally “Un Unforgettable Fine”). Sometimes, excuses that people make up in order to avoid responsibilities have no limits, but this… what a story! I’m still laughing hard! And the moment I read the story, I just said to myself: “This is a perfect podcast episode for LearnItalianPod.com”! – Yes it is, Debra! So, let’s dedicate this week’s Culture Shot to this funny (but real!) story, and let’s learn and practice some super common and useful Italian idiomatic expressions. Enjoy!

Culture Shot – Episode Nr.33

9. Is It Worth Going There? (Upper Intermediate)

LearnItalianPod.com — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:55:54 +0000

Episode #9 of the “Upper Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Is It Worth Going There?” – Our hero Italo has finally made it to Piazza S. Marco. As he stands in the middle of the Piazza, enjoying the marvelous view of that timeless place, he hears a tourist guide talking about the mythical “Harry’s Bar” of Venice, one of the most famous bars in the world. Fascinated by what he hears, Italo decides to approach the guide and ask for an opinion: is it worth going there? So let’s hear, from the mouth of a tourist guide, some fascinating facts about a true icon of the Italian culture, all while learning how to ask for and how to give opinions. Enjoy!

Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.9