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
Very interesting and useful. The exercises at the end concerning the past participle and present participle are very helpful.
About Italian last names, I just found out that my last name, Rossi, is the most common last name in Italy! Nice episode, Jane and Massimo.
My grandfather last name is Lombardi, I assume it’s because it is derived from the region Lombardia. In fact, my great-great-grandfather was born in Varese.
As a VIP member, I’ve enjoyed the practice section of the episode and the grammar explanation of present and past participle. For irregular verbs past participle must be memorized as the rule doesn’t apply: flashcards are very useful to understand this.
HI,
I need help reviewing when to use stare and when to use essere. Is there a lesson that goes over that?
Grazie!!
J
Lesson 37 Intermediate Level does just that.
https://www.learnitalianpod.com/2007/04/15/37-to-be-or-to-stay-intermediate/