LearnItalianPod

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Episode #8 of the “Upper Intermediate Level Series” is entitled “Where is Piazza San Marco?” – Let’s start with a little recap. Our friend Italo, who is spending the night in a hotel in Venice after his business meeting was cancelled, decides to go for a walk, determined to reach San Marco Square. He thinks “well, if I’m stuck here, I may as well enjoy this beautiful city!” – But after walking for a while, he realizes he’s lost and he needs to ask someone for directions. Today, we are going to learn some useful sentences and vocabulary that you can use in real life situations when asking for or giving directions. Enjoy! Upper Intermediate – Episode Nr.8