Anyone Speak Italian? by FaithLovesPurple

Hm...I could've sworn I made a reply. That was weird. Anyway, Finn--lol--I'm curious how you bitch at a hotel clerk...not that I'd use it, but just so I can put it in my back pocket if I do >.>

WTE: Just looking for someone I could write to in Italian, and you seem like you might be a good candidate! So, you're American...but are you of Italian heritage? If not, how'd you come across Italian? Seems like most people either take Spanish, French, or Japanese in school for requirements.

I also have a question. How do you use -ing verbs in Italian? I don't remember that tense in my classes. I looked it up online really quick and it said somewhere that present tense can also be used as -ing?

I've been trying to watch Italian programs online, and currently am going through "I Cesaroni." I didn't want anything too soap opery, so it works. My Italian teacher said Italian TV is either really good or really bad, lol.

Ciao. Mi chiamo Faith e abito a California. Um... Andró a Italia cuando avró i soldi. Wow, non so che dire--mi dispiace!

I hate beginning a language because I have to think in such an elementary fashion, y'know?

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:01 PM

TETISHERI

Ah, well, I guess this thread might be a good excuse for me to finally delurk

I'm italian, I live in Italy, and I'd like to help you. That is, if you can stand someone who's really anal about grammar... just kidding. Or maybe not.

Oh, about italian TV... it's usually just really, really bad.

--
Tetisheri

"I need to give [fans] what they need, not what they want. They need to have their hearts broken." -joss
"Mission accomplished." -me

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Friday, April 18, 2008 3:44 AM

Ciao, I'm Italian too (from Milano, North Italy) so if you need any help I'd be glad to help!

www.cthomashowell.net

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Friday, April 18, 2008 8:05 AM

Wow, I didn't think I'd get replies so quickly--I'm very pleased

Could you guys maybe type something out in Italian and I'll see if I can understand it?

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Friday, April 18, 2008 8:31 AM

Ciao Faith!
Va bene, vediamo...
Da quanto tempo sei una Browncoat? E qual'è il tuo personaggio preferito? Il mio è Jayne.
Se hai un programma di chat, possiamo dialogare ogni tanto, sarebbe utile per farti fare pratica di lingua Italiana...io uso Yahoo, Aol o MSN.
Fammi sapere!

www.cthomashowell.net

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Friday, April 18, 2008 9:20 AM

Okay, I'm going to try to translate what you said. Though I get 90 percent of it, some I'm just kind of guessing on >.>

"Okay, let's see (we see?)...
How long have you been a Browncoat? And which is your favorite character/person? Mine is Jayne. If you have a chat program, we could be able to chat [each a lot?], [something] use to give you practice of Italian...I use Yahoo, AOL, or MSN. Let me know!"

Sono una Browncoat da aprile 2006. E il mio personaggio preferito é Mal perché é similar a me, ma mi piacciono gli tutti personaggi. Si, ho un programma di chat--Yahoo o AIM--e puoi mandami un IM a Drmgurl4evr. Si, my s/n é molto...blech...ma l'ho da 1998 e sono pigra a cambiarelo.

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Friday, April 18, 2008 9:37 AM

Fantastico! Hai capito perfettamente tutto quello che ho scritto, sei bravissima!
Ti ho aggiunta al mio Yahoo Messenger.

Quel "ogni tanto" [each a lot] si traduce con "from time to time or sometimes".

similar=simile

www.cthomashowell.net

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Sunday, April 20, 2008 9:45 AM

Buona sera! (Sono [about] le nove a Italia)

Grazie per la tua risposta. Sono felice che posso capire che tu hai detto. Anch'io ti ho aggiunta al mio YIM. Ti manderó un uno messaggio dopa, ma, adesso...

Che raccomandi per i film italiani? Ho visto "La Vita é Bella" e il mio professore d'italiana ha raccomandato a me "Il Postman." Quelli sono piu "mainstream" e é difficile a trovare i film delle lengue straniere qui in U.S. Anche, desidero vedere "Anche libero va bene" con Kim Rossi Stuart.

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008 8:05 PM

*Il bumpo!

*

Okay, I just saw Anche Libero Va Bene... and, wow. Why did it have to end like that? So sad. A lot of it hit close to home (my mom's a bit like the dad--short-tempered and threatens to disown me a lot, lol, and my dad left me and my bro), so it was weird to watch, but when the dad has that scene in the end with his son--almost cried!

I'm watching Johnny Stecchino next, which should definitely be more of a feel-good movie than "Across the Ridge" was. Though, I'm not sure why it's called "Across the Ridge" unless it's another phrase I've never heard of >.>

Oh, and (hehe)...I'm currently learning curse phrases in Italian that I can use when I'm driving. Thought I'd mix up my swearing a bit

I don't usually swear unless a.) I'm driving and some jackass does something stupid or b.) I'm playing video games, or c.) I'm pretty damn angry.

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008 9:19 PM

Google Nathan fillion, there is an Italian site it seems ok (ie. not the usual celeb stalky hoo ha), and you might be able to find some Italian BC's.
Buona fortuna...spero che trovi amici Italiani...god I'm a walking tragedy. I used to speak fluent Italian but stopped when I started school as I didn't want to be stigmatised. regrettable much.

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008 9:20 PM

Ciao!

Scusa, non ho avuto molto tempo per risponderti...Devo ammettere che non mi piace molto il cinema Italiano (preferisco i film Americani o Inglesi), quindi alcuni dei film che hai visto io non li ho visti!

Sono molto divertenti le commedie di Aldo, Giovanni e Giacomo (Tre Uomini e una Gamba, Chiedimi se sono Felice), non so se sono stati distribuiti in America.

Non conosco "Across The Bridge", che attori c'erano? Hai visto i film di Gabriele Muccino (L'Ultimo Bacio, Ricordati di Me)? Dovresti trovarli facilmente nelle videoteche.

Bene, le parolacce sono la prima cosa che s'impara di una lingua straniera!
Dovremmo trovarci in chat qualche volta, così potrei insegnarti meglio tutte le espressioni più comuni.

Verso che ora ti colleghi a Internet di solito?

AB AMORE NON RECEDAM
www.cthomashowell.net

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Tuesday, April 22, 2008 9:29 PM

oh my god! Kim Rossi Stewart is so damn pretty! see if you can get a hold of a copy of "Fantigharo"...a funny Italian Fantasy miniseries from the early 90's...I feel an old crush coming back.

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008 12:11 AM

Si, Fantaghirò è stata una mini serie di grande successo anni fa. Se ti piace Kim Rossi Stuart guarda anche Le Chiavi di Casa, è un film molto drammatico ma molto bello. Lui è molto bravo. Prepara i fazzoletti!

AB AMORE NON RECEDAM
www.cthomashowell.net

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008 9:39 AM

Yes, "Fantaghiro" was where I first discovered Kim Rossi Stuart. Definitely not bad on the eyes, surely...when I saw him in that one scene where he's in the water, all I could say was, "Oh my God...oh my God."

I'm in the middle of Fantaghiro 3, but I stopped because I barely understood what was happening, lol.

Ayrad--grazie per consigliare a me i film italiani. Non hai visto "La Vita é Bella"?? Devi vederelo! Troveró "Le Chiavi di Casa" e i olte film--Tre Uomini, Chiedimi se sono felice, L'ultimo Bacio, e Ricordati di Me. Come si dice "What are they about?" in italiano?

Yay, I understood everything you said :D Except the last thing... Is college internet only (or alone?)Or... wait, I don't think you say "college"--it's university...so, colleagues? Are my colleagues from the internet only? Well, just the Italian speaking ones, unfortunately, which means I don't get much practice speaking (most of my friends are learning Japanese or Spanish).

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008 11:25 AM

Ho visto La Vita è Bella, Benigni si è meritato tutto il successo che ha ottenuto anche in America. Anche se non mi è piaciuto il suo Pinocchio.

L'ultima frase che ho scritto era "quando ti colleghi a Internet?" "colleghi" è verbo (seconda persona tempo presente del verbo "collegare") Traduzione: when do you usually connect to Internet (when are you usually online?).

AB AMORE NON RECEDAM
www.cthomashowell.net

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008 3:26 PM

Ooh...that makes so much more sense now! I should've saw "ora" and figured that out, oops.

Well, I'm online a bit sporadically, as I'm now finished w/ school so I don't have a fixed schedule anymore. But I typically check messages and such in the morning...which is like, early evening for Italian time. When are you usually on? I have a World Clock on my cell phone so it's easy for me to check it (you're 9 hours ahead).

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008 9:27 PM

Il Pinocchio di Benigni era un po "cosi cosa"
(sorry I don't have enough Italian expression to expand on it...I found the film a bit too emotional, and quite tedious in parts). Ha mai visto un film con Benigni dove lui era un prete Possessato? (again exscuse my patchy Italian..you should hear me trying to converse with my aunties and cousins they laugh at my Australian accent and poor Italian Grammar!

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008 9:37 PM

Ah the water scene...unusurped in my mind until years later, by the wet "Colin Firth as Mr Darcy" scene in Pride and Prejudice.
I switched the volume off when I watched Fantigharo 3, and shamelessly relied on the subtitles for a bit, but then gave them up and just watched the visuals...I'm a textiles junkie, so I was happy focusing on the luscious sets and costumes...oh yeah and the lovely Kim Rossi Stuart. Have you ever watched an Italian series called Montalbano? it's based on books about a Sicilian police investigator...very entertaining, the characterisations kill me.

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Thursday, April 24, 2008 10:22 AM

I loved Roberto Benigni in "Life is Beautiful"...but after seeing Johnny Stecchino and hearing about his other movies, it seems like he plays the same person a lot. It's REALLY adorable that he professes his love to his wife in every movie ^_^ But y'know, I wanna see if he's got some more range. Nonetheless, I can watch Life is Beautiful a billion times and not tire of it.

Nope, I've never heard of Montalbano--I'll see if I can find it. Also, you're in Australia?

If only you were a man, lol, 'cuz I am in love with Australian accents, not to mention Italian people, so... got any brothers ;)

I'm going to watch Chiedimi Se Sono Felice now, and from seeing like, what, the first 10 seconds, I can tell I'm going to like it! I think next I'm going to see "Ricordati di Me" and maybe "Le Chiavi di Casa." God, once I watched one, now I gotta keep watching more

EDIT: S'okay about your Italian, Boris... 'cuz it takes me awhile just to figure out what to say. I usually have to crack open my Italian book too, it's bad--I just like getting things right. Ma possiamo practicare, no?

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Saturday, April 26, 2008 10:04 PM

Fa Bene Praticare un altra Lingua. ieri sera ho "praticato" a lungo con una donna anziana (un amica di miei genitori). eravammo a un matrimonio Turchese. Lei mi ha racontatto le storie di quando si e fidanzata.
I do have a brother, and he's disgustingly good looking ( black hair, dark skin, blue eyes)....unfortunately for you, he's happily married to a lovely English girl...I don't have any Italo-Australian male friends, as most of the one's I know are total mamma's boys...and their mamas don't approve of me. will keep my eyes open for you though.
You are right about Benigni he doesn't have much range.

Rosaria

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Friday, May 16, 2008 8:21 AM

Okay, been absent for awhile >.>

Anywho, I watched Tre Uomini e Una Gamba with my friend and wow...it was funny even the second time around. I've been trying, without any luck, to find subtitles for Anplagghed Al Cinema with Aldo, Giovanni, e Giacomo because I REALLY want to understand what's happening! I found it on Youtube and I laugh at some parts, but there's lots I'm not comprehending :(

Does anyone know where I could possibly get the DVD of it? Even if it was with italian subs, that'd be better than nothing (though english subs preferred). I'm willing to pay for it to get shipped to the US!

Anymore movie suggestions? ^_^ Preferably something in the comedy genre?

Hehe, anyone wanna translate this?

;)

*puppy dog eyes*
--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Friday, May 16, 2008 6:33 PM

I saw the clip...it made my eyes water at first but I only watched a couple of minutes as it got tedious fast....the general premise of the skit is that they are doing an excercise to highlight the beauty of knowing more than one language. It is a bit hard to translate, as "Professor Cataldo" (tall guy with floppy hair) is speaking in a central/Southern dialect I'm not familiar with. The English speaking guy, has limited English, and mistranslates a lot of what the presenter says , who in turn mis translates what he says ( eg he tells tall guy the English speaker called him a "transvestite", when in fact what he said was that he would "translate". The English speaker then has to translate some scenarios spoken by professor Cataldo in his dialect.He doesn't understand so just makes up what he thinks is going on......in short it's typical Italian comedy, a total mish mash of verbal humour making a joke of the fact that there are many uninterpretable Italian dialects, and lots of Italians who think they can speak English but actually can't. sorry I can't be more help, but I think it would lose it's humour in translation anyway.

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Saturday, May 17, 2008 6:29 AM

Hahaha...transvestite, funny! I knew it was something like that by the way he drew back. I love Aldo, Giovanni, e Giacomo, they are hilarious ^_^ Thanks though, it did help, though I got the gist of it already. I think without subs it's kind of good because I remember more of the Italian words when I'm not reading something. Guess I'll just keep watching their skits without 'em.

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Saturday, May 17, 2008 3:33 PM

It's all in the facial expressions and body movements with those three the words are almost unnecessary..kind of like an accompaniament. I can't watch too much of them, it does my head in. I'm gonna download some stuff and show it to my Dad. I'd be interested to see if he thinks they are funny.

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Friday, May 30, 2008 4:42 PM

*il bumpo*

Siete qui still? ;)

Man, io compro an Italian import CD for like...25 bucks! Si, lo so, but I really wanted it! But I discovered there's an Italian import store in San Fran, so maybe next time I go there I'll see what they have.

I also discovered that RAI has streaming videos--so: http://www.raiclicktv.it/raiclickpc/secure/homePage.srv I guess you might find it useful, Boris :)

My comprehension is getting much better now that I started watching Italian tv/movies without the subtitles. I've started intermixing some Italian into my poetry writing in hopes that I won't forget everything, lol. And I'll force myself to keep writing, then it'll be less painful. I just wish my understanding could match my level of speaking/writing

It was always the one thing that made me want to quit Tagalog, 'cuz it's no fun if I can't communicate!

I have a question though. What exactly does "Dai" (pronounced like "die") mean? I hear it mentioned like randomly in the things I watch, and I'm kind of assuming it means "Come on!" or something, or "Give me a break!" (I was thinking more literal, since Dai means give).

*cracks knuckles* Okay, hm...

Mi laureeró (graduate?) in giugno e sono molto felice e (excited)! Ma voglio un lavoro adesso (full time) perché...well, perché ho bisogno di soldi! L'economia é mal. E per (recent graduates) é piü difficile per trovare un lavoro. Oh well. Non posso aspettare per l'autunno perché c'é tanti programme (isn't "program" the weird one that's masculine?) televisioni buoni--Chuck, Heroes, Sarah connor Chronicles, Dollhouse...etc. Yay. Adesso, mi piacciono i programme Burn Notice e Arrested Development (molto divertente!). Ma (enough about me)! Come tutte voi?

--Faith

"I can't get it right...get it right...since I met you."

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Monday, June 2, 2008 1:48 PM

Dai...it's one of those "extra expression" types of sounds...if someone says something dumb, you might respond with "ma Dai!" kinda means Geezus or "what the" or "come on!"in the same range...another superfluous word in Italian is "Bo!" which means "I dunno". I really need to call some cousins and practice my Italian, it's slipping. Also see if you have any local Italian cultural groups, they might clue you in to where you can get cheap DVD's...or if you befriend them they may lend them to you. Buona Fortuna.

Rosaria

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Wednesday, June 4, 2008 7:03 AM

CANTTAKESKY

A good way to meet people who want to practice other languages is Livemocha.com . It also offers its own chat/webcam client. I've had a lot of fun on there.

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Wednesday, June 4, 2008 7:31 AM