bitful

Mi sento un po' Cenerentola
I'm feeling a bit like Cinderella
Literally: 'Myself (I) feel a bit Cinderella'.

Went to a party organised by a friend, a big corporate do hosted by Alex Zane, saw a couple of live acts (Helen Boulding and Richard Fleeshman, might have missed more at the beginning).
Met friends there, indulged in free booze… [...]

Non capisco cosa è successo
I don't understand what happened
Literally: 'Not (I) understand what is happened'.

Yesterday Facebook matched my ex boyfriend's email to his profile, so I added him as a friend. I received the usual email notification saying 'So and so edited details on how you know each other. Click here to confirm'.
I clicked, but [...]

Minimela e maxifragola
Mini-apple and maxi-strawberry
Literally: 'Mini-apple and maxi-strawberry'.

I'll admit it: this was the smallest apple I could find in my bag of Tesco value odd-sized ones (not glossy enough to be marked up and sold on as 'Fun-size snack apples', I guess).

Still, Dr B.'s monster strawberry is huuuge. But that's alright, because Tesco's stupid nutritional [...]

Oggi mangiamo uova e pancetta per colazione
Today we are having eggs and bacon for breakfast
Literally: 'Today (we) eat eggs and bacon for breakfast'

Do you want to get rid of that little bit of extra weight you put on at Christmas? You are still in time to turn into a gay man and book yourself on [...]

Mi vergogno di essere italiano
I am ashamed to be Italian
Literally: 'Myself (I) shame of being Italian'.

An Italian senator who announced he wanted to switch back to support the government (after his party withdrew from the ruling coalition, thereby causing the prime minister to resign and the government to fall), was called a "piece of shit, [...]

Andiamo in vacanza con gli amici
We are going on holiday with friends.
Literally: '(We) leave in holiday with the friends'.

Yesterday I booked a cheap weekend in Madrid (never been, love Spain, very excited!) folllowed by a week in Ibiza on the way back (as you do).
And the here and now was conveniently shaken off for a [...]

La mia pancia è piena di gas
My belly is full of gas
Literally: 'The my belly is full of gas'.

I happen to be quite lucky because I love fruit. I dig vegetables too, not in a 'I can't live if I don't have a tomato in my salad NOW' kind of way, but I can definitely [...]

Oggi non so cosa dire
Today I don't know what to say
Literally: 'Today not (I) know what to-say'.

I do not feel very inspired today. It is only Tuesday morning and already I feel like I've been stuck in a routine for months. And I am in a bit in a rush to go to work, so [...]

Iniziamo un'altra settimana
Let's begin another week
Literally: '(We) begin an other week'

And so another week begins.
Christmas is already a distant memory, although the last item (Isaac Asimov's The Gods Themselves) was finally delivered by Santa's slow reindeer this week).
Work these days is meh. I make an extra special effort to stay motivated but it's hard when [...]

Oggi sono un po' in ritardo
Today I am a bit late
Literally: 'Today (I) am a little in lateness'

Dr B. was disappointed not to find a new Italian phrase upon waking up. Well, it's Sunday for me too.
Domani sarò puntuale
Tomorrow I will be on time
Literally: 'Tomorrow (I) will-be punctual'

If you want to find out more
'A little' [...]

Com'è andata ieri sera?
How did it go last night?
Literally: 'How (he/she/it) is gone yesterday evening?'

I am waiting with bated breath for my friend Oliver to report back from his date with an Italian last night. I hope he had a chance to impress him with some of the Italian phrases I have been posting here [...]

Vuoi vedere la mia collezione di farfalle?
Do you want to come up for a cup of coffee?
Literally: '(You) want to see my collection of butterflies?'

Yes, you read that right. The lamest excuse in the book to ask your date to come up to yours takes an interesting and, let me say it, rather academic turn [...]

Abbracciami, baciami… e chiamami!
Hug me, kiss me… and call me!
Literally: 'Hug-me, kiss-me… and call-me!'

Today we are going to learn how to give orders (or, for those of you who have some knowledge of grammar, the imperative).
First you take the verb as you find it in the dictionary, i.e. in its 'to …' form:
To hug = [...]

Andiamo da me o da te?
Your place or mine?
Literally: '(We) go at me or at you?'

My mate Ollie has requested some Italian phrases he can use with his date on Friday.
I hope he'll get to use the sentence above and have a great time.
But as it's a Gaydar hookup and his man might not have [...]

Dov'è la mia cintura nera?
Where is my black belt?
Literally: 'Where is the my belt black?'

Dr B. was looking for his Ju-Jitsu black belt this morning (he's training tonight) and could not find it. He tried to ask me where it is in Italian but was missing a couple of words. He then said he found [...]

Devo proprio continuare?
Must I really continue?
Literally: '(I) must really continue?'

This morning I realised this latest attempt of mine to teach Dr B. Italian was going well, when he turned around in bed after checking the Italian category in Bitful and asked 'Dov'è la prima frase di oggi?' (Where is the first sentence for today?'). Attaboy.
So [...]

Just a quick update on Dr B.'s progress in learning Italian with my new method. He seems to follow regularly, asks a few questions but most importantly feels that what I'm doing is helping him learn.
Today he was very disappointed because there was only one phrase in the Italian language post this morning. I told [...]

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, Dr B. is working from home all weekend on 24-hour call, and I am keen to make his life as easier as possible.
Last night, being a Friday, I knew I could stay up as much as I wanted to and finally play around with my computer (it [...]

Ti piace Harry Potter?
Do you like Harry Potter?
Literally: 'To-you is-liked Harry Potter?'

I cannot quite put my finger on why I have enjoyed reading all seven Harry Potter novels. I can see why they have such mass appeal, yes, but I thought I was immune to that. Plus, magic and wizards and shit? Yawn. A book [...]

Lavora anche di notte
Dr B. works at night too
Literally: '(he/she/it) works also of night'

Every few weeks the company Dr B. works for requires him to be on call for a four-day stretch during which colleagues and clients can call him at every hour of the day or night for support. This means he needs to [...]

I normally do not do anything on a school night, but
Ieri sera sono uscito
Last night I went out
Literally: 'Yesterday evening (I)-am gone-out'.

Last night we went to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern to see Zoe Lyons' one-woman show. She usually comperes the weekly comedy night there (BrouHaHa), which we went to a few times, so the idea [...]

I used to cherish the fact that I had five readers who visited once a week. No pressure to publish. Bliss.
Now friends and regular readers check daily for a new Italian phrase. Commitment.
That's why I feel like saying:
Ho creato un mostro
I created a monster
Literally: '(I)-have created a monster'.

But the thought that somewhere someone is learning [...]

In the past I always used to be the one cleaning the flat, no idea why. Fortunately we both have a remarkably high tolerance to dirt. Perhaps I'm just the one who gives in earlier and gets scrubbing.
Pulisco sempre io
It is always me who cleans
Literally: Clean always I

These days cleaning is at the very bottom [...]

Sei su Facebook?
Are you on Facebook?
Literally: Are on Facebook?

Even if Facebook should disappear in a few months' time, I feel it has changed the way I (and many of my friends) keep track of people.
Outlook is now for business and admin, or for personal conversations I want to keep for future reference. Facebook is for [...]

Ah, January. Not only is it a dark, cold month, and facing work after the holidays is an ordeal, but my one and only pleasure and pastime is spoilt, because
In gennaio la palestra è piena di gente
In January the gym is full of people
Literally: In January the gym is full of people (same word sequence, [...]

We had several friends over for a New Year's Eve drinks party before heading off to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern.
Most friends brought a bottle of vodka. Many were drunk (bottles, not friends), but these five bottles were left, almost full:

So, if you are in the area,
Vieni a bere una vodka da noi!
Come and drink [...]

I have updated the first four Italian phrases with recordings to help you with pronunciation. The following are links to the updated posts (now including audio files) but you can also click on the audio files linked below with the Audio Player WordPress Plugin by 1 Pixel Out
Buon anno

Grazie per la bella serata

Ho comprato [...]

Today's phrase is
Finalmente è venerdì
At last it's Friday
Literally: At last is Friday

It's been a short week (I worked on Monday, went out on Monday and Tuesday night, had a day off work on Wednesday and was back to work yesterday and today) but I'm very glad the weekend is here again anyway.
I have absolutely nothing [...]

Today's Italian phrase is
Ho comprato gli occhiali su internet
(I bought my spectacles online)
Literally: 'Have bought the spectacles on internet'.

I'm shortsighted, I hate wearing glasses (I generally can't stand anything on me: rings, wristbands, watches, sunglasses…) so I usually keep a crap pair at home to put on last thing at night and first thing in [...]

Last night we went out with friends, and friends' friends, and their friends too. Big fun in a big group.
So what I want to say to all of them is 'Grazie per la bella serata' - literally, 'Thanks for the beautiful evening'.