Glossary of Selected Italian Expressions

The words and phrases are listed as they appear in the texts, with meanings appropriate to the contexts. Longer speeches or dialogue, quotations, and words or phrases needing explanation are handled in the Explanatory Notes, as are expressions in other languages.

Andiamo Let’s go
bacio kiss
Bagni bathing-places
bagnio bath-house, brothel
bambino baby boy, child
barca boat
bar(r)occino small, light cart
basta enough, stop
Basta la mossa The impulse is enough
bella beautiful (feminine)
bellissimo, bellissimo most beautiful, most beautiful
bello beautiful (masculine)
bel pezzo goodlooking person (colloquial)
bersaglieri Italian infantry regiment of sharpshooters
bistecca beef-steak
bottiglione large bottle
cachi persimmons
cambio exchange
cantina canteen, taven
carabinieri soldiers who are also policemen
carretto light cart, usually two-wheeled
c’è there is
Ciau Bye (DHL’s phonetic spelling of ‘Ciao’)
contadini peasants
conversazione conversation
cortile courtyard
Cristo del mondo Christ of the world
Da Vendere For Sale
Dazio Customs office
Dio God
Dio benedetto blessed God
diretto direct, fast train
dispensa pantry
e and
ecco look, behold, see
Eh va bene Oh, very well
È qua He’s here
Evviva Long live, Hurrah
fattorie farms
Ferrovia dello Stato State Railway
fiasco flask, bottle
Finalmente At last
finissimo the finest
finocchi(o) fennel
Francia France
fresco fresh, cool
Germania Germany
già now, right, truly
girovago wanderer
Grazia, mamma Thank you, mother
ignoranti ignorant people
II Brillante Comic actor (‘The Brilliant’)
Inghilterra England
in padella fried in oil or butter
libeccio south-west wind
ma che but why
maestra primary-school mistress
maialino piglet
maremma marsh
maremmano male inhabitant of the Maremma
merce goods, goods train
mezzo-giorno midday
Mio figlio My son
molto bello very beautiful
molto simpatico very agreeable
mortadella Bologna sausage
nervoso nervy, cranky
Niente Nothing; It’s nothing
Non è vero Is it not true
Non lo conosco I don’t know it
padrona landlady
padrone landlord
pane bread
parlano inglese you speak English
Per Dio By God
per divertimento for pleasure, amusement
Per l’amor di Dio For the love of God
però however
piazza public square
podestà magistrate, mayor
Poveri Poor
Poverino Poor fellow
Pronto Ready
proprio selvatico really wild
Quattro Canti crossroad (‘Four Corners’)
Regina Queen
sacco militario soldier’s knapsack
salsiccia sausage
Sangue di Dio God’s Blood
senza servizio without service
Si Yes (properly with an accent: )
Siamo qua We are here
si capisce it is understood
sicuro (siccuro) sure; certainly
signora Mrs, lady, madam
signore Mr, gentleman., sir
signorina Miss, young woman
Silenzio Silence
simpatico pleasing, congenial
soldi money
sparacelli wild asparagus
stanza room
Strada Nuova New Road
Strada Vecchia Old Road
Syndaco Mayor (properly Sìndaco)
una dramma inglese an English play
veramente indeed, truly
Vieni qua Come here
vino wine
zoccoli clogs