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LA BELLA FIGURA – EXPERIENCE ITALIAN CULTURE Lesson Material – Level 1 Absolute Beginners

12 Created by New Realm Media for La Bella Figura – Experience Italian Culture © September 2012

Lezione 1 – Unit 1

Saluti e presentazioni Greetings and presentations

In Italy, when you meet and leave somebody you have to consider the following aspects in order to select the most appropriate greeting: 1. Is it morning (mattina), afternoon (pomeriggio), evening (sera) or night (notte)? 2. Is it a formal context/situation (conference, concert, official meeting..) or an informal context/situation (friends/family, party, markets) 3. Do you know the person you are addressing to or not? Are these people being formal or informal with you? 4. Is he/she a child/teenager or an adult? Is he/she older then you?

WHEN YOU MEET SOMEBODY

USAGE CONTEXT PRONUNCIATION NOTES1

CIAO

1. Any time of the day: mattina, pomeriggio, sera 2. Informal context. 3. You use it with people you know well or

when somebody you don’t know addresses you informally.

4. You use it with children and teenagers

BUONGIORNO

1. Daylight: mattina e pomeriggio. 2. Both formal and informal context. It is the

appropriate greeting in formal situations, but it is often used with friends and family members.

3. You can use it with people you don’t know as well as with people you know well.

4. You use it with adults and older people.

BUON POMERIGGIO (Often substituted with

BUONGIORNO)

1. Afternoon: pomeriggio. 2. Both formal and informal context. It is the



4. you use it with adults and older people

1 Use this column to mark the pronunciation of the word. Try to match each Italian sound with an equivalent sound in your language. Example (for English speakers): the group of letters sci in Italian is always pronounced/read as the English word she.



BUONASERA

1. Late afternoon and evening: pomeriggio e sera 2. Both formal and informal context. It is the




SALVE (As an alternative to BUONGIORNO, BUON POMERIGGIO and BUONASERA)

1. Any time of the day: mattina, pomeriggio e sera 2. A little more formal then CIAO. It is often used in

informal context (markets, shops…) with people that you don’t know.

WHEN YOU LEAVE

SOMEBODY USAGE CONTEXT PRONUNCIATION NOTES

CIAO

1. Any time of the day: mattina, pomeriggio e sera. 2. Informal context. 3. You use it with people you know well or to say

goodbye to after an informal exchange with somebody you didn’t know before.

4. You use it with children and teenagers.

ARRIVEDERCI

1. Any time of the day: mattina, pomeriggio e sera. 2. Formal and informal context. It is the

appropriate greeting in formal situations, but it is often used in informal contexts (shops, markets..) with people you don’t know.

3. You can use it with people you don’t know as well as with people you know and address formally.


A PRESTO

1. Any time of the day: mattina, pomeriggio e sera. 2. Informal and formal context. 3. You use it with people you know and you will see

again soon. 4. You use it with children and teenagers as well as

with adults and older people. 5. You can use it after CIAO (informal goodbye) or

ARRIVEDERCI (formal goodbye).

A DOPO (see you later) A DOMANI (see you

tomorrow)

1. Any time of the day: mattina, pomeriggio e sera. 2. Informal and formal context. 3. You use it with people you know and you will see

again later or tomorrow. 4. You use it with children and teenagers as well as

with adults and older people. 5. You can use them after CIAO (informal goodbye)

or ARRIVEDERCI (formal goodbye).

BUONANOTTE

1. Used in the evening or at night: sera e notte 2. Informal and formal context. 3. Generally, is used with people that you know. 4. You use it to wish a good night of sleep to the

people you spent the evening with.

Useful expressions to start a conversation

Before starting a conversation in Italian you have to consider the context (is it a formal or an informal situation?), the age of the people you are addressing to and how well you know them.



Informal context: with people of your same age or younger that you already know you will probably be informal.

Formal context: with older and more experienced people than you, to address to people you are meeting for the first time or when you are talking to somebody who has been formal with you, you will probably use a formal language.

What is the main difference between formal and informal language? In formal Italian, instead of addressing people using the second person of the verb (you=tu) you use the third person feminine (she=lei). As a result, if you want to say: “I’m well. And you?” in Italian you will have two options, one informal and one formal: (inf.) “Sto bene. E tu?”; (form.) “Sto bene. E lei?”. This switch normally triggers a change in the verb form. In other words, the ending of the verb will change to agree with the different subject (you or she). For this reason, in Italian, you will have two options to ask a question to somebody, one formal and one informal.

TO ENQUIRE ABOUT SOMEBODY’S WELL-‐BEING

MOST COMMON SHORT ANSWERS

USAGE CONTEXT PRONUNCIATION NOTES

COME STAI (TU)2?

1. (IO) STO MOLTO BENE – I’m very well

INFORMAL – FAMILIAR Used to enquire about somebody’s well-‐being. You stress your concern and interest for that person. Asking this question implies that you will expect an answer (which may be long!)

2. (IO) STO BENE – I’m well

3. (IO) STO ABBASTANZA BENE – I’m quite well

4. NON C’E’ MALE – Not bad 5. (IO) STO COSI’ COSI’

– I’m so and so

COME STA (LEI)?

1. (IO) STO MOLTO BENE – I’m very well

FORMAL – POLITE Used to enquire about somebody’s well-‐being. You stress your concern and interest for that person. Asking this question implies that you will expect an answer (which may be long!)

2. (IO) STO BENE – I’m well

3. (IO) STO ABBASTANZA BENE – I’m quite well

4. NON C’E’ MALE – Not bad

5. (IO) STO COSI’ COSI’– I’m so and so

COME VA?

1. VA MOLTO BENE – It’s going very well

VERY INFORMAL AND FAMILIAR It is the most common way to ask how things are going to a friend or somebody you know very well. It is very informal and it expresses less concern than the previous one. Usually, you repeat the verb va in you answer

2. VA BENE – It’s ok

3. VA ABBASTANZA BENE – It’s quite well

4. NON C’E’ MALE – Not bad

5. VA COSI’ COSI’ – It goes so and so

2The words in brackets (the subject pronouns) are optional and are generally omitted in a normal conversation.



What to say to get somebody’s attention or to request something

EXPRESSIONS USAGE CONTEXT PRONUNCIATION NOTES

SCUSA/ SCUSAMI

INFORMAL – FAMILIAR You use it with close friends, family members and people you are addressing to informally to: 1. Beg somebody’s pardon 2. Apologize 3. Get somebody’s attention

SCUSI/ MI SCUSI

FORMAL – POLITE You use it with people you do not know or you are addressing formally to: 1. Beg somebody’s pardon 2. Apologize 3. Get somebody’s attention

PER FAVORE/PER PIACERE

You can use it with everybody, when you are asking for a favour, for help or requesting something and you want to be polite. Its English equivalent, “please”, is used more often.

GRAZIE You use it to say “thank you”

PREGO You use it to reply to somebody saying “grazie”.

What’s your name?

EXPRESSIONS USAGE CONTEXT PRONUNCIATION NOTES

COME TI CHIAMI (TU)?

INFORMAL – FAMILIAR You use it with one person . You are meeting him/her for the first time and you are asking information about his/her name. You are addressing him/her informally.

COME SI CHIAMA (LEI)?

FORMAL – POLITE a. You use it with one person . You are meeting him/her for the first time and you are asking information about his/her name. You are addressing him/her formally. INFORMAL b. You use it to ask the name of a third person who is not taking part in the conversation. (What’s his name?/What’s her name?)



COME VI CHIAMATE (VOI)?

INFORMAL (BUT IT MAY SUIT ALSO A FORMAL CONTEXT) You use it with at least two people. You are meeting them for the first time and you are asking information about their name. You are addressing them informally, but it can also be used in a formal context.

COME SI CHIAMANO (LORO)?

VERY FORMAL a. You use it with two people . You are meeting them for the first time and you are asking information about their name. You are addressing them in a very formal way. INFORMAL b. You use it to ask the name of at least two other people who are not taking part in the conversation. (What’s their name?)

(IO) MI CHIAMO SARA.

FORMAL AND INFORMAL You use it to introduce yourself and to reply to the question come ti chiami?(inf.) / come si chiama? (f.)

(NOI) CI CHIAMIAMO SARA E LUCA.

FORMAL AND INFORMAL You use it to introduce yourselves and to reply to the question come vi chiamate?(inf. /f.)/ come si chiamano? (very f.)

(LEI) SI CHIAMA SARA / (LUI) SI CHIAMA LUCA

FORMAL AND INFORMAL You use it to introduce a third person into the conversation and to reply to the question come si chiama?, when it has the meaning of what’s her/his name? Lei is used to introduce a girl, lui introduces a boy.

(LORO) SI CHIAMANO SARA E LUCA?

FORMAL AND INFORMAL You use it to introduce at least two people and to reply to the question come si chiamano,? when it has the meaning of what’s their name?

PIACERE

FORMAL AND INFORMAL You use it with somebody you are meeting for the first time, after you have been introduced. You are expressing pleasure in meeting him/her/them. Usually, when you say piacere you shake hands with each other.



DIALOGUES Read and repeat after the teacher. Use the space provided to write an equivalent dialogue/exchange in English.

ITALIAN ENGLISH NOTES

Luca: Ciao, Sara , come stai? Sara: Bene, grazie, e tu? Luca: Non c'è male, grazie.

… Sara: Ciao Luca! A presto. Luca: Ciao!

Informal Exchange.

Signora Bianchi: Buongiorno, signore, come sta? Signor Conti: Bene, grazie, e lei? Signora Bianchi: Abbastanza bene, grazie.

… Signor Conti :Arrivederci, signora Bianchi! Signora Bianchi: Arrivederci!

Formal Exchange Signora – with a married lady Signorina – with an unmarried lady Signore/Signor – with a men Signori – with a couple

Luca: Ciao! Sara: Ciao, mi chiamo Sara. Come ti chiami? Luca: Mi chiamo Luca, piacere! Sara: Piacere!

Informal Exchange

Luca: Ciao! Sara: Ciao Luca! Come va? Luca: Va bene, grazie! E tu, come stai? Sara: Non c'è male, grazie! Luca: Lei è una mia amica, si chiama Giulia. Sara: Piacere Giulia! Io mi chiamo Sara. Giulia: Piacere Sara!

Informal Exchange



A BIT OF GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY

1. Subject pronouns ENGLISH ITALIAN I IO YOU TU HE LUI SHE LEI IT -‐ WE NOI YOU VOI THEY LORO

2. The verb ESSERE (To be)

ENGLISH ITALIAN I am (Io) sono You are (Tu) sei He is (Lui) é She is (Lei) é It is -‐ E’ We are (Noi) siamo You are (Voi) siete They are (Loro) sono

3. The verb CHIAMARSI (To be called-‐ To call oneself)

ENGLISH ITALIAN I call myself (Io) mi chiamo You call yourself (Tu) ti chiami He calls himself (Lui) si chiama She calls herself (Lei) si chiama It is called -‐ Si chiama We call ourselves (Noi) ci chiamiamo You call yourselves (Voi) vi chiamate They call themselves (Loro) si chiamano

These are the present tenses of the two verbs. In Italian, the present tense is used to talk about present events or situations, general truths and things or states which are always true. As a result, this tense generally corresponds to the English simple present (i.e. I study). However, according to the context, the Italian present may be correspond also to other English tenses (i.e. I am studying, I do study). The subject pronouns are given into brackets because they are not necessary in Italian and they are normally omitted. To understand who performs the action of the verb (that is, who is the subject) the speakers rely on the verb endings.

4. A bit of colours, some numbers and some days of the week VERDE BIANCO ROSSO UNO DUE TRE

LUNEDI’



EXERCISES

1. Crossword puzzle ACROSS DOWN

3. Pleased to meet you: ………………

1. See you soon: a ……….

5. Good night: buona …………….

2. Good evening: buona ………..

7. Come stai? ……………… bene, grazie!

4. My name is: mi ………..

8. Goodbye. 6. Good night: ……….. notte.

9. “Grazie!” –“……………!” 7. Goodbye.

11. Please: …. ………… 10. Thank you.

12. Buon ………, principessa!

2. Put in order the clauses that compose the two dialogues.

Dialogue 1 1. Non c’è male, grazie! 2. Bene, grazie! e tu? 3. Ciao Maria! 4. Ciao! 5. Ciao Giovanna! Come stai? 6. Arrivederci, Maria! Dialogue 2 A. A presto! B. Molto bene, grazie! E lei? C. Arrivederci, signora! D. Buongiorno signor Rossi! Come sta? E. Abbastanza bene, grazie. F. Buongiorno signora!

3. Speaking Work in pairs or in groups of three people. Choose set 1, set 2, or set 3. Then, use the words and expressions you have learned to create a small conversation in Italian. Write your dialogue, establish the roles, and then practice it! Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 • Formal Exchange • People already know • each other • Evening

• Informal exchange • People that have not met before • Morning

• Informal exchange • Some people don’t know each

other • Afternoon

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12



Approaching Italian Culture through the Movie La Vita è Bella (Life is Beautiful)

Guido is a funny and charismatic character, especially when he romances in his own way a local school teacher, Dora, saying she is beautiful like the morning sunrise. Dora, however, comes from a wealthy, aristocratic, non-‐Jewish Italian family. Dora's mother wants her to marry a well-‐to-‐do civil servant, but Dora falls in love with Guido, who ends up stealing her away from her aristocratic and arrogant fiancé during their engagement party.

Several years pass, Guido and Dora marry and have a son, Giosuè.

Then World War II begins. Guido, Uncle Eliseo and Giosuè are forced onto a train and taken to a concentration camp on Giosuè's birthday. Despite being a non-‐Jew, Dora demands to be on the same train to join her family and is permitted to do so.

In the camp, Guido hides his son from the Nazi guards, sneaks him food and tries to humor him. In an attempt to keep up Giosuè's spirits, Guido convinces him that the camp is just a game, in which the first person to get 1,000 points wins a tank: if he cries, complains that he wants his mother or says he is hungry, he will lose points, while quiet boys who hide from the camp guards earn points. Guido also convinces Giosuè that the camp guards are mean because they want the tank for themselves and that he cannot see any other child because they’re all hiding in order to win the game. Although Giosuè's requests to end the game and return home and despite being surrounded by rampant misery, sickness and death, Guido maintains this story right until the end. In the chaos caused by the American advance, he tells his son to stay in a sweatbox until everybody has left, this being the final test before winning the tank. Guido goes off to look for Dora but is caught and shot to death off camera. Giosuè manages to survive, reunite with his mother, and even thinks he has won the game when an American tank arrives to liberate the camp.

(source: Wikipedia)

4. Listening Watch the initial scene of the Italian movie La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful) by Roberto Benigni. Write in the space provided the words you can catch.

La Vita è Bella is a 1997 Italian film which tells the story of a Jewish Italian, Guido Orefice (played by Roberto Benigni, who also directed and co-‐wrote the movie), who must use his fertile imagination to help his family during their internment in a Nazi concentration camp. In 1999 Benigni won the Academy Award for Best Actor and the film won both the Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Movie.



A LITTLE STORY TO SUMMARIZE WHAT WE HAVE LEARNT TODAY Oggi vi presentiamo un nuovo amico, Pierino. Le sue avventure ci accompagneranno per tutto il corso. Ripeti le parole in grassetto dopo l’insegnante.

La giornata di Pierino

Pierino è un bambino di dieci anni e abita in un paesino vicino Roma, con la mamma, il papà e la sorella. Oggi è lunedì e Pierino deve andare a scuola. Quando suona la sveglia, la mamma gli dice:“Buongiorno Pierino!”. Pierino fa colazione, si veste e indossa il suo grembiule bianco. Ora, è pronto per andare a scuola! Quando arriva in classe in classe, Pierino saluta il suo amico: “Ciao Andrea!”. “Ciao Pierino! Come va?”. “Molto bene, grazie! E tu, come stai?”, dice Pierino. “Così così”. Oggi Pierino ha una nuova compagna di banco. “Ciao, io mi chiamo Pierino, tu come ti chiami?”, chiede Pierino. “Piacere Pierino, io mi chiamo Sara!”. “Piacere!” Durante la lezione, Pierino non trova più il suo pastello rosso, allora chiede: “Scusa Sara, mi presti il tuo pastello rosso, per favore?”. “Certo!” risponde Sara “Puoi prendere anche quello verde”. “Grazie!” dice Pierino. La campanella suona, è ora di andare a casa. Pierino saluta i suoi amici: “ Ciao Sara!”, “A domani Andrea!”. Poi, Pierino saluta la maestra: “Arrivederci Signora maestra!”. Quando Pierino torna a casa, é pomeriggio. E’ ora di fare merenda, allora mangia una banana e due biscotti al cioccolato. Dopo un po’, suonano alla porta, è il postino, che dice: “Ciao Pierino!”. “Buongiorno Signor postino, come sta?”. “Non c’è male” dice il postino, “Ho una lettera per te!”. “Grazie, che bello!”. Ormai è sera e Pierino è molto stanco; così decide di andare a letto. Allora saluta tutti, dicendo: “Buonanotte!”.



TRANSLATION Today we will introduce you to a new friend, Pierino. His adventures will keep us company during the whole course. Repeat the words in bold, after the teacher. Please consider that this text is to help you understanding the story, but it is not always word-‐to-‐word translation.

Pierino’s day Pierino is a ten years old boy. He lives in a small town, near Rome, with his mum, his dad and his sister. Today is Monday, and Pierino has to go to school. When the alarm clock rings, mum says “Good morning, Pierino!”. Pierino has breakfast, dresses himself and puts his white uniform on. Now, he is ready to go to school! Once he gets to school he says hello to his friend: “Hi Andrea!”. “Hi Pierino! How is it going?”. “Very well, thank you! And, how are you?” replies Pierino. “Mmm, so and so”. Today, a new classmate has arrived (she sits next to Pierino). Pierino says: “Hello! My name is Pierino! What’s your name?”. “Hi Pierino! My name is Sara. Nice to meet you!”. “Nice to meet you!.” In class Pierino realises that he has lost his red pencil. So, he says: “Excuse me Sara, can you lend me your red pencil, please?” “Of course”, Sara answers “You can also have the green one”. “Thank you”. The bell rings, it’s time to go home. Pierino says goodbye to his friends: “Goodbye Sara!”, “See you Andrea!”. Then, he says goodbye to the teacher: “Goodbye, Madam!”. When Pierino gets home, it’s afternoon. It’s time for a snack! Pierino has one banana and two chocolate biscuits. After a while, the doorbell rings: it’s the postman! He says: “Good evening Pierino!”. “Good evening Mister the postman, how are you?” “I’m not too bad,” says the postman, “There’s a letter for you!”. “Thanks. That’s nice!”. It’s evening now, and Pierino is very tired. He decides to go to bed, so he says good night to everybody: “Good night!”.



HOMEWORK Exercise 1: REVISE THE WORDS YOU HAVE LEARNT. a. Read them loud. b. Explain their meaning. Are they formal or informal? In which context do you use them? MATTINA

POMERIGGIO

SERA

NOTTE

CIAO

BUONGIORNO

BUON POMERIGGIO

BUONASERA

SALVE

ARRIVEDERCI

A PRESTO

A DOPO

A DOMANI

BUONANOTTE

COME STAI (TU)?

COME STA (LEI)?

COME VA?

(IO STO/VA) MOLTO BENE

(IO STO/VA) BENE

(IO STO/VA) ABBASTANZA BENE

NON C’E’ MALE

(IO STO/VA) COSì COSì

SCUSA/SCUSAMI

SCUSI/MI SCUSI

PER FAVORE/PER PIACERE

GRAZIE



PREGO

COME TI CHIAMI (TU)?

COME SI CHIAMA (LEI)?

COME VI CHIAMATE (VOI)?

COME SI CHIAMANO (LORO)?

(IO) MI CHIAMO

(TU) TI CHIAMI

(LUI) SI CHIAMA

(LEI) SI CHIAMA

(NOI) CI CHIAMIAMO

(VOI) VI CHIAMATE

(LORO) SI CHIAMANO

PIACERE

IO SONO

TU SEI

LUI E’

LEI E’

NOI SIAMO

VOI SIETE

LORO SONO

SIGNORA

SIGNORINA

SIGNORE/SIGNOR

SIGNORI

VERDE

BIANCO

ROSSO

UNO

DUE



TRE

LUNEDì

Exercise 2 Complete Pierino’s story filling the gaps with the words listed below. PER FAVORE – ARRIVEDERCI -‐ COME STA -‐ ROSSO – BUONANOTTE – SCUSA -‐ MI CHIAMO – SERA -‐ POMERIGGIO – CIAO -‐ LUNEDÌ – NON C’È MALE -‐ VERDE -‐ BUONGIORNO -‐ COME STAI – PIACERE – COME TI CHIAMI -‐ GRAZIE – COSÌ COSÌ -‐ BIANCO – DUE – COME VA – MOLTO – A DOMANI

La giornata di Pierino

Pierino è un bambino di dieci anni e abita in un paesino vicino Roma, con la mamma, il papà e la sorella. Oggi è ……………….. e Pierino deve andare a scuola. Quando suona la sveglia, la mamma gli dice:“…………………...Pierino!”. Pierino fa colazione, si veste e indossa il suo grembiule ……………... Ora, è pronto per andare a scuola! Quando arriva in classe in classe, Pierino saluta il suo amico: “………………. Andrea!”. “Ciao Pierino! …………………?”. “……………… bene, grazie! E tu, ………………..?”, dice Pierino. “………………………..”. Oggi Pierino ha una nuova compagna di banco. “Ciao, io mi chiamo Pierino, tu ……………………………?”, chiede Pierino. “Piacere Pierino, io ………………………. Sara!”. “…………………….!” Durante la lezione, Pierino non trova più il suo pastello …………., allora chiede: “……… Sara, mi presti il tuo pastello rosso, ……………….?”. “Certo!” risponde Sara “Puoi prendere anche quello ………………..”. “Grazie!” dice Pierino. La campanella suona, è ora di andare a casa. Pierino saluta i suoi amici: “ Ciao Sara!”, “……………. Andrea!”. Poi, Pierino saluta la maestra: “………………… Signora maestra!”. Quando Pierino torna a casa, é …………………... E’ ora di fare merenda, allora mangia una banana e …. biscotti al cioccolato. Dopo un po’, suonano alla porta, è il postino, che dice: “Ciao Pierino!”. “Buongiorno Signor postino, ……………….?”. “………………………..” dice il postino, “Ho una lettera per te!”. “…………, che bello!”. Ormai è ………… e Pierino è molto stanco; così decide di andare a letto. Allora saluta tutti, dicendo: “………………..!”.

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