Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Conventions Used in This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 3
How This Book is Organized 3
Part I: Getting Started 3
Part II: Italian in Action 3
Part III: Italian on the Go 4
Part IV: The Part of Tens 4
Part V: Appendixes 4
Icons Used in This Book 4
Where to Go from Here 5
Part I: Getting Started 7
Chapter 1: Saying It Like It is 9
You Already Know Some Italian! 9
Cognates 11
Popular expressions 11
Mouthing Off: Basic Pronunciation 12
The Alphabet 13
Vowels 13
Consonants 15
Stressing Words Properly 19
Using Gestures 20
Chapter 2: Jumping Into the Basics of Italian 21
Setting Up Simple Sentences 21
Coping with Gendered Words (Articles, Nouns, and Adjectives) 22
Nouns and gender 22
The indefinite articles 23
Definite articles 24
Adjectives 25
Talking about Pronouns 26
Personal pronouns 27
Saying you: Formal and informal 27
Verbs 28
Introducing regular and irregular verbs 28
Idiomatic uses of avere 32
Having to, wanting to, being able to 37
Presenting the Simple Tenses: Past, Present, and Future 38
Chapter 3: Buongiorno! Salutations! 43
Looking at Common Greetings and Good-byes 43
Deciding between formal or friendly 45
Replying to a greeting 45
Specifying your reuniting 46
Making Introductions 47
Introducing yourself 47
Introducing other people 50
Getting Acquainted 53
Finding out whether someone speaks Italian 53
Talking about where you come from 54
Extending and responding to invitations 60
Chapter 4: Getting Your Numbers and Time Straight 63
Counting Numbers 63
Times of Day and Days of the Week 66
Using the Calendar and Making Dates 68
Making dates 69
Telling time 70
Chatting about the Weather 72
Familiarizing Yourself with the Metric System 77
Length and Distance 78
Weight 78
Part II: Italian in Action 83
Chapter 5: Casa dolce casa (Home Sweet Home) 85
Ordering Ordinals 85
Inhabiting Your Home 87
Hunting for an apartment 87
Sprucing up your apartment 92
Furnishing your new pad 93
Housekeeping in style 95
Cooking and cleaning 98
Doing household chores 100
Chapter 6: Where is the Colosseum? Asking Directions 103
Finding Your Way: Asking for Specific Places 103
Mapping the quarters and following directions 105
Verbs on the Move 109
Locations You May Be Looking For 113
Chapter 7: Food Glorious Food and Dont Forget the Drink 119
Eating, Italian Style 119
Drinking, Italian Style 119
Expressing your love for espresso 120
Beverages with even more of a kick 121
The Start and End of Dining Out 123
Making reservations 124
Paying for your meal 125
Having Breakfast 126
Eating Lunch 127
Enjoying Dinner 129
Shopping for Food 132
Al macellaio (ahl mah-chehl-lahy-oh) (at the butchers) 132
Pesce (fish) (peh-sheh) 133
At the panetteria (breadshop) 134
Chapter 8: Shopping, Italian Style 139
Clothing Yourself 139
Deciding between department stores and boutiques 139
Sizing up Italian sizes 143
Talking definitely and indefinitely 144
Coloring your words 145
Accessorizing 147
Stepping out in style 148
Chapter 9: Having Fun Out on the Town 151
Acquiring Culture 151
Going to the movies 154
Going to the theater 156
Going to a museum 160
Going to a local festival 161
Going to a concert 162
Inviting Fun 164
Chapter 10: Taking Care of Business and Telecommunicating 173
Phoning Made Simple 173
Connecting via cellphones, texts, and Skype 174
Calling for business or pleasure 176
Making Arrangements over the Phone 178
Asking for People and Getting the Message 179
What Did You Do Last Weekend? Talking about the Past 182
Discussing Your Job 186
The human element 187
Office equipment 187
Chapter 11: Recreation and the Outdoors 191
Taking a Tour 191
Speaking Reflexively 195
Playing Sports 196
Talking about Hobbies and Interests 200
Part III: Italian on the Go 207
Chapter 12: Planning a Trip 209
Deciding When and Where to Go 209
Taking a Tour 211
Booking a Trip/Traveling to Foreign Lands 213
Arriving and Leaving: The Verbs Arrivare and Partire 216
Going to the Beach and Spa 217
Using the Simple Future Tense 217
Chapter 13: Money, Money, Money 221
Going to the Bank 221
Changing Money 224
Using Credit Cards 226
Looking at Various Currencies 228
Chapter 14: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, and Buses 233
Getting through the Airport 233
Checking in 234
Dealing with excess baggage 236
Waiting to board the plane 237
Coping after landing 238
Going through Customs 240
Losing Luggage 241
Renting a Car 243
Navigating Public Transportation 245
Calling a taxi 245
Moving by train 246
Going by bus or tram 249
Reading maps and schedules 251
Being Early or Late 253
Chapter 15: Finding a Place to Stay 255
Choosing a Place to Stay 255
Reserving a Room 256
Checking In 259
Personalizing pronouns 262
This or these: Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns 263
Yours, mine, and ours: Possessive pronouns 263
Bending Others to Your Will: Imperatives 267
Chapter 16: Handling Emergencies 271
Talking to Doctors 272
Describing what ails you 273
Understanding professional medical vocabulary 277
Getting what you need at the pharmacy 277
Braving the dentist 279
Reporting an Accident to the Police 280
Ive Been Robbed! Knowing What to Do and Say When the Police Arrive 281
Dealing with Car Trouble 285
When You Need a Lawyer: Protecting Your Rights 287
Reporting a Lost or Stolen Passport 288
Chapter 17: Small Talk, Wrapping Things Up 293
Discovering Interrogative Pronouns 293
Asking simple questions 295
Taking care of basic needs 296
Talking About Yourself and Your Family Possessives Part 2 300
Speaking Reflexively 305
Talking shop 307
Discussing your job 307
Part IV: The Part of Tens 313
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up Italian Quickly 315
Read Italian Food Labels 315
Ask for Food in Italian 316
Listen to Italian Songs 316
Read Italian Publications 316
Watch Italian Movies 316
Tune in to Italian Radio and TV Programs 317
Listen to Italian Language Tapes 317
Share Your Interest 317
Surf the Net 318
Cook! 318
Chapter 19: Ten Things Never to Say in Italian 319
Ciao-ing Down 319
Dont Be Literal 320
Five Fickle False Friends 320
Food Faux Pas 321
The Problem with Play 321
Being Careful of False Friends 321
Chapter 20: Ten Favorite Italian Expressions 323
Mamma mia! 323
Che bello! 323
Uffa! 324
Che ne so!/Boh! 324
Magari! 324
Tista bene! 324
Non te la prendere! 324
Che macello! 325
Non mi va! 325
Mi raccomando! 325
Chapter 21: Ten Phrases to Say So That People Think Youre Italian 327
In bocca al lupo! 327
Acqua in bocca! 328
Salute! 328
Macché! 328
Neanche per sogno! 328
Peggio per te! 328
Piantala! 329
Vacci piano! 329
Eccome! 329
Lascia perdere! 329
Part V: Appendixes 331
Appendix A: Verb Tables 333
Italian Verbs 333
Irregular Italian Verbs 336
Italian IRE Verbs with a Special Pattern (-isc-) 343
Common Irregular Past Participles 345
Appendix B: Dictionaries 347
Appendix C: About the CD 359
Track Listing 359
Customer Care 360
Appendix D: Answer Keys 361
Index 369
