Have you ever heard an Italian say “ci sta”, “ci tengo” or “ci penso io” and not understood what it means? You know all the verbs… but the problem is that little particle that changes everything: the “ci”. In this article you’ll discover 6 pronominal verbs with “ci” that Italians use every day and that will make your Italian sound much more natural.

Has it ever happened to you to give flowers in Italy and get a… puzzled face in return? Maybe you chose the “wrong” flowers — yes, in Italy there are wrong flowers, and in this article you’ll discover which ones! Or to go to the hairdresser, ask for “a cut” and come out with ten centimeters of hair less? In this guide you’ll find 36 authentic Italian phrases to survive six situations of daily life in Italy: from the florist to the beach resort, passing through the mechanic, the post office, the dry cleaner and the hair salon.

Have you ever had a crazy urge to insult someone but couldn’t say a swear word? Because you were at the office, at dinner with your in-laws, in front of a five-year-old child, or simply because you’re a polite person. I have wonderful news for you: Italian is a language extremely rich in insults that aren’t swear words, that you can say in front of your grandmother, and some are even affectionate.

Do you know these Italian words? Quindi, dunque, insomma, allora, infatti: you’ve heard them a thousand times in movies, songs, and conversations. But do you really know how to use them? They are chameleon-like words that change meaning depending on the situation, and using them well makes the difference between someone who speaks “like a book” and someone who speaks like a native.

When someone announces they are leaving, the automatic response is almost always the same: “Buon viaggio!” [Have a good trip! / Safe travels!] It is a correct expression, but quite generic. In this article you will find a series of more precise and natural alternatives, organised by context and register, to enrich your Italian in a concrete way.

Can you read a book in Italian? And above all… what level can you get to? In this article you’ll find out with a complete reading test, from level A1 to level C2, built on real sentences taken from six masterpieces of Italian literature: Pinocchio, Cuore, Il fu Mattia Pascal, I Malavoglia, La coscienza di Zeno and I promessi sposi. At the end you’ll know exactly what your reading level is, and you’ll also learn some secrets about Italy’s most famous books.