Latest / Learn Italian with Fexingo / Italian Autumn Vocabulary
Transcript
- Lucas: Hey Luna, welcome back to another episode of Learn Italian with Fexingo. We've been chatting about all sorts of things in the park, but today I thought we could slow down a little and talk about a season that's perfect for a walk. Luna: Ooh, a season? Are we talking about autumn? I love autumn, everything gets so orange and cozy. Lucas: Exactly. Let's learn some Italian words for the things we see and feel during this time of year. First, let's start with something simple: the leaves. In Italian, 'le foglie'. Say it with me: le foglie. Luna: Le foglie. That's pretty. And they're falling, right? Because that's what autumn leaves do. Lucas: They do. So we say 'le foglie cadono'. The leaves fall. Try it: le foglie cadono. Luna: Le foglie cadono. Le foglie cadono. So is that like, 'the leaves are falling' or 'they fall'? Lucas: It works for both. Right now, we're watching them fall, so 'le foglie cadono' is perfect. Let's use it in a tiny scene. Say I'm walking with you and I point up and say, 'guarda, le foglie cadono'. Luna: Guarda, le foglie cadono. Oh, that's nice. I can just imagine all those amber leaves coming down. Lucas: And because it's autumn, there's that crisp feeling in the air. We say 'fa fresco' to mean it's cool or chilly. Repeat after me: fa fresco. Luna: Fa fresco. Fa fresco. I feel like I'm saying 'fa' a lot, but it just means 'it is'. So 'fa fresco' is like 'it's cool'. Lucas: You got it. And we can combine it with our leaves: 'Fa fresco e le foglie cadono.' It's cool and the leaves are falling. Luna: Fa fresco e le foglie cadono. That actually rolls off the tongue. I might start saying that all day. Lucas: Now, when I think of autumn walks, I also think of chestnuts. The word for chestnut is 'la castagna'. Plural: 'le castagne'. Let's start with the singular: la castagna. Luna: La castagna. Is that the kind you roast? Because I love those. Lucas: Exactly, the roasted ones. And if you pick one up off the ground, you might say 'guarda questa castagna' - look at this chestnut. Try that: guarda questa castagna. Luna: Guarda questa castagna. I'd probably drop it because it's hot. But it's a good phrase. Lucas: And then, because the weather is cooler, you might put on a sweater. The Italian word is 'il maglione'. Repeat: il maglione. Luna: Il maglione. That sounds so much softer than 'sweater'. Il maglione. Lucas: So if you're getting ready to go out, you could say 'metto il maglione' - I put on the sweater. Try it: metto il maglione. Luna: Metto il maglione. Metto il maglione. I'm already feeling cozier. Lucas: Now, let's put a few words together for a little sentence. Just to appreciate the season, we can say 'quanto è bello l'autunno' - how beautiful autumn is. Say it with me: quanto è bello l'autunno. Luna: Quanto è bello l'autunno. That's a mouthful, but it's so expressive. Quanto è bello l'autunno. Lucas: You nailed it. And if we join all our phrases for a mini description: 'Fa fresco, le foglie cadono, e quanto è bello l'autunno.' It's cool, the leaves fall, and how beautiful autumn is. Luna: That's like a poem. Fa fresco, le foglie cadono, e quanto è bello l'autunno. I think I'll use that on my next walk. Lucas: And that actually brings up something. If Fexingo has been helping you make real progress with Italian, the best way to keep these episodes coming is to support the show. Just a couple of dollars a month at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo makes a huge difference, and it keeps everything free for everyone. Luna: Yeah, I mean, we put a lot of heart into these lessons, and it's nice to know they reach people. But anyway, let's get back to those leaves. Lucas: Right, let's keep practicing. So, when we see a pile of leaves on the ground, we might say 'le foglie sono sul terreno' - the leaves are on the ground. Try that: le foglie sono sul terreno. Luna: Le foglie sono sul terreno. So we're adding 'sono' for 'are'. That makes sense. Le foglie sono sul terreno. Lucas: Perfect. And if you want to kick them with your feet, you could say 'io calcio le foglie' - I kick the leaves. Let's hear that: io calcio le foglie. Luna: Io calcio le foglie. That sounds fun. I could do that for hours. Lucas: Let's do one more quick review. We have 'le foglie cadono', 'fa fresco', 'la castagna', 'il maglione', and 'quanto è bello l'autunno'. Can you put them all in one sentence for me? Luna: Hmm, okay. Fa fresco, le foglie cadono, vedo una castagna, metto il maglione, e quanto è bello l'autunno. Lucas: That's excellent. You just described your perfect autumn day. I'm impressed. Luna: I'm just glad I remembered everything. It took a few tries, but it's all starting to stick. Lucas: That's the whole point. Keep practicing these little phrases, and you'll be surprised how quickly they become natural. So, until next time, enjoy your autumn walks and maybe even spot a chestnut or two. Luna: And don't forget your maglione. Ciao for now.