🛠️ Bonus Episode 05 - Vocabulary for our Interview with Professoressa Daniela Bartalesi-Graf

🎧 Bonus Episode 05 – Vocabulary for our Interview with Professoressa Daniela Bartalesi-Graf
To Prepare for Interview Episode 01

Before you listen to our inspiring conversation with Professoressa Daniela Bartalesi-Graf, take a moment to explore the key vocabulary you'll hear throughout the interview. This bonus episode gives you a head start with words and expressions grouped into five practical categories:

🌟 Highlights:
✔️ Academic language from higher education and online learning
✔️ Study strategies, learning tips, and self-reflection tools
✔️ Expressions for oral communication and language use
✔️ Grammar terms and sentence-building insights
✔️ Cultural references and regional sayings from across Italy

🎯 Practice Makes Progress:
Each word is introduced in context, followed by active recall exercises and a mini quiz to help you internalize meaning and usage. Whether you're curious about Italian dialects, mastering past participles, or feeling more confident in conversation, this episode has something for you.

📜 The full transcript (with grammar notes and vocabulary lists) is available at https://www.welearnitalianstepbystep.com

🎧 Let’s get ready to hear—and understand—more in the upcoming interview. Piano piano, passo dopo passo, si diventa più sicuri!

⏳ Chapter Markers:

0:00 Intro  
1:38 Category 1 – Academic & Educational Language  
5:37 Category 1 – Active Recall  
7:05 Category 1 – Mini Quiz  
8:29 Category 2 – Learning Strategies & Study Habits  
14:30 Category 2 – Active Recall  
16:17 Category 2 – Mini Quiz  
18:06 Category 3 – Language & Communication  
21:31 Category 3 – Active Recall  
22:55 Category 3 – Mini Quiz  
24:49 Category 4 – Grammar Awareness & Sentence Building  
30:10 Category 4 – Active Recall  
31:09 Category 4 – Mini Quiz  
32:04 Category 5 – Cultural & Regional Curiosities  
36:18 Category 5 – Active Recall  
37:51 Category 5 – Mini Quiz  
39:37 Wrap-up

All content © 2025 Impariamo l’italiano piano piano – Un impegno quotidiano

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:38 Category 1 – Academic & Educational Language
• 5:37 Category 1 – Active Recall
• 7:05 Category 1 – Mini Quiz
• 8:29 Category 2 – Learning Strategies & Study Habits
• 14:30 Category 2 – Active Recall
• 16:17 Category 2 – Mini Quiz
• 18:06 Category 3 – Language & Communication
• 21:31 Category 3 – Active Recall
• 22:55 Category 3 – Mini Quiz
• 24:52 Category 4 – Grammar Awareness & Sentence Building
• 30:13 Category 4 – Active Recall
• 31:11 Category 4 – Mini Quiz
• 32:06 Category 5 – Cultural & Regional Curiosities
• 36:20 Category 5 – Active Recall
• 37:53 Category 5 – Mini Quiz
• 39:39 Wrap-up

Transcript

🎧 Welcome to We learn Italian step by step / Impariamo l’italiano piano piano

🛠️ Bonus Episode 05 - Vocabulary from our Interview with Professoressa Daniela Bartalesi-Graf

Vocabulary Boost for Interview Episode 01

-> Link to vocabulary flashcards for Interview Episode 1 <--  

Myra: Benvenuti a questa puntata speciale! 🎧 Welcome to this special bonus episode!

In questa sessione, esploriamo alcune parole ed espressioni chiave – some key words and expressions – that you’ll hear in the interview with Professor Daniela Bartalesi-Graf.– la creatrice del famoso corso online “Italian Language and Culture” on edX.

We’ve organized the vocabulary into three useful categories – linguaggio accademico, strategie di apprendimento e grammatica & consigli pratici – academic language, learning strategies, and grammar & practical advice.

As always, you’ll hear the words in context, practice with active recall exercises, and test yourself with a mini quiz.

Antonio: Sono pronto, Myra. Questa volta mi sento... accademico!

Myra: Perfect! Cominciamo!

🏫 Category 1: Academic & Educational Language

Vocabulary: 

• accessibilità – accessibility
• bagaglio culturale – cultural background
• coetaneo / coetanea – peer (in mindset or life stage)
• flessibilità – flexibility
• trasparenza – transparency

🎧 Contextual Introduction – English (with vocabulary in Italian)

Three friends take a trip together—not only because they are the same age, but because they’ve grown through life side by side. They’re coetanei in spirit: open, curious, and used to learning from each other.

They share a rich bagaglio culturale—memories of old films, family sayings, and an appreciation for the same small things: a quiet piazza, a well-made coffee, and discovering the local cuisine—not the fancy dishes, but the kind of food that tells you where you are.

At their hotel, they notice how much accessibilità matters—not just ramps and elevators, but clear paths, helpful staff, and signs that don’t leave room for doubt. There’s trasparenza in every detail, from check-in to the breakfast buffet.

And when the day doesn’t go as planned? Their plans shift with flessibilità. They laugh, they adjust, they keep exploring.

🇮🇹 Versione in italiano (voce lenta – Antonio)

Per favore Antonio.

Tre amici fanno un viaggio insieme—non solo perché hanno la stessa età, ma perché hanno vissuto tante esperienze fianco a fianco. Sono coetanei nello spirito: aperti, curiosi e abituati a imparare gli uni dagli altri.

Condividono un ricco bagaglio culturale—ricordi di vecchi film, modi di dire di famiglia, e un apprezzamento per le stesse piccole cose: una piazza tranquilla, un caffè fatto bene, e la scoperta della cucina locale—non i piatti eleganti, ma quei cibi che ti dicono dove sei.

In albergo, notano quanto conti davvero l’accessibilità—non solo rampe ed ascensori, ma anche percorsi chiari, personale disponibile, e indicazioni che non lasciano spazio ai dubbi. C’è trasparenza in ogni dettaglio, dal check-in alla colazione a buffet.

E quando la giornata non va come previsto? Cambiano programma con flessibilità. Ridono, si adattano, continuano a esplorare.

Myra: Thank you Antonio. And now at normal speed please.

(Antonio reads a second time at normal speed.)

🔁 Active Recall – Category 1: Academic & Educational Language

🎙 Myra:
Let’s review some key vocabulary from that story. 
Before we start, don’t worry if you don’t remember everything.
Just try to picture the scene we talked about—those three friends traveling together—and see what words come back to you. You might surprise yourself!
 
I’ll say it in English—can you remember the Italian word before Antonio says it? Vediamo!

1. What’s the word for women who share the same stage of life or mindset?

→ Antonio: Coetanee—forma femminile plurale.
(That’s the feminine plural form.)

2. How do you say “cultural background,” especially the kind you share through memories and habits?
→ Antonio: bagaglio culturale

3. What word means “accessibility,” not just physical, but also emotional or informational clarity?
→ Antonio: accessibilità

4. What’s the Italian word for “transparency,” when things are open, honest, and clear?
→ Antonio: trasparenza

5. And what about “flexibility”—the ability to adapt or adjust when plans change?
→ Antonio: flessibilità

🧠 Mini Quiz – Category 1: Academic & Educational Language

Myra:
Try to say each sentence in Italian before Antonio gives the answer. Use the pause button if  you need to. Mettiamoci alla prova! (Let’s put ourselves to the test!)

1. The hotel was accessible to everyone.

Antonio: L’albergo era accessibile a tutti.

2. There was transparency in every decision.

Antonio: C’era trasparenza in ogni decisione.

3. They appreciated the flexibility of the plan.

Antonio: Hanno apprezzato la flessibilità del piano.

4. We are the same age, but we are peers in other ways also.

Antonio: Abbiamo la stessa età, ma siamo coetanei anche in altri sensi.

5. They share a strong cultural background.

Antonio: Condividono un forte bagaglio culturale.

🧩  Category 2: Learning Strategies & Study Habits.

Vocabulary for this category: 

·       aggancio – a link or mental connection

·       pasticciare / scribacchiare – to scribble / doodle

·       ripetizione – repetition

·       sentiero tradizionale – traditional path (used metaphorically for learning)

·       sentirsi sicuri – to feel confident

·       strategia di apprendimento – learning strategy

Contextual Introduction – English (with vocabulary in Italian)

A man decides to teach himself how to bake bread. He remembers helping his grandmother as a child—the flour on the counter, the warmth of the oven, the smell of dough rising. But the steps? He’s not sure he remembers.

Instead of following the sentiero tradizionale, a strict recipe with exact instructions, he tries a different strategia di apprendimento. He watches videos, recalls fragments of advice, and scribacchia messy notes on flour-covered paper.

His daughter walks into the kitchen, sees the chaos, and says, “You do the mixing. I’ll write the steps.” But instead of organizing things neatly, she pasticcia across the page—doodles, arrows, corrections everywhere.

Some loaves come out raw in the middle, others hard as bricks. But the father believes in ripetizione. Every attempt teaches them something. With each try, they tweak a detail: how to fold, how long to rest the dough.

Slowly, they begin to sentirsi sicuri. They start again, and by nightfall, they bake a perfect loaf.
Not because they followed the recipe perfectly, but because the memory returned.
The feel of the dough, the smell of the kitchen, even a scribbled note in the margin—each one became an aggancio, a link to what he thought he had forgotten.

Italian version – slow speed

Un uomo decide di imparare da solo a fare il pane. Ricorda quando aiutava sua nonna da bambino: la farina sul tavolo, il calore del forno, il profumo dell’impasto che lievita. Ma i passaggi? Non è sicuro di ricordarli.

Invece di seguire il sentiero tradizionale, una ricetta rigida con istruzioni precise, prova una strategia di apprendimento diversa. Guarda video, ricorda frammenti di consigli e scribacchia appunti disordinati su fogli pieni di farina.

Sua figlia entra in cucina, vede il caos e dice: “Tu impasta. Io scrivo i passaggi.” Ma invece di metterli in ordine, pasticcia sul foglio con disegni, frecce e correzioni ovunque.

Alcuni pani escono crudi dentro, altri duri come mattoni. Ma il padre crede nella ripetizione. Ogni tentativo insegna qualcosa. A ogni prova, correggono un dettaglio: come piegare l’impasto, quanto farlo riposare.

Piano piano, iniziano a sentirsi sicuri. Ricominciano, e questa volta sfornano un pane perfetto.
Non perché abbiano seguito la ricetta alla lettera, ma perché la memoria è tornata.
La consistenza dell’impasto, il profumo in cucina, perfino una nota scarabocchiata sul foglio: ognuno è stato un aggancio, un collegamento con ciò che pensava di aver dimenticato.

Myra:
Grazie, Antonio. E adesso, potresti leggerlo un’altra volta—questa volta a velocità ...

Antonio:
Mah… devo dire che questo uomo ci ha messo un po’ troppo tempo.
Io? La prima volta che ho fatto il pane… perfetto. Crosta dorata, interno morbido… sembrava una poesia.
Ma sì, dai—per la maggior parte dei mortali, la ripetizione può essere utile!

Well... I must say that this man took a little too long.
 Me? The first time I made bread... perfect. Golden crust, soft inside... it seemed like a poem.
 But yes, dai-for most mortals, repetition can be useful!

Myra:
Yes for us mere mortals, particularly me, repetition can be extremely useful. Speaking of which, can we hear this contextual intro once more at normal speed?

(Antonio reads the contextual intro again at normal speed)

Active Recall – Category 2: Learning Strategies & Study Habits

Myra:
Alright, time to review some of the words from the contextual introduction. 
Don’t worry if you’re not sure yet—just try to guess the Italian word before Antonio says it. You might recognize more than you think!

1. What’s the phrase for a method or system for learning something?

Antonio:
Strategia di apprendimento.

2. What Italian word means “repetition,” especially when you're trying something again and again?

Antonio:
Ripetizione.

3. How do you say “to feel confident,” like when you finally stop doubting yourself?

Antonio:
Sentirsi sicuro.

4. What verb means “to scribble” or “to jot things down in a messy way”?

Antonio:
Scribacchiare. (O anche pasticciare, se vuoi!)

5. What’s the word for a mental connection—a link that helps you remember something?

Antonio:
Aggancio.

6. And finally, what’s the metaphorical phrase for the usual, structured way of doing something?

Antonio:
Sentiero tradizionale.

Mini Quiz – Category 2: Learning Strategies & Study Habits

Myra:
Try to say the sentence in Italian before Antonio gives the answer. Pause if you need more time to think.

1. He used a different learning strategy.

Antonio:
Ha usato una strategia di apprendimento diversa.

2. She needs a lot of repetition to remember things.

Antonio:
Ha bisogno di molta ripetizione per ricordare le cose.

3. They finally feel confident in the kitchen.

Antonio:
Alla fine cominciano a sentirsi sicuri in cucina.

4. He scribbled something on a napkin.

Antonio:
Ha scribacchiato qualcosa su un tovagliolo.

5. That memory helped him form a strong mental link.

Antonio:
Quel ricordo gli ha dato un buon aggancio.

6. Some people follow the traditional path, others don’t.

Antonio:
Alcune persone seguono il sentiero tradizionale, altre no.

📘 Grammar Notes – Category 2: Learning Strategies & Study Habits

Strategia di apprendimento
A feminine noun phrase. Strategia means “strategy,” and di apprendimento means “of learning.” 

Ripetizione
Feminine noun from the verb ripetere (to repeat). Watch out: it ends in -e but like most words that end in ione, it is feminine.

Sentirsi sicuro / sicura / sicuri / sicure
A reflexive verb used to express internal states. It literally means “to feel secure” but is often used to mean “to feel confident.” The adjective sicuro must agree with the subject: mi sento sicura (if you're a woman), ci sentiamo sicuri, etc. 

Scribacchiare / Pasticciare
Both are informal verbs. Scribacchiare means “to scribble” or write roughly. Pasticciare means “to mess around” or “to make a mess,” and can also be used for messy note-taking.

Aggancio
Masculine noun from agganciare (to hook, connect). Metaphorically, it refers to a mental link—something that helps you remember or connect ideas. 

Sentiero tradizionale
Literally “traditional path.” It’s often used metaphorically to refer to a conventional or expected way of doing something—not just in learning, but in life.

🗣️Category 3: Language & Communication 

Vocabulary for this category: 

• comunicazione orale – oral communication
• madrelingua – native speaker
• interlocutore – conversation partner
• pronuncia – pronunciation
• parlata – way of speaking
• gergo – slang
• dialetto – dialect

🗣️ Contextual Introduction – English (with vocabulary in Italian)

Two strangers sit next to each other on a long train ride. One is Italian, the other is learning. At first, there’s silence—but soon, they strike up a conversation. It’s all comunicazione orale, simple and spontaneous. No grammar books. No pressure.

The learner isn’t a madrelingua, and he knows his pronuncia isn’t perfect. But he listens carefully and chooses his words with intention. His interlocutore nods, responds, even jokes a little. They talk about where they’re from, favorite meals, and local expressions.

After a while, the learner notices something new: his seatmate’s parlata is different from what he’s studied. There are words he’s never seen in a textbook, gergo that he hasn’t heard before. Maybe even a touch of dialetto. And instead of freezing, he leans in, curious.

When they reach their destination, they shake hands. No test, no perfect score—just a real conversation, and the quiet joy of understanding more than he expected.

Italian version at slow speed

Due sconosciuti si siedono uno accanto all’altro durante un lungo viaggio in treno. Uno è italiano, l’altro sta imparando. All’inizio c’è silenzio—poi iniziano a parlare. È tutta comunicazione orale, semplice e spontanea. Niente libri di grammatica. Nessuna pressione.

Chi sta imparando non è un madrelingua, e sa che la sua pronuncia non è perfetta. Ma ascolta con attenzione e sceglie le parole con cura. Il suo interlocutore annuisce, risponde, scherza un po’. Parlano dei loro paesi, dei piatti preferiti, delle espressioni locali.

Dopo un po’, lo studente nota qualcosa di nuovo: la parlata del suo compagno di viaggio è diversa da quella studiata a scuola. Ci sono parole mai viste nei libri—un po’ di gergo tipico della regione. Forse perfino un tocco di dialetto. E invece di bloccarsi, si incuriosisce.

Quando arrivano a destinazione, si stringono la mano. Nessun esame, nessun voto perfetto—solo una conversazione vera, e la gioia silenziosa di aver capito più del previsto.

Thanks Antonio. And now..

(Italian version repeated at regular speed)

Antonio:
Sai, mi è successa una cosa simile una volta… ero su un treno per Napoli, e accanto a me c’era una sconosciuta affascinante.
Si chiamava…Angelica…

You know, something like this happened to me once... I was on a train for Naples, and next to me there was a fascinating stranger.

Her name was... Angelica...

Myra:
Antonio. …We are not telling your story of “the charming stranger on the train” right now. Can we go on to the Active Recall for this category?

Antonio:
Ma Myra, stavo facendo proprio Active Recall!
Myra, I was doing Active Recall!

Active Recall Category 3: Language & Communication

Myra:
Right. Let’s get back on track.
Even if you don’t remember every word, just picture the moment they began to talk.
Think about what it takes to understand someone… and to be understood.
You’ve got this.

1. What’s the Italian term for when we speak directly to someone in person?
Antonio:
Comunicazione orale.

2. What’s the word for a native speaker?

Antonio:
Madrelingua.

3. What do you call the person you're speaking with in a conversation?

Antonio:
Interlocutore.

4. How do you say “pronunciation”?

Antonio:
Pronuncia.

5. What’s the word for someone’s way of speaking, especially their regional style?

Antonio:
Parlata.

How do you say “slang”—the kind of informal, everyday language that’s often local?

Antonio:
Gergo.

And what about the word for a regional variety of speech or language?

Antonio:
Dialetto.
 

🗣️ Mini Quiz – Category 3: Language & Communication

Myra:
Try to say each sentence in Italian before Antonio gives the answer. Pause if you need a moment.

1. They practiced oral communication every day.

Antonio:
Hanno praticato la comunicazione orale ogni giorno.

Myra:
2. She's not a native speaker, but she speaks very well.

Antonio:
Non è una madrelingua, ma parla molto bene.

Myra:

3. He didn’t understand his conversation partner.

Antonio:
Non ha capito il suo interlocutore.

Myra:

4. Her pronunciation was clear and natural.

Antonio:
La sua pronuncia era chiara e naturale.

Myra:

5. I noticed that his way of speaking was different from mine.

Antonio:
Ho notato che la sua parlata era diversa dalla mia.

Myra:
 6. That’s slang they use among teenagers.

Antonio:
È gergo usato tra gli adolescenti.

Myra:
7. They were speaking in a regional dialect from the south.

Antonio:
Parlavano in un dialetto regionale del sud.

📘 Grammar Notes – Category 3: Language & Communication

Comunicazione orale
This phrase means “spoken communication.” Comunicazione is a feminine noun, and orale is the adjective. It’s used in contrast to comunicazione scritta (written communication). Often used in academic or learning contexts, but very natural in everyday speech too.

Madrelingua
A compound noun meaning “native speaker.” It can be used as a noun (una madrelingua italiana) or an adjective (un insegnante madrelingua). It’s gender-sensitive but invariable: una madrelingua, un madrelingua. For example:
una madrelingua italiana = a female native Italian speaker
un madrelingua italiano = a male native Italian speaker

Interlocutore / Interlocutrice
A formal word for “conversation partner.” Common in academic, professional, or polite settings. It is useful when describing roles in an exchange. Feminine form: interlocutrice.

Pronuncia
A feminine noun that refers to how something is pronounced. It's used in both technical and casual speech. Not to be confused with parola (word) or voce (voice). The infinitive is pronunciare.

Parlata
This noun refers to someone’s way of speaking—accent, rhythm, tone. It’s often used to describe regional characteristics, like parlata romana (Roman speech). It’s more expressive than just modo di parlare.

Gergo
Masculine noun for slang or jargon. It can refer to informal, regional vocabulary or specialized language used by a group (like youth, professionals, etc.). Unlike dialetto, gergo is not necessarily tied to geography.

Dialetto
Masculine noun for “dialect.” Refers to traditional regional varieties of Italian that can differ significantly from standard Italian—sometimes even in grammar and pronunciation. Often passed down orally, especially among older generations.

🧱 Category 4: Grammar Awareness & Sentence Building

Vocabulary for this category: 

• genere (dei sostantivi) – gender (of nouns)
• tempi composti – compound tenses
• participio passato – past participle

Contextual Introduction – English (with vocabulary in Italian)

Marco was a teenager, still learning grammar at school. But this letter wasn’t homework. It wasn’t for class or an assignment. It was just a letter, written by hand, to someone he hadn’t seen in years.

As he wrote, the words came easily. Until he got to, “I’ve thought about you.” He paused. Ho pensato? Was that right?

It was one of those tempi composti, a verb formed with avere and a participio passato.
Pensato. He said it out loud. It sounded right. It felt right.
Not like pensavo, the imperfetto form. That would suggest something ongoing, unfinished.
But this? Ho pensato expressed exactly what he meant — a single moment, a spark.

A few lines later, he described an old photo. He wrote la foto without thinking. Then he paused. It ends in -o, but it’s feminine. He smiled. The genere of that word had confused him before, but not this time.

He signed the letter and folded the paper. It wasn’t perfect. But something had changed.
 He wasn’t just learning grammar. He was beginning to trust it.

Antonio, un po piano per favore?

Antonio: Certo, Myra. Con voce poetica e molto, molto lenta… 

Italian version at slow speed

Marco era un adolescente, e stava ancora imparando la grammatica a scuola.
 Ma quella lettera non era un compito. Non era per la classe né per un esercizio.
 Era solo una lettera, scritta a mano, per qualcuno che non vedeva da anni.

Mentre scriveva, le parole venivano facilmente.
 Finché non è arrivato a: “Ho pensato a te.” Si è fermato. Ho pensato? Era giusto?
 Era uno di quei tempi composti, un verbo formato con avere e un participio passato.
Pensato. Lo ha detto ad alta voce. Suonava giusto. Sembrava giusto.
Non come pensavo, la forma dell’imperfetto. Quella avrebbe suggerito qualcosa di continuo, non concluso.
Ma questo? Ho pensato esprimeva esattamente ciò che voleva dire: un momento solo, una scintilla.

Qualche riga più avanti, ha descritto una vecchia foto. Ha scritto la foto senza pensarci.      Poi si è fermato. Finisce in -o, ma è femminile. Ha sorriso. Il genere di quella parola lo aveva confuso in passato, ma non quella volta.

Ha firmato la lettera e ha piegato il foglio. Non era perfetta. Ma qualcosa era cambiato.
 Non stava solo imparando la grammatica. Stava iniziando a fidarsi di essa.

Myra: E adesso a velocità normale. And now at regular speed.

(Antonio repeats the passage at regular speed)

Myra:
Perfetto. Grazie, Antonio.

Antonio:
Mah… se voleva conquistare la ragazza, allora ‘pensavo’ sarebbe stato molto meglio.
Un pensiero continuo… profondo… romantico…
Altro che ho pensato. Troppo veloce. Troppo semplice.

Well… if he wanted to win the girl, then ‘pensavo’ would’ve been much better.
 A continuous thought… deep… romantic…
 Forget ho pensato. Too quick. Too simple.

Myra:
Hai ragione, Antonio. Forse Marco dovrebbe ripensarci…
You’re right, Antonio. Maybe Marco should reconsider…
If he was going for a romantic tone, pensavo would’ve given a very different effect.
But now, ascoltatori, let’s see what you remember from this little moment of reflection.
 

Active Recall section for Category 4: Grammar Awareness & Sentence Building.

 Myra:
Now let’s turn back to Marco and his letter.
If you remember the moment he paused, unsure whether to write ho pensato or pensavo, you’re already halfway there.
These words aren’t just grammar—they’re the building blocks of expression.
Take your time. See what you remember.

1. What’s the word for grammatical gender?

Antonio:
Genere.

2. What do we call the verb forms like ho mangiato or sono andata?

Antonio:
Tempi composti.

3. And what’s the Italian phrase for a past participle, like fatto or visto?

Antonio:
Participio passato.

Mini Quiz – Category 4: Grammar Awareness & Sentence Building, 

Myra:
Try to say the sentence in Italian before Antonio does. Ready?

1. The word mano has unexpected gender.

Antonio:
La parola mano ha un genere inaspettato.

1. Ho scritto is an example of a compound tense.

Antonio:
Ho scritto è un esempio di tempo composto.

1. The past participle of vedere is visto.

Antonio:
Il participio passato di vedere è visto.

📘 Grammar Notes – Category 4: Grammar Awareness & Sentence Building

Genere (dei sostantivi)
Most Italian nouns are either masculine or feminine, and this affects the articles and adjectives they use. Some endings are predictable (-o is usually masculine, -a is usually feminine), but there are exceptions like la mano and il problema. 

Tempi composti
These are compound tenses formed with an auxiliary verb (avere or essere) and a participio passato. Common examples include ho mangiato, hai visto, sono andata. 

Participio passato
The past participle is the second part of a compound tense. Many are regular (parlato, mangiato), but many high-frequency verbs have irregular forms (fatto, visto, scritto). They often end in -to, -so, or -sto. When used with essere, they must agree in gender and number with the subject.

🧳 Category 5: Cultural & Regional Curiosities

Vocabulary for this category: 

• viaggio virtuale – virtual journey
• continuazione – continuation
• città meno conosciute – lesser-known cities
• liscio come l’olio – smooth as oil
• il vino fa buon sangue – wine makes good blood
• buono come il pane – as good as bread

🧳 Contextual Introduction – English (with vocabulary in Italian)

He started posting travel videos during the lockdown—not of places he’d been, but of places he missed. Each one was a viaggio virtuale: a short clip with music, a few facts, and the sound of footsteps through narrow alleyways, sunlit piazzas, market stalls—and sometimes, cobbled streets. 

But instead of focusing on famous landmarks, he chose città meno conosciute—a quiet town in Basilicata, a coastal village in Liguria, a small piazza where someone’s nonna waved from a balcony.

In the captions, he included little sayings he’d grown up with. Describing a smooth train ride: liscio come l’olio. A glass of wine shared with a friend: il vino fa buon sangue. A very good natured, generous person: buono come il pane.

At the end of each post, he didn’t say goodbye. He just wrote: “A presto. E buona continuazione.”

Italian version at slow speed:
Aveva cominciato a pubblicare video di viaggio durante il lockdown—non dei posti in cui era stato, ma di quelli che gli mancavano.
 Ognuno era un viaggio virtuale: un breve video con musica, qualche curiosità e il suono dei passi tra vicoli stretti, piazze assolate, banchi di mercato—e a volte, strade di ciottoli.

Ma invece di concentrarsi sui monumenti famosi, sceglieva città meno conosciute—un paese tranquillo in Basilicata, un borgo sulla costa ligure, una piazzetta dove una nonna salutava da un balcone.

Nei sottotitoli, aggiungeva i detti che aveva sentito da bambino.
 Descrivendo un viaggio in treno senza intoppi: liscio come l’olio.
Un bicchiere di vino condiviso con un amico: il vino fa buon sangue.
Un gesto gentile da parte di uno sconosciuto: buono come il pane.

Alla fine di ogni video, non scriveva “addio.”
 Scriveva solo: “A presto. E buona continuazione.”

(Italian version at normal speed)

Antonio:
Io avrei scelto Napoli, personalmente.
Ma un piccolo borgo in Liguria… potrebbe avere del potenziale.
E ricordate: il vino fa buon sangue—ma solo se è rosso!

Myra:

So glad you approve Antonio.

🧳 Active Recall – Category 5: Cultural & Regional Curiosities,

Myra:
And now, let’s think back to those little travel videos—the quiet piazzas, the sayings passed down from childhood.
You don’t need to remember every word perfectly—just listen for the rhythm, the expressions, the feeling of those lesser-known places.

1. What do you call a journey you take online or in your imagination?

Antonio:
Viaggio virtuale.

2. What’s a polite way to say “enjoy the rest of your day” or “carry on well”?

Antonio:
Buona continuazione.

3. How do you say “lesser-known cities”?

Antonio:
Città meno conosciute.

4. What’s the Italian expression for “smooth as oil”?

Antonio:
Liscio come l’olio.

5. What saying means “wine makes good blood”?

Antonio:
Il vino fa buon sangue.

6. And how do you say someone is “as good as bread”?

Antonio:
Buono come il pane.

🧳 Mini Quiz – Category 5: Cultural & Regional Curiosities

Myra:
Translate these into Italian before Antonio gives the answer. Ready?

1. The video was a kind of virtual journey through Italy.

Antonio:
Il video era una specie di viaggio virtuale attraverso l’Italia.

1. Instead of big cities, they visited lesser-known ones.

Antonio:
Invece delle grandi città, hanno visitato città meno conosciute.

1. The train ride was smooth as oil.

Antonio:
Il viaggio in treno è stato liscio come l’olio.

1. After sharing a glass of wine, he said, “Wine makes good blood!”

Antonio:
Dopo aver condiviso un bicchiere di vino, ha detto: “Il vino fa buon sangue!”

1. She’s as good as bread.

Antonio:
È buona come il pane.

1. At the end of the message, he wrote: “Enjoy the rest of your day!”

Antonio:
Alla fine del messaggio, ha scritto: “Buona continuazione!”

📘 Grammar Notes – Category 5: Cultural & Regional Curiosities

Viaggio virtuale
A compound noun made up of viaggio (trip, masculine) and virtuale (virtual, adjective). It can refer to an online experience, a narrated video, or even an imaginative journey. Keep in mind: viaggio is irregular in the plural—i viaggi.

Buona continuazione
A polite, flexible expression often used at the end of conversations, emails, or interactions. It means “enjoy the rest of…” something (your day, your trip, your work, etc.). The noun continuazione is feminine and derived from continuare.

Città meno conosciute
Città is always feminine and invariable (same form in singular and plural). Meno conosciute means “less known,” where conosciute must agree in gender and number.

Liscio come l’olio
An idiomatic expression meaning “as smooth as oil.” Liscio means smooth, and olio (oil) is masculine. This phrase is used metaphorically to describe something that goes very easily or without problems.

Il vino fa buon sangue
A traditional proverb. Il vino is the subject, fa means “makes,” and buon sangue means “good blood.” It reflects the folk belief that wine in moderation is good for your health.

Buono come il pane
A common and affectionate simile used to describe someone who is kind, generous, and genuine. Buono must agree with the subject (buona for a woman). Il pane (bread) is masculine and always singular in this expression.

Wrap Up

-> Link to vocabulary flashcards for Interview Episode 1 <--  

Myra:
Well done! That brings us to the end of our vocabulary journey for this episode.

You’ve just done something really useful—taking the time to explore the vocabulary before listening to the interview. This kind of preparation helps you notice more, understand more, and feel more confident as you listen.

That’s also the idea behind our bonus episodes for the main story. By reviewing key words and expressions in advance, you’ll be better equipped to follow the story naturally—and enjoy it more. 

In next week’s episode, you’ll hear the full interview with Professoressa Daniela Bartalesi-Graf.
 See how many of these expressions you recognize—and how much more you understand thanks to the work you’ve done today.

And by the way—there’s also an interactive flashcard set that goes with this episode.
 You’ll find the link in the transcript.
 If your podcast app doesn’t show transcripts, just visit welearnitalian.buzzsprout.com, and you’ll find everything there.

Antonio:
Io vi conosco… siete pronti. E se non lo siete… fingete bene.
I know you... you’re ready. And if you’re not... pretend well.

E poi, Myra, a proposito di sentirsi sicuri… ti ricordi quella volta sul treno per Napoli? C’era una sconosciuta affascinante e—

And then, Myra, speaking of feeling safe... remember that time on the train to Naples? There was a fascinating stranger and-

Myra: Antonio, can we take this offline?

Antonio (fading, undeterred):
Ma era una storia bellissima… Lei stava leggendo un libro, io… io le ho chiesto che cosa stava leggendo. Poi ci siamo messi a parlare... del destino, dei treni, del pane fatto in casa...

"But it was a beautiful story... She was reading a book, and I... I asked her what she was reading. Then we started talking... about fate, about trains, about homemade bread..."

Myra (over Antonio talking and music fade-out):
Thanks for listening, everyone. A presto... passo dopo passo, insieme.
(See you soon… step by step, together.)

-> Link to vocabulary flashcards for Interview Episode 1 <--