Free time? What’s that? No, seriously. Well, I suppose I read The Economist each week. Most days I cook for my wife and kids, wash the dishes and go to the supermarket. I study Swedish, and I try to go for a walk, even if it’s only down to the park, round the lake, and […]
‘Learning goals’? What are they?
Buondì. As I’m learning a language myself, it becomes increasingly apparent to me that listening skills are fundamental. I can keep up a conversation in Swedish, now, for the best part of an online lesson. But I’m frequently stumped by the simplest of questions from my teacher. Yet again I’m forced to trot out that […]
Feste!
Buondì. This time next week is Christmas Day. Now, how do you say that in Italian, I wonder? Coincidentally, today’s ‘tided up’ page from the club’s vocabulary section covers Festività [Festivals and Holidays]. It’s basically just a list of the names of the main holidays, plus some associated words like Christmas tree and Easter egg. […]
Just a quick one from me, but plenty of work for you!
A quickie today as my son’s home from high school wanting to know when his lunch will be ready (Do I have time for some PlayStation…?) I had an online lesson this morning, which was fun. I talked in Swedish for nearly an hour. Bet I bored the pants off my teacher… Then there was […]
What do you think of Italian TV?
Buondì. Another quick one, as I have an online (Swedish) lesson in an hour. You’re impressed, huh? It’s been a year since club members voted that I should study Swedish and, to my amazement, I’m still at it. Level now? Somewhere near the beginning of A2, I’d say. Which is pretty typical for part-time study. […]
A word about frequency
Buondì. ‘E’ seems to be for ‘expressions’ in the club’s Vocabulary section. Personally I’m just holding on until we get to ‘F’, as I’m not a great fan of teaching or learning ‘expressions’. Today’s free material covers advanced-level ‘Common expressions with high frequency verbs‘ – that is to say verbs like ‘venire’, ‘andare’, ‘fare’, ‘prendere’ […]
Homework for the weekend?
Buondi. I’ll keep this very, very short as I have an online Swedish lesson in 40 minutes. I’ve been tidying up the next vocabulary page in the club’s vocabulary section. This one’s advanced, I’d say ‘very advanced’, besides being extremely boring. So I added a ‘Study Tip’, and in doing so hope to have spiced […]
Need an ambulance in Italy? Think of infinity
No, I’m not (on this occasion) being sarcastic. If you’re visiting Italy, and suddenly start feeling rather odd, then you should call an ambulance. But which emergency number to use? Italy has a variety to choose from. We used to have a list stuck to the phone at home, just in case my wife dropped an […]
Do you remember May 2012?
Do you remember the twentieth of May 2012? I admit, I didn’t recall the exact date (or even the year, if I’m honest). But the events of that night, and what followed, have stayed with me. We were woken up at around four in the morning by an earthquake, the first I’d ever experienced. The […]
Italian words for describing objects and an exercise to try!
Buondì. Finally, it’s ‘dicembre’! That would explain why I’ve woken up in a good mood. ‘Arrivederci novembre’, but not too soon I hope. Man, I hate that month. Also, I have an online Swedish lesson this morning at 10.00. It’s a rare moment of the week in which I’m the taught not the teacher (at […]