In today's episode, I am going to tell you all the vocabulary and grammar you should know to gain a Basic level in the Italian language, both to be proficient in communication & to pass the exam.

3 minutes Italian

Level A1 (Italian) - What to study

Escucha este audio-artículo y descubre la ciudad de Cádiz y buenos trucos para viajar por ella disfrutando de los lugares más auténticos.

VIAJAR POR ESPAÑA  "AUDIOS"

Mi España - La Ciudad de Cádiz

Hi everyone, this is Jesse, your story writer, and you’re listening to the Being a Cloud podcast. 

More teachers are waking up to the power of stories to teach languages, and on this show, I share the stories I’ve made with my italki students for you to enjoy. 

Are you an ESL student? Do you want to make a story? Book a lesson with me and let’s create one together. 

In this story, an orange named Orangutan gets an unexpected text message from his girlfriend. This is part 1 of 3.  

~~~

Orangutan the Orange

Rain is pouring heavily onto a small town somewhere in Russia. It’s 8:15 in the morning on a cold Monday. 

Inside of a small, community-run gym, there is an angry-looking orange lifting some weights. It’s early, so no other members are in the gym. Not all the lights are turned on. The fourteen-year-old orange is alone lifting some dumbbells. 

8 – 9 – 10 – Rest… 

He takes in huge breathes to recover. He seems very driven to push his body to its limits. 

Again… 1 – 2 – 3… 

After completing his 5th set, the orange walks over to the bench press. He lays down on the bench, grabs the steel bar and lifts the 50kg weights. He’s very strong for such a young piece of fruit. 

Then, his mobile phone makes a sound. The orange completes his set, then grabs his phone from his bag. Two new messages have arrived. He opens the first one and scans the text. 

Hi, Orangutan, my dear, it’s me. I’m sorry to say, but our relationship is over. Please don’t visit me or call me anymore. You’re very strong and handsome, but you’re not polite or considerate. While I do care for you, sometimes I don’t feel safe around you…

The message stops there. It continues in the second message. But Orangutan feels so insulted and hurt by the message. He instantly deletes both of the messages, without reading the second. 

~~~

Wanting more? Then create your own story. Book a class with me on italki. 


Being a Cloud

Orangutan the Orange

In this episode, I tell you about my Saturday in Argentina.

Lingua Juice Podcast

A Hot Saturday in Córdoba Argentina

It's summer. You're on the beach, by the pool or in the garden — it might be time to get your swimwear out!

But if you're talking about swimwear in English, there's a small problem: there are many different words for it.

"Swimwear" can be used for anything you put on to go in the water, whether you're male or female, so it's always a safe choice of word.

You might also hear "swimmers" used by people from Australia. This means the same thing, and it's always used with the "s" on the end.

In Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, swimwear will also often be called "togs."

And Australians also say "bathers." It's short for "bathing suit," which in British English usually refers to women's one-piece swimwear, but in American English can be anything you wear to swim in.

Anything you swim in can also be called a "swimsuit."

"One-piece" can be used on its own to refer to women's swimwear that's made from one piece of material, as opposed to a two-piece swimsuit like a bikini.

In the UK, the term "swimming costume" also tends to be used to talk about female swimwear. Some British and Australian English speakers might shorten this to "cozzie" — sometimes spelled "cossie," but said the same.

In the US or Britain, men going to the beach shouldn't forget their "swimming trunks." These are the casual shorts people often wear. You'll hear these called "board shorts" or "boardies" in Australia.

Men who are going for a serious swim might choose "Speedos."

Speedo is the name of a swimwear company, but the word is now used across the world for the tight briefs men might wear when they want to swim very fast.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Who Let the Togs Out? Key English Swimwear Terms

Se você ouviu o último episódio, já conhece um pouco da região Norte do Brasil. Hoje, vamos continuar nossa jornada pelo país e explorar outra parte fascinante: o Nordeste.

O Nordeste é formado por nove estados: Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe e Bahia. É uma região conhecida por sua riqueza cultural, histórica e natural.

Foi no litoral do Nordeste que os portugueses chegaram pela primeira vez ao Brasil. Por isso, cidades como Olinda e Salvador preservam uma arquitetura colonial impressionante, cheia de história.

Mas o Nordeste vai muito além disso. É lá que estão algumas das praias mais bonitas do mundo, como Jericoacoara, Porto de Galinhas, Maragogi e Praia do Espelho. E no interior, o sertão guarda tradições fortes, como a literatura de cordel e o repente.

A música é uma marca registrada da região: forró, frevo, axé, maracatu, e as grandes festas populares como o Carnaval de Salvador e o São João de Campina Grande.

E claro, a culinária é um espetáculo à parte. Moqueca, acarajé, carne de sol, tapioca, vatapá... sabores que encantam quem visita.

Se você está aprendendo português e quer mergulhar de verdade na cultura brasileira, conhecer o Nordeste é essencial. Me acompanhe para mais curiosidades e dicas de português para estrangeiros.

Suas Aulas de Português

Regiões do Brasil - NORDESTE

BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Meaning: an apparent misfortune that eventually has good results.

“It was a blessing in disguise that the boss got caught in traffic.
It meant we got to be fully prepared for the presentation.”

A STONE’S THROW

Meaning: a short distance

“My new office is just a stone’s throw from my house. It only
takes me 10 minutes to get to work now!”

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

Meaning: what someone 'does' is more important than what someone 'says'

“Dmitry, actions speak louder than words. Stop telling me you
will put your plan into action and just do it!”

ADD INSULT TO INJURY

Meaning: to act in a way that makes a bad or displeasing situation worse.

“Anna hadn’t prepared for her presentation at all. The fact
that she rocked up half an hour late added insult to injury.”

ALL EARS

Meaning: to be listening eagerly and attentively.

“I’m sorry I didn’t have time to listen to your proposal earlier,
Sergei. Now I’m all ears. Fire away!”

BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE

Meaning:  following the wrong course of action because a persons beliefs or ideas about something are incorrect.

“Susanna seems to think I told her boss she went home early
on Friday. She’s barking up the wrong tree. I think it was Julie.”

BEATING AROUND THE BUSH

Meaning: to discuss a matter without getting to the point.

“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point!”

Business English Idioms and Phrases

001 Business Idioms and Phrases

Episodio final. Un recorrido por textos de Galeano para pensar el aprendizaje de una lengua como experiencia, memoria y mirada.