Culture is a broad concept encompassing all things relevant to a certain group.  If you’re studying the Italian language or planning to visit Italy, it’s extremely important to understand their habits, traditions, and ways of thinking. This is where our Italian culture overview comes in! We’ll inform you about Italians' social behaviors, education, beliefs, arts, laws, and everything else that’s considered important in Italy. Essentially, we’re giving you the key to the soul of the Italian people. As you’ll soon see, culture is everything! But what makes Italian culture unique? Well, Italy has been the heart of the Roman Empire and the seat of the Catholic Church, as well as the meeting point of many Mediterranean civilizations. This... Show more

How often do you need to check the time every day? Telling the time is part of everyday life, so if you’re making plans for a specific time and date while traveling or studying in Italy, it’s essential that you master this conversation skill as soon as possible.  In this article, I’ll be going over everything from how to say "hour" in Italian to asking for the time and making plans in Italian. Let’s get started.Che ore sono? è ora di iniziare a divertirsi con ItalianPod101.com! ("What time is it? It's time to start having fun with ItalianPod101.com!") Table of Contents How to Ask for the Time in Italian Italian Hours Give Me a Minute... How to Divide Hours into Minutes in Italian General Time References of the Day in... Show more

Are you traveling through Italy? Do you need to get to the Colosseum? Are you taking art classes in Florence? If you’re in Italy and you want to enjoy getting around and exploring new places, get ready to ask for directions in Italian with this quick and easy guide. No need for maps or GPS if you can get a little help from locals and practice your Italian in the process. In this article, I’ll be going over direction phrases in Italian, and will teach you words like "right" in Italian and much more! Table of Contents On the Map: Cardinal Directions in Italian On the Road: Street Directions in Italian Directions in Italian Using Landmarks Italian Phrases for Asking (Politely) for Directions Must-know Italian Phrases for... Show more

Being part of your family’s, friends’, and colleagues’ life events is important in having a loving and caring relationship with them. That’s why we at ItalianPod101 have listed the most important messages for life events in Italy: In this article, you’ll learn how to say Happy Birthday in Italian, Italian Christmas greetings, messages you can use in case of funerals or marriages, and much more. With our guide to life event messages in Italian culture, you’ll always know what to say. Table of Contents The Best Messages for Life Events in Italy Speak and Behave Like a Real Italian with ItalianPod101 1. The Best Messages for Life Events in Italy 1- How Do You Say Happy Birthday in Italian? Birthdays are very important for... Show more

Every culture in the world have their own customs and etiquette regarding the most important aspects of social life: from dining to celebrations, from greetings to traveling, and so on. For someone coming from a different culture, they can be hard to understand and adopt, but they’re indeed an important element in communicating with the local population and learning their culture. In order to help you with this, ItalianPod101 has written a guide to the Italian customs and etiquette. With our Italian etiquette tips under your belt, you have no reason to be nervous when an Italian friend invites you to dinner or when you’re going to travel to Italy for business reasons. Everyone will remember you as the educated, nice foreigner who... Show more

Italy is best known as a holiday destination. With its 7.500 kilometres of coast (much of which consists of beaches), majestic mountains, amazing cities, and stunning countryside, it’s by definition a place to spend some time doing nothing but enjoying it all. And let’s not start talking about the food and wine! Well, for some people all of these are also good reasons to move to Italy and start a new life there. Especially if they also have an Italian significant other. But how can you work in Italy as a foreigner? Where should you start looking for a job? Here on ItalianPod101, we’ll explain how to move to Italy and get a job. So, if you’re planning to start your own Dolce Vita, just keep on reading to learn about finding jobs in... Show more

In Italian, it is said that "anything goes during Carnival." Some countries simply feast to their heart’s content during Carnival, the holiday just before the Lent period of fasting. Others participate in lots of dancing. Some countries hold to more religious celebrations. But in Italy, this is a time of Masquerades and rule-breaking—in addition to feasting and other merry activities. Let ItalianPod101.com show you all the unique facets of Italy’s Carnevale! 1. What is Italian Carnival? Many aspects of the the content and nature of the current Carnival—such as Saturnalia—can be easily traced back to their ancient Roman origins. As for the etymology of the word Carnival, it most likely derives from the Latin expression... Show more

Imagine you have landed in Italy and are out and meeting people and exploring your surroundings. After you say "Ciao!" ( the equivalent to 'Hello' in English), your Italian friend may become more curious about you and your origins. And if your new friend asks you: Da dove vieni?  Don't be surprised! Your friend just wants to know where you come from. Da dove vieni? (informal) or Da dove viene? (formal), translates to "Where do you come from?"  In this case, you should answer with your country of origin. For example: Vengo dall'Italia (I come from Italy) You may also hear Di dove sei?, which also means  "Where do you come from?" , with the small difference that Di dove sei? requires a more specific location, and you should... Show more

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from everyone here at ItalianPod101.com! We're grateful to have listeners just like you, and we're eagerly waiting for the upcoming year to learn Italian together! And when the New Year comes around, be sure to make a resolution to study Italian with ItalianPod101.com! Have a healthy and happy holiday season. From the ItalianPod101.com team!