Learn the superstitions about seeing a black cat and finding a lady bug
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Becky: Hello and welcome to Culture Class: Italian Superstitions and Beliefs, Lesson 1 - Seeing a Black Cat and Finding a Ladybug. I'm Becky and I'm joined by Daniele. |
| Daniele: Ciao! Hi, I'm Daniele. |
| THE TWO SUPERSTITIONS |
| Becky: In this lesson, we’ll talk about two common superstitions in Italy. The first superstition is about bad luck. What is the superstition called in Italian? |
| Daniele: incrociare un gatto nero |
| Becky: Which literally means "meeting a black cat." Daniele, can you repeat the Italian phrase again? |
| Daniele: [slow] incrociare un gatto nero [normal] incrociare un gatto nero |
| Becky: In Italy, it's believed that a black cat is an omen of bad luck. |
| Daniele: That’s true. A friend of mine gets really upset every time one crosses his path. |
| Becky: This is probably because in the past, black cats were often thought to be the accomplices of witches. |
| Daniele: In fact they’re usually depicted together. |
| Becky: Some people even believed that the Devil himself could transform into a black cat. |
| Daniele: I have a black cat now. But, I’m pretty sure she’s not the devil. |
| Becky: The second superstition is about good luck. What’s the superstition called in Italian? |
| Daniele: trovare una coccinella |
| Becky: Which literally means "finding a ladybug." Let’s hear it in Italian again. |
| Daniele: [slow] trovare una coccinella [normal] trovare una coccinella |
| Becky: So in Italy, it's believed that a ladybug will bring you good luck. |
| Daniele: Right, so don’t kill it, or you’ll have bad luck instead! |
| Becky: What should you do if you find a ladybug? |
| Daniele: When I was a child if a ladybug landed on my fingertip, I would make a wish. I believed that if I could make a wish before it flew away, the wish would come true! |
| Becky: Did all of your wishes come true? |
| Daniele: Unfortunately not all! |
Outro |
|---|
| Becky: There you have it - two Italian superstitions! Are they similar to any of your country’s superstitions? Let us know in the comments! |
| Daniele: A presto! |
Comments
HideDid you already know about these superstitions?
Grazie per i dettagli, Thiciane Araújo 😁
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
* "GATTO Nero" --- Mi dispiace, errore di battitura ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
"Negro Gato" in portoghese = "Gato Nero" in italiano
La canzone "Negro Gato" di Roberto Carlos è stata inspirata dalla canzone "Three Cool Cats" di The Coasters.
Grazie per il suggerimento Thiciane,
ma ce la dovresti tradurre 😁
Valentina
Team ItalianPod101.com
Vi raccomando una canzone divertentissima, registrata dal cantante brasiliano Roberto Carlos, chiamata "Negro Gato".
Ciao Brian,
Great to know that! :wink:
Feel free to let us know if you have any questions.
Cristiane
Team ItalianPod101.com
Ho avuto due gatti neri nella mia vita, e loro mai portato sfortuna! (I've had two black cats in my lifetime, and they never brought me bad luck)! :)
Ciao Jane,
Grazie per il commento!
Thank you for the comment!
Sembra che credenze simili siano diffuse in tutta Europa. It looks like similar believes are spread all over Europe.
Keep up the good work!
Ofelia
Team ItalianPod101.com
Gli inglesi credono che i gatti neri portano fortuna
The English believe that black cats bring good luck.
Una coccinella è un segno di primavera.
A ladybird is a sign of spring.
In inglese britannico diciamo 'ladybird' :)