If you are learning Italian, or any language for that matter, it’s important to build your vocabulary and learn new words on a regular basis. There are many different ways you can do this, for example, learning words that fall within a certain theme.
Summer is a favorite season for many Italians, and seriously, who can blame them with long hot sunny days and gorgeous blue seas on a seemingly never-ending Italian coastline?
So, we thought it would be fun to share some Italian words that are summer and, more specifically, beach related.
ALBA (al-bah)/ TRAMONTO (tra-moan-to)
One of the things we love most about Calabria is its location. Being in the southern part of Italy it has warmer climates and it is also kissed by the Ionian and Tyrrhenian seas. And even better, the distance between the two coastlines isn’t very far – so you can choose to take a spot on the beach and enjoy l’alba (the sunrise) or il tramonto (the sunset).
MARE (mah-reh)
Il mare, or the sea, is the destination of choice for many Italians during the summer months. Whether they have a seaside home, rent a place, or just spend the day, the seaside is always on the list of things that you must do in the summer!
SPIAGGIA (spee-yah-jah)
La spiaggia, or the beach, is a great place to relax! In Calabria you can find all types of beaches – sandy, rocky, or a mix of both! Which do you prefer? There are so many things you can do on the beach – lay out and catch some rays, play beach soccer, throw a Frisbee or even take a stroll along the shore.
LIDO (lee-doh)
If you’ve ever been to the Italian seaside or seen photos of it, you’ll often see the beaches lined with blocks of colorful umbrellas and sunbeds. That’s because along the coast you’ll find beach clubs that are privately owned. You can choose to enjoy your day at the beach on the “spiaggia libera”, which is open to the pubic or you can choose a “lido” which for a cost you can rent an umbrella, sunbed and have access to some useful amenities – some will even serve you drinks and snacks directly on the beach.
GELATO (jeh-la-toe)
No summer vocabulary list would be complete without “gelato”, am I right? This word is being used more and more outside of Italy, so it’s quite possible you already know this word. Why not take your vocabulary a bit further and learn the names of gelato flavors. In the July issue of the My Bella Vita newsletter, we shared some of the most common Italian gelato flavors that you are most likely to find in any local ice cream shop. If you aren’t already signed up for our monthly newsletter, you can do it here!
So there you have it, a few words to get you started if you are looking to learn some new Italian words!
