Comments on: A different point of view! http://www.transparent.com/italian/a-different-point-of-view/ Language and Culture of the Italian-Speaking World Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:59:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lydia http://www.transparent.com/italian/a-different-point-of-view/comment-page-1/#comment-1625 Lydia Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:25:32 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/italian/?p=67#comment-1625 Grazie Serena! I was getting really stuck on that one, but now I understand it. Grazie Serena! I was getting really stuck on that one, but now I understand it.

]]> By: Serena http://www.transparent.com/italian/a-different-point-of-view/comment-page-1/#comment-1622 Serena Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:14:17 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/italian/?p=67#comment-1622 Salve Lydia, grazie per i complimenti. "Piacere" is normally used in the third person singular (e.g. "piace" or "picerebbe") and plural ("piacciono" or "piacerebbero"). However there are cases in which a different person is used. In fact in your example - ‘I thought that if the parents met me, they would like me’? - the person doing the 'action of pleasing' is 'me', therefore the correct translation is: "Ho pensato che se i genitori mi conoscessero, <strong>gli piacerei</strong>" (literally: 'I would please them/be likable to them). Alternately, and probably more commonly, you could say "Pensavo che se i genitori mi conoscessero, gli sarei simpatico/a". We use 'simpatica/o' to mean likable', e.g. <strong>Giorgio mi è simpatico'</strong> (I like Giorgio). Saluti da Serena Salve Lydia, grazie per i complimenti.
“Piacere” is normally used in the third person singular (e.g. “piace” or “picerebbe”) and plural (“piacciono” or “piacerebbero”). However there are cases in which a different person is used. In fact in your example – ‘I thought that if the parents met me, they would like me’? – the person doing the ‘action of pleasing’ is ‘me’, therefore the correct translation is: “Ho pensato che se i genitori mi conoscessero, gli piacerei” (literally: ‘I would please them/be likable to them). Alternately, and probably more commonly, you could say “Pensavo che se i genitori mi conoscessero, gli sarei simpatico/a”. We use ‘simpatica/o’ to mean likable’, e.g. Giorgio mi è simpatico’ (I like Giorgio).

Saluti da Serena

]]> By: Lydia http://www.transparent.com/italian/a-different-point-of-view/comment-page-1/#comment-1616 Lydia Sat, 09 Oct 2010 05:33:36 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/italian/?p=67#comment-1616 Wow, this is the best explanation of piacere I have seen, thank you for explaining it so well! I have one question. Is it correct to say 'Ho pensato che se mi conoscano i genitori, gli piacerebbe me' meaning 'I thought that if the parents met me, they would like me'? Grazie. Wow, this is the best explanation of piacere I have seen, thank you for explaining it so well! I have one question. Is it correct to say ‘Ho pensato che se mi conoscano i genitori, gli piacerebbe me’ meaning ‘I thought that if the parents met me, they would like me’? Grazie.

]]> By: serena http://www.transparent.com/italian/a-different-point-of-view/comment-page-1/#comment-1293 serena Sat, 03 Jul 2010 12:05:58 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/italian/?p=67#comment-1293 Salve Claude, sì, sono Italiana, ma sono vissuta in Inghilterra per tredici anni e mio marito è inglese. Sorry for the late replay. Yes, Italian accents are a big problem and there are no rules. You need to learn each word 'a memoria'. 'Forza, coraggio', as my Maths teacher use to say. Saluti da Serena Salve Claude, sì, sono Italiana, ma sono vissuta in Inghilterra per tredici anni e mio marito è inglese.
Sorry for the late replay. Yes, Italian accents are a big problem and there are no rules. You need to learn each word ‘a memoria’. ‘Forza, coraggio’, as my Maths teacher use to say.
Saluti da Serena

]]> By: Claude Pickett http://www.transparent.com/italian/a-different-point-of-view/comment-page-1/#comment-1279 Claude Pickett Sun, 27 Jun 2010 19:27:21 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/italian/?p=67#comment-1279 Gentilissima Serena, Re where the stress falls on italian words is difficult. There is the occasional accent mark and "most" words are stressed on the penultimate syllable. Other than that, there seems to be no rhyme or reason (eg partano, desidero, desiderano, etc.). I guess, like many languages, there's just no way to learn except through constant usage or memorization. Sigh....... Grazie mille Lei e italiana? Gentilissima Serena,
Re where the stress falls on italian words is difficult. There is the occasional accent mark and “most” words are stressed on the penultimate syllable. Other than that, there seems to be no rhyme or reason (eg partano, desidero, desiderano, etc.). I guess, like many languages, there’s just no way to learn except through constant usage or memorization. Sigh…….

Grazie mille

Lei e italiana?

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