Italian Demystified

You can learn to speak Italian in no time--capisci?

It's time to say arrivederci to your fears of learning a new language. With this easy-to-follow guide, you'll have no problema speaking and understanding Italian. Presto! Before you know it, you'll get past ciao and really be able to converse.

Beginning with everyday Italian expressions and a review of basic pronunciation, Italian Demystified covers key grammar fundamentals such as common verb tenses, nouns, pronouns, and gender. Step by step, you'll build your Italian vocabulary with essential words and phrases and quickly master the language. Test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement that you're fast on your way to speaking, writing, and understanding Italian.

This fast and easy guide features:

• Clear grammatical explanations that illustrate how the language works
• Numerous examples that place new vocabulary in practical context
• Helpful writing and speaking exercises that bring the Italian language to life
• Coverage of everyday topics and conversational expressions
• Quizzes at the end of each chapter that reinforce new language skills
• 作者簡介

  Marcel Danesi is Professor of Semiotics and Anthropology at the University of Toronto. He has been a visiting professor at Rutgers University (1972), The University of Rome "La Sapienza" (1988), the Catholic University of Milan (1990), and has given lectures throughout the academic world. He has also authored and co-authored many books on learning Italian and Spanish, including Learn Italian the Fast and Fun Way and Italian Now! (Barron’s). He is a native of Italy.

• 目次

  PART I

  Chapter 1: Italian Pronunciation and Spelling Pronunciation of Italian Vowels Introducing Yourself Pronunciation of Italian Consonants Introducing People Italian Spelling and Capitalization The Verb Piacere Names and Surnames

  Chapter 2: Meeting and Greeting People Italian Nouns Asking Chi ?? Asking Che Cosa ?? Plural Nouns Asking Chi Sono? Italian Titles Meeting and Greeting Expressions

  Chapter 3: Asking Questions More Plural Nouns Days of the Week and Months of the Year Languages and Nationalities Asking Questions The Italian-Speaking World Other Countries Around the World

  Chapter 4: Describing People and Things Subject Personal Pronouns The Verb Essere Adjectives Numbers from 0 to 20 Numbers from 21 to 100 Italian Currency Asking Questions with Prepositions Using Quanto and Quale

  Chapter 5: Expressing Likes and Dislikes (28 pages) The Indefinite Article The Definite Article Expressing Here and There with Essere The Verb Avere The Verb Stare TEST AFTER PART I PART II

  Chapter 6: Eating and Drinking The Present Indicative of -are Verbs Expressions of Time Verbs Ending in -care, -gare, -ciare, and -giare Italian Food and Drink The Verbs Bere and Dare More About Nouns and Gender The Numbers from 100 to 1000

  Chapter 7: Telling Time The Present Indicative of -ere Verbs The Verbs Fare and Dare Prepositional Contractions The Numbers 1,000+ Telling Time

  Chapter 8: Expressing Dates The Present Indicative of -ire Verbs The Verb Capire The Verbs Andare, Uscire, and Venire Ordinal Numbers Demonstratives Expressing Dates Italian Holidays

  Chapter 9: Talking About the Weather The Present Progressive Tense The Verbs Potere, Volere, and Dovere Possessives Talking About the Weather Italian Cities

  Chapter 10: Giving Commands The Imperative Tense The Negative Imperative The Verbs Sapere and Conoscere Partitives Talking About Addresses TEST AFTER PART II PART III

  Chapter 11: Using Reflexive Verbs Reflexive Verbs Imperative Forms of Reflexive Verbs Reciprocal Forms of Verbs Fractions and Other Numerical Expressions Clothing

  Chapter 12: Using the Present Perfect Tense The Present Perfect Tense with Avere The Present Perfect Tense with Essere Irregular Past Participles More About the Definite Article

  Chapter 13: Using the Imperfect Tense The Imperfect Tense Irregular Verbs in the Imperfect Tense The Progressive Form of the Imperfect More About Demonstratives and Possessives

  Chapter 14: Using the Pluperfect and Past Absolute Tenses The Pluperfect Tense The Past Absolute Tense Irregular Verbs in the Past Absolute Tense Transportation

  Chapter 15: Talking About the Human Body More About Masculine vs. Feminine Nouns Gender of Nouns of Greek Origin Position of Adjectives Form-Changing Adjectives The Human Body TEST AFTER PART III PART IV

  Chapter 16: Talking About the Future The Future Tense Irregular Forms in the Future Tense The Future Perfect Tense Talking About Sports

  Chapter 17: Using the Conditional Tense The Conditional Tense Irregular Forms in the Conditional Tense The Past Conditional Tense Using Negatives The Italian People

  Chapter 18: Using Object Pronouns Object Pronouns Object Pronouns with Past Participles More About Adjectives Adverbs Computers and the Internet

  Chapter 19: Using Double and Attached Object Pronouns Double Object Pronouns Attached Object Pronouns Stressed Pronouns More About the Verb Piacere

  Chapter 20: Making Comparisons More About Pronouns Adjectives of Comparison Adverbs of Comparison Relative Pronouns Italian Coffee TEST AFTER PART IV YOUR FINAL EXAM Answer Key English-Italian Glossary Italian-English Glossary