Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.
Do you remember how Ms. Erba asks,
"Are you Italian?"
Sei italiana?
First is sei, "[you] are." Sei. Sei.
Note: sei is a shortened form of tu sei, "you are." In Italian, tu, "you," can be omitted when it is understood from context.
Sei is from the verb essere, meaning "to be." Essere.
After this is italiana, "Italian." Italiana. Italiana.
Note: italiana is feminine.
Ms. Erba uses a feminine adjective, italiana, to refer to Ms. Palmieri.
If Ms. Erba was referring to a male, she would use the masculine adjective, italiano, to refer to him. As in Sei italiano? "Are you Italian?" Sei italiano?
All together, Sei italiana?, "Are you Italian?"
Sei italiana?
Let's take a closer look at the response.
Do you remember how Patrizia Palmieri says,
"Yes, I'm Italian."
Sì, sono italiana.
This starts with the expression, sì, meaning "yes." Sì. Sì.
It answers Ms.Erba's yes-or-no question, "Are you Italian?"
Sei italiana?
Next is sono. "[I] am." Sono. Sono.
Note: in this sentence, sono is a shortened form of io sono, "I am." In Italian, io, "I," is usually omitted, as it's understood from context.
Sono is from the verb essere, meaning "to be." Essere.
After this is italiana, "Italian." Italiana.
All together, Sì, sono italiana. "Yes, I'm Italian."
Sì, sono italiana.
The pattern is
Sono NATIONALITY.
I'm NATIONALITY.
Sono NATIONALITY.
Simply replace the {nationality} placeholder with your nationality.
Note: the placeholder is an adjective, and its gender will depend on the speaker — in this case you.
Imagine you're Ms. Erba, and you're American. The word for an "American" woman is americana. Americana. Americana.
Say
"I'm American."
Ready?
Sono americana.
"I'm American."
Sono americana.
In the conversation, the response to the yes-no question was "yes."
In case the answer was "no," the corresponding Italian response would be no, meaning, "no."
No. No.
For example, if Ms. Palmieri was asked
Sei americana?
"Are you American?"
She could have answered
No, sono italiana.
"No, I'm Italian."

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