New Wireless Keyboad

Day 294 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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I have replaced my wireless keyboard with another model. The letters on the keys of the previous keyboard were beginning to wear off -- it still worked, but the worn letters just looked weird.

Ascolta Questo:

• Due giorni fa ho ordinato una nuova tastiera per il mio computer.
  Two days ago I ordered a new keyboard for my computer.

• Alcune delle lettere sulla vecchia tastiera erano consumate.
  Some of the letters on the old keyboard were worn.

• La mia nuova tastiera wireless è arrivata oggi.
  My new wireless keyboard arrived today.

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Moon & Mars

Day 293 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I did not see the planet Saturn near the Moon, perhaps because of the brightness of the Moon. Tonight the planet Mars should be near the Moon and brighter than it has been the last fifteen years. I am writing this post early, so tomorrow I'll post if I was able to view Mars or not.

Ascolta Questo:

• I Romani chiamarono il pianeta rosso Marte, in onore del dio della guerra.
  The Romans named the red planet Mars, after this god of war.

• Le lune di Marte furono chiamate Phobos e Deimos, che significano paura e panico.
  The moons of Mars were named Phobos and Deimos, meaning fear and panic.

• Marte sarà vicino alla luna stasera.
  Mars will be close to the Moon tonight.

Grazie per il commenti di
- rob07
- Catullus
- giovyyx

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Moon & Saturn

Day 292 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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I am a little disappointed about not being able to view Saturn as the full moon crosses the sky tonight. The moon is exceptionally bright, perhaps that is why.

Ascolta Questo:

• Mi aspettavo di vedere il pianeta Saturno visivamente vicino a Strawberry Moon stasera.
  I expected to see the planet Saturn visually close to the Strawberry Moon tonight.

• La luna piena è eccezionalmente brillante stasera.
  The full Moon is exceptionally bright tonight.

• Forse la luna piena luminosa rende difficile vedere Saturno.
  Perhaps the bright full Moon makes it difficult to view Saturn.

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

A Handy Tool

Day 291 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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As I work on remodeling a bathroom, I will have a need to determine where the wall studs are inside the walls. I found what is called a stud finder. I purchased a Zircon L50 today and tested the device on a wall. It is actually a very useful tool. This is how you use it: press it against a wall, press the "on" button, slide it along a wall, and the stud finder indicates the edges of the studs. Finding those hidden studs is important when you plan to drive nails into the walls.

Ascolta Questo:

• Voglio inchiodare pannelli di legno sulle pareti di un bagno.
  I plan to nail wood panels on the walls of a bathroom.

• Ho acquistato un "rilevatore di cavi" per localizzare i montanti.
  I purchased a "stud finder" to locate the studs inside the walls.

• Ora posso essere sicuro di inchiodare i pannelli di legno in modo sicuro sulle pareti.
  Now I can be sure to nail the wood panels securely on the walls.

Grazie per il commenti di
- music13
- carol_fochesato
- Marika_Mangano
- entemp
- BuggedKrab
- pedronimarco83

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Hat Boxes

Day 290 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Looks like the next project will be to help our granddaughter to decorate two hat boxes. She is a member of her high school dance team. I found the hat boxes, but now we'll see how our granddaughter will want to decorate them.

Ascolta Questo:

• Il prossimo progetto sarà quello di aiutare la nostra nipotina a decorare due cappelliere.
  The next project will be to help our granddaughter decorated two hat boxes.

• La nostra nipotina fa parte di una squadra di ballo che usa cappelli da cowboy come parte della divisa da ballo.
  Our granddaughter is on a dance team that uses cowboy hats as part of the dance uniform.

• Deciderà come decorare e personalizzare le cappelliere.
  She will decide how to decorate and personalize the hat boxes.

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Painting Supplies

Day 289 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Tomorrow I'll tackle priming the drywall ceiling in a bathroom. Then the next day I'll actually apply the first coat of paint. I suspect that the second coat of paint will be needed, but I'll see how the first coat looks. This do-it-yourself project has many steps. Yet in my mind, I can see the final look.

Ascolta Questo:

• Oggi ho comprato le forniture di cui ho bisogno per innescare e dipingere un soffitto.
  Today I bought the supplies I need to prime and paint a drywall ceiling.

• Domani applicherò il primer al soffitto.
  Tomorrow I will apply the primer to the drywall ceiling.

• Dopodomani potrò applicare la prima mano di vernice.
  The day after tomorrow I will be able to apply the first coat of paint.

Grazie per il commenti di
- vickymarchesani
- Nashville
- Simona_Italy
- Localhost83
- francescaa2506
- Alyon-Massimo
- Krista130
- and1556766
- itselle_
- jessmc87
- gumisen
- Mackred95
- giadinaus88

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Day 288 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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This afternoon I replaced drywall (plasterboard) in our master bathroom. I have an eye for detail and I am also rather meticulous. So, I'm in the habit of taking time to measure before cutting material. Today was not an exception. This did remind me of the saying, "Measure Twice, Cut Once." For this blog post, I researched the expression and looked for an Italian translation. What I found is that the expression is found in a book by Anglo Italian John Florio (1553–1625) [1] - also known as Giovanni Florio. He was a linguist and language tutor at the Court of James I. The expression means, Double check before you take action.

Resource: [1] BookBrowse.com

Ascolta Questo:

• Oggi ho continuato il mio progetto di rimodellamento.
  I continued my remodeling project today.

• Un compito oggi era la sostituzione di una sezione in cartongesso.
  A task today was replacing a section of drywall.

• Mi piace l'espressione, Misura due volte, Taglia una volta.
  I like the expression, Measure Twice, Cut Once.

• L'espressione può essere trovata in un libro di John Florio (1553-1625), noto anche come Giovanni Florio.
  The expression can be found in a book by John Florio (1553-1625), also known as Giovanni Florio.

Grazie per il commenti di
- Alyon-Massimo
- alicerossi_ita
- gaudezio

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Yoakum, Texas

Day 287 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Today my wife and I, along with her brother and his wife traveled to a funeral in Yoakum, Texas. Although it was a sorrowful occasion, I was glad my wife was able to visit with many relatives on her side of our family. The small town of Yoakum actually has an interesting history. At one time Texas was governed by Mexico, and a league of land granted to John May in 1835, and it was used as a gathering place for cattle to be driven up the Chisholm Trail. Lots of Texas cowboy history there.

Ascolta Questo:

• Oggi mia moglie ed io siamo andati a un funerale a Yoakum, in Texas.
  Today my wife and I traveled to a funeral in Yoakum, Texas.

• Nonostante fosse una triste occasione, sono felice che mia moglie sia riuscita a visitare molti dei suoi parenti.
  It was a sorrowful occasion, yet I am glad my wife was able to visit with many of her relatives.

• La storia della piccola città di Yoakum risale all'epoca in cui i cowboy e il loro bestiame percorrevano il Chisholm trail nei primi anni del 1800.
  The small town of Yoakum has a history going back to the era of cowboys and cattle drives up the Chisholm Trail in the early 1800's.

Grazie per il commenti di
- carol_fochesato
- Aleprocopius
- ilovestrxwberries
- nina1972000

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Crowbar = Piede di Porco.

Day 286 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Last night's post was about the wrecking bar, like the one in the picture at right. As I learn Italian, I often go to HiNative.com for help. There I requested some help with a few translations, and the one for "wrecking bar" is "piede di porco," which is Italian for "pig's foot." Very colorful.

Ascolta Questo:

• Sto usando un palanchino su un progetto.
  I am using a wrecking bar (crowbar) on a project.

• Su HiNative.com ho chiesto aiuto con le traduzioni dall'inglese all'italiano.
  On HiNative.com I asked for help with translations from English to Italian.

• Sono stato sorpreso di apprendere che "wrecking bar (crowbar)" è "piede di porco" in italiano, che significa "pig's foot".
  I was surprised to learn that "wrecking bar (crowbar)" is "piede di porco" in Italian, which means "pig's foot."

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Wrecking Bar

Day 285 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Do you know what the tool at right is? It's a wrecking bar. I own one and it sure came in handy today as I removed a box that housed the light fixture in the bathroom I am remodeling. The light box was four feet across, and it seemed to challenge my efforts to take it down -- but down it came.

Ascolta Questo:

• Sai cos'è un piede di porco?
  Do you know what a wrecking bar is?

• Oggi ho usato un piede di porco per rimuovere una scatola lunga 1,2 metri che circondava la lampada in bagno.
  I used my wrecking bar today to remove a four-foot long box that surrounded the light fixture in a bathroom.

• Dopo, devo coprire il buco in bagno.
  Next, I need to cover the hole in the wall.

• Continua . . . .
  To be continued . . . .

Grazie per il commenti di
- Alyon-Massimo
- matteoamaddii

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Removing Popcorn Ceiling

Day 284 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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It begins . . . I've begun the remodeling of our master bathroom. As the saying goes . . . a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Well, the first step was removing the old "popcorn" ceiling. Here's the tip I found and it works: spray water on the popcorn ceiling in sections. Then scrap the popcorn material off. Of course, cover as much of the room as you can to save on cleaning later.

Ascolta Questo:

• Sto ristrutturando un bagno.
  I am remodeling a bathroom.

• Il primo passo è rimuovere il vecchio soffitto "popcorn".
  The first step is to remove the old "popcorn" ceiling.

• Il metodo che ho usato è quello di spruzzare acqua sul soffitto "popcorn" prima.
  The method I used is to spray water on the "popcorn" ceiling first.

• Successivamente raschia via il materiale "popcorn".
  Next scrape off the "popcorn" material.

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Stormy Weather

Day 283 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Until a couple of days ago our area of South Texas was about to go into a drought stage. But then the summer rains came in, from 5 to 10 inches of rain. I thought it would be appropriate to review and learn some Italian stormy weather terms and phrases.

Ascolta Questo:

1. Come è il tempo? - How is the weather?
2. Piove. - It is raining.
3. C'è la pioggia. - It is raining.
4. C'è il vento. - It's windy.
5. C'è sono le nuvole. - It's cloudy.
6. C'è il temporale.  - There is a storm.
7. Il tempo è brutto oggi. - The weather is bad today.
8. Che tempaccio. - What weather.
9. Abbiamo un bel paio di temporali in estate. - We have quite a few storms in the summer.
10. Sta diluviando. - It is raining.
11. Sembra che ci sia una tempesta in arrivo. - There seems to be a storm coming.
12. Piove, porta un ombrello. - It's raining, carrying an umbrella.
13. Sono completamente bagnato! - I'm completely wet!
14. Sono uscito durante la tempesta. Sono fradicio. - I went out during the storm. I'm soaking wet.
15. Ci sono tuoni e fulmini fuori. - There's thunder and lightning outside.
16. Ci sono state gravi inondazioni. - There have been serious floods.

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Home Improvement Project

Day 282 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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So I have been enjoying my vacation time, taking it easy, reading, playing on the computer, and moving along with my efforts to learn the Italian language. But now it's time to start a home improvement project. Wish me luck -- I'm tackling one of our bathrooms. To be continued . . . .

Ascolta Questo:

• Le mie vacanze estive sono state abbastanza rilassati finora.
  My summer vacation has been quite easy-going thus far.

• Ma poi arriva un progetto di miglioramento domestico.
  But next comes a home improvement project.

• La mia sfida è quella di modernizzare uno dei nostri bagni.
  My challenge is to modernize one of our bathrooms.

• Augurami buona fortuna.
  Wish me good luck.

Grazie per il commenti di
- Homare95
- giovyyx

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Happy Father's Day

Day 281 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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A tutti i padri, Happy Father's Day.

To all the dads, Happy Father's Day.

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Thanks, HiNative

Day 280 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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I want to express my Thanks to the HiNative.com community. I have been working on learning the Italian language for some time now, and I have been receiving great help from a good number of other language learners who take the time to send comments to me as I ask questions. I feel humbled that others want to share their knowledge and skills to help me improve my own.

Ascolta Questo:

• Voglio esprimere la mia gratitudine a coloro che mi hanno aiutato su HiNative.com.
  I want to express my "Thanks" to those individuals who have been helping be at HiNative.com.

• Sto imparando l'italiano e loro mi aiutano molto.
  I am learning Italian and I get lots of help from HiNative members.

• Vi ringrazio!
  Thanks!

Grazie per il commenti di
- carol_fochesato
- Anasdav

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.

Laminate Floors

Day 279 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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About tens of years ago I installed laminate flooring in our living room, dining room and kitchen. I think of my self as a good handy-man. That flooring has held up well. Now I'm thinking about removing the carpet in our bedrooms and installing laminate flooring there. Laying the floor material does not to be a huge challenge. However, moving all the furniture will be a challenge. I'm still in the thinking stage.

Ascolta Questo:

• Circa dieci anni fa ho posato un pavimento in laminato nel nostro salotto, sala da pranzo e cucina.
  About ten years ago I installed laminate flooring in our living room, dining room and kitchen.

• Ora sto pensando di pavimentarci anche le nostre tre camere da letto.
  I am now thinking about installing laminate flooring in our three bedrooms.

•  La vera sfida è spostare tutti i mobili.
  The real challenge is moving all of our furniture.

Grazie per il commenti di
- sunshinejimin
- julya28
- AHuPUUVYlkFKCMD
- giuliacillerai
- matteoamaddii
- ricca200
- chiarasireus
- Emma_Molinari
- Dany_Musica- sofiapolizzi22
- Omar_Hannak
- Anasdav, Mike_vit2
- Sara-Mancini
- fresh224

Alla prossima!

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*Note: This is my personal journal of daily practice in learning Italian. I welcome Italian grammar corrections. Grazie.