Afternoon Rain

Day 325 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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I usually mow our lawn on a weekend, however, the grass was getting tall. It was late in the afternoon when I decided to mow the lawn. Just as I completed mowing the lawn a nice rain came down. Then there was thunder and lightning. The rain will help the grass grow, and I'll be mowing the lawn again very soon.

Ascolta Questo:

• Ho un tosaerba elettrico che non inquina l'aria.
  I have an electric lawn mower that does not pollute the air.

• Questo pomeriggio ho falciato il prato.
  This afternoon I mowed the lawn.

• Nel momento in cui avevo finito di falciare il prato pioveva.
  The moment I had finished mowing the lawn it rained.

• So che la pioggia aiuterà l'erba a crescere più velocemente, e torno a tagliare il prato molto presto.
  I know that the rain will help the grass grow faster, and I will be mowing the lawn again very soon.

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" vs "Al" in Italian

Day 324 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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My last post initiated some discussion about "a" and "al" in Italian. Below is what I found after a bit of Internet surfing. It is so much to learn in acquiring skills in a new language.

Alla prossima!

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

Year 54 As An Educator

Day 323 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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It has come to an end -- my summer vacation ends today. Fortunately, I do enjoy my work as a school counselor at the high school where I am employed. This will be my 54th year as a professional educator. Wow!

Ascolta Questo:

• Dopo un'eccellente vacanza, torno al lavoro domani.
  After an excellent vacation, I return to work tomorrow.

• Il mio lavoro di consulente di scuola superiore mi piace molto.
  I truly enjoy my work as a high school counselor.

• Domani è l'inizio del mio 54 ° anno come educatore professionista.
  Tomorrow is the beginning of my 54th year as a professional educator.

Grazie per i commenti di
- sailorcya
- alicerossi_ita
- carol_fochesato
- mariaconcetta13
- mm6387108
- waltiz

Alla prossima!

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

It's On The House

Day 322 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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This morning I had a pleasant surprise. My wife and I had breakfast in the restaurant where we were staying. The meal was OK. I asked the waiter for the bill and offered my credit card. He said the restaurant's computer system was not working and that they could not accept payment with credit cards. He hesitated for a moment and then said the breakfast was free because their computer problem was not ours -- that will not happen again for a long time.

Ascolta Questo:

• Stamattina mia moglie ed io abbiamo fatto colazione all'hotel dove alloggiavamo.
  This morning my wife and I had breakfast at the hotel where we were staying.

• Quando ho tentato di pagare il cameriere con la mia carta di credito, ha detto che le carte di credito non venivano accettate perché il sistema informatico del ristorante non funzionava.
  When I attempted to pay the waiter with my credit card, he said credit cards were not being accepted because the restaurant's computer system was not operating.

• Il cameriere guardò la mia carta di credito e poi disse: "La colazione è sulla casa".
  The waiter looked at my credit card and then said, "The breakfast is on the house."

Alla prossima!

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

Early Gift

Day 321 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Today I surprised my two grandsons with a motorized "Luke Skywalker Land Speeder." The boys rode the car outside for a brief period, but the temperature was quite hot. We all went inside the house where it was cool.

Ascolta Questo:

• Oggi ho dato ai miei due soldi un regalo di compleanno felice. (Today I gave my two grandsons an early birthday gift.)

• Hanno guidato l'auto motorizzata all'esterno. (They rode the motorized car outside.)

• Il tempo era così caldo che siamo tornati tutti in casa dove era bello. (The weather was so hot we all returned indoors where it was cool.)

Alla prossima!

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

Road Trip

Day 320 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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I'm all pack for a short road trip to visit family in San Antonio, Texas. My two grandsons have birthdays in August and I'm taking gifts early.

Ascolta Questo:

• Domani mia moglie, mia figlia, e io viaggeremo per vedere i parenti.
  Tomorrow my wife, daughter, and I will travel to see relatives.

• Stiamo portando i primi regali ai miei due nipoti.
  We are taking early gifts to my two grandsons.

• I ragazzi avranno sei e sette anni in agosto.
  The boys will be six and seven years old in August.

Alla prossima!

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

Time Slipped Away

Day 319 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Yes, time did slip away today -- just too many events and activities. Plus, I've started back to work. This post will be short.

Ascolta Questo:

• Oggi ho appena avuto troppe attività ed eventi.
  Today I just had too many activities and events.

• Il tempo è scomparso rapidamente
  Time disappeared rapidly.

Alla prossima!

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

Live Lingua

Live Lingua

Day 318 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Surfing the web I found Live Lingua, an online language school. The Foreign Services Institute’s materials are available for free at this site. Ebooks and audio mp3's can be used online and can also be downloaded. The free materials are good for anyone starting to learn a new language, or for anyone wanting to review their foreign language skills.

Ascolta Questo:

• Live lingua offre gratuitamente materiali per l'apprendimento delle lingue.
  Live Lingua offers free language learning materials.

• Questi includono ebooks e lezioni audio.
  These include ebooks and audio lessons.

• I materiali dell'Istituto di servizi esteri sono buoni per principianti e livelli intermedi.
  The Foreign Services Institute's materials are good for beginner and intermediate levels.

Alla prossima!

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

The First Type-writer

Day 317 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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William Austin Burt (June 13, 1792 – August 18, 1858) was an American inventor, legislator, surveyor, and millwright. He was the inventor, maker, and patentee of the first typewriter constructed in America. He is referred to as the "father of the typewriter. On this day in history, July 23, 1829, Burt received U.S. patent No. 5581X for his invention of the “typographer.”

Ascolta Questo:

• William Austin Burt inventò la macchina da scrivere.
  William Austin Burt invented the "type-writer."

• La sua fu la prima macchina da scrivere mai realizzata in America.
  His machine was the first practical typewriting machine ever made in America.

• Burt ricevette il brevetto degli Stati Uniti per la sua invenzione nel 1829, storicamente nel giorno di oggi 23 luglio.
  Burt received the United States patent for his invention on this day in history, July 23, 1829.

Grazie per i commenti di
- carol_fochesato
- Asperel
- alicerossi_ita

Alla prossima!

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

Core Italian Words

Day 316 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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One of the Italian apps and website I return to regularly is hosted by ItalianPod101. I have a lot of other Italian language learning materials, yet I find myself going back to ItalianPod101 quite often because of its many features. Currently, I am working through the "most used words" that are grouped in 100-word sets. I find this feature very helpful in reviewing and continuing to build a good Italian vocabulary. If you are interested, click here to view the ItalianPod101 core word section.

Ascolta Questo:

• Stai imparando l'italiano?
  Are you learning Italian?

• Vuoi imparare parole italiane comuni?
  Do you want to learn common Italian words?

• Clicca qui per accedere a ItalianPod101.Click here to access ItalianPod101.

Alla prossima!

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

Fitbit Charge 2

Day 315 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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My wife's Fitbit activity tracker was failing to function properly, so I ordered an upgrade replacement. This evening I went through the setup process. This model can monitor heart rate -- a nice feature.

Ascolta Questo:

• Ho dato a mia moglie un braccialetto per il fitness "Fitbit".
  I gave my wife a new "Fitbit" activity tracker.

• Questo modello ha più funzioni rispetto al precedente.
  This model has more features compared to the previous one.

• La funzione di monitoraggio della frequenza cardiaca è utile.
  The heart rate monitor feature is useful.

Alla prossima!

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

International Space Station

International Space Station

Day 314 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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The path of the International Space Station (ISS) was over our city tonight. Our evening sky was quite clear and the ISS was bright as it traveled across the sky. The ISS It has been visited by astronauts from 18 countries thus far.

Ascolta Questo

• La Stazione Spaziale Internazionale era visibile stasera.
  The International Space Station was visible tonight.

• Il percorso dell'ISS era direttamente sopra la nostra città questa sera.
  The path of the ISS was directly over our city this evening.

• Astronauti di 18 paesi hanno visitato la ISS.
  Astronauts from 18 countries have visited the ISS.

Grazie per i commenti di
- Dragophony

Alla prossima!

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

Heat Index

Day 313 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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The humidity levels are usually high in our area of South Texas. That combined with the Summer heat combine into high heat indexes. Today the heat index was 112, and tomorrow is predicted to be 114 -- those are dangerous level for anyone outside. The heat index has been described as a quantity expressing the discomfort felt as a result of the combined effects of the temperature and humidity of the air.

Ascolta Questo:

• Umidità e calore elevati possono causare problemi di salute.
  High humidity and heat can cause health issues.

• L'indice di calore è una combinazione di temperatura e umidità.
  The heat index is a combination of temperature and humidity.

• Un alto livello di umidità può far sembrare una giornata calda ancora più calda.
  A high level of humidity can cause a hot day to seem even hotter.

Grazie per i commenti di
- Asperel
- Ambra-IT
- Torsus
- Giannasansone
- carmy_2705
- saravai
- Animallover71

Alla prossima!

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

Planets Visible to the Naked Eye

Day 312 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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A weather announcer on a local TV station likes to mention what planets and constellations are visible at night. For tonight he said that the planet Saturn would be visible without the use of a telescope. The following planets are visible without a telescope at different times of the year: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The two planets not visible to the naked eye are Uranus and Neptune.

Ascolta Questo:

• Ci sono cinque pianeti visibili ad occhio nudo.
  There are five planets visible to the naked eye.

• Sono Mercurio, Venere, Marte, Giove e Saturno.
  They are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.

• I due pianeti non visibili ad occhio nudo sono Urano e Nettuno.
  The two planets not visible to the naked eye are Uranus and Neptune.

Grazie per i commenti di
- rob07

Alla prossima!

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

Jigsaw Power Tool

Day 311 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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I have a good collection of tool at home for do-it-yourself type of work. In my collection are two different types of jigsaw. I wondered who invented this handy power tool and searched the Internet. At Wikipedia I found the following: In 1946 Albert Kaufmann, an engineer of Scintilla AG company in Solothurn, Switzerland, replaced the needle on his wife's sewing machine with a saw blade. In 1947, after development of Kaufmann's invention, Scintilla started producing jigsaws under name "Lesto jigsaw".

Ascolta Questo:

• Un geniale ingegnere svizzero ha inventato l'elettroutensile per seghetto alternativo elettrico.
  A very clever Swiss engineer invented the electric jigsaw power tool.

• In primo luogo ha sostituito l'ago della macchina da cucire di sua moglie con una lama da sega.
  He first replaced the needle of his wife's sewing machine with a saw blade.

• Un anno dopo la sua invenzione fu prodotta dalla compagnia dove lavorava Kaufmann.
  A year later his invention was produced by the company were Kaufmann worked.

Alla prossima!

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

The Butterfly

Day 310 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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Today I began working on a hat box for our granddaughter. She is a member of her high school dance squad. The name of her platoon is the "Butterflies." I place her name in the space on the divided butterfly. Then I transferred the design to the lid of her hat box.

Ascolta Questo:

• Ho iniziato a lavorare sulla decorazione di una cappelliera per mia nipote.
  I began work on decorating a hat box for my granddaughter.

• Ho posizionato un disegno a farfalla sulla parte superiore del coperchio.
  I placed a butterfly design on top of the lid.

• Domani aggiungerò farfalle colorate sul lato della cappelliera.
  Tomorrow I will add colorful butterflies on the side of the hat box.

Alla prossima!

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

An Affinity for Birds

Day 309 of My Italian Learning Journal*

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This evening I order online two candle stands, each with a bird in the center of the stand. My wife likes birds, so a lot of our home decorations have birds. Each candle stand has a flameless candle on top. This will be one of her August birthday gifts.

Ascolta Questo:

• Mia moglie ha un'affinità con gli uccelli.
  My wife has an affinity for birds.

• Uno dei regali che le darò per il suo compleanno ad agosto è un paio di candelabri da tavolo.
  One of the gifts I will give her for her birthday in August is a pair of tabletop candle stands.

• Ogni candelabro ha un uccello al centro".
  Each candle stand has a bird at the center.

Grazie per i commenti di
- carol_fochesato
- clatas
- Cygnus_x01
- Alexandra_Ventura

Alla prossima!

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