SPICE UP YOUR LANGUAGE, AMICI!

Which Italian words do you use? 10 idioms English speakers have embraced

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Whoever has been to Italy knows that Italians have a rich cultural history. Their beautiful language includes terms that perfectly encapsulate the meaning of things other languages need more than one word to define. Since food and classical music are two very successful Italian exports, it should come as no surprise that many words we use in English-speaking countries relating to these areas can be traced back to their Italian origins. However, there are many other instances where this bella lingua has made its way into our daily conversations. Are you familiar with the following ten?

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Some of the words on this list are more obviously Italian than others, and "bravo" is definitely one of them. We use this word in the same way as you use it in Italian, as a congratulatory exclamation that accompanies the name of the subject.

The main difference between the way it is used in Italian and English is that in Italian, a woman is described as brava, while a man is bravo. In English, however, we say "bravo" for both men and women.

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It should come as no surprise that many words in this list come from the realm of classical music. The word "maestro" is an exact translation of the word "master" and is used to describe an expert in an artistic field. It is also sometimes used to describe a sports star.

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Keeping on with the trend of classical music terms, we encounter "prima donna." In the English language, this term is used as a single word and it describes the same character as in Italian: the lead female singer in an opera.

However, the most common use of the word in English is to describe people who take themselves too seriously and expect others to treat them in the same way.

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A term that sounds as Italian as it should, "al Forno" means "in the oven." It is used to describe dishes that are cooked in an oven, like pizza, prosciutto, pasta, and more. The term is commonly seen in Italian restaurants, written on menus, and elsewhere.

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While in English, the word "tempo" is used to describe the different time signatures used in music, the term in its original Italian means "time" and is used in that broad sense.

The tempo of music refers to the speed and measures the beats per minute of a certain piece.

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A fancy word, indeed, "circa" is used in English in the same way as in Italian, to mean "approximately." The term is used when one needs to mark a specific year or period and is more commonly seen in written text than in spoken language.

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Another Italian term that has become a household word, thanks to its ubiquitous use in menus and restaurant names, is "panini." As we all know by now, in English-speaking countries, a panini is a toasted sandwich.

But, if we ask for a "panini" in Italy, we will receive two, or more, sandwiches, since panini is the plural and "panino" is the singular.

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A similar word to the previously mentioned "prima donna," a "diva" describes a woman of great talent in the opera. But it is more commonly used to refer to a woman who is temperamental or difficult to please. The word is very much associated with the world of show business but it can also be used in other contexts.

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As it happens with "panini," the word "paparazzi" is the plural form in its original Italian version. But, unlike a panini which is usually required as a single item, even if the word is in its plural form, paparazzi photographers are rarely alone, making the use of the plural form, appropriate. A single photographer would be called a "paparazzo."

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We finish the list with a word used mostly in academic circles but heard in many other areas, especially since the explosion of social media in recent decades. A "dilettante" is an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to know the matter at hand.

We all have encountered such individuals. They are everywhere, offering their "expert" advice on things as varied as economics, life lessons, skincare, cooking tips, and everything you can think of. Thanks to Italians, we have a word for them.

Be prepared to read many Italian words

Can you tell a latte from a macchiato? 10 barista coffee names explained

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There was a time when coffee was coffee, everywhere we went. Cup o’ Joe, java, wake-up juice, you name it, it was pretty much all the same beverage. And then, specialty coffee barista bars appeared and things got more complicated. Whether you walk into a Starbucks or any other coffee shop, the list can be intimidating. The following ten are some of the most common suspects. How many of these have you tried?

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We start our coffee list with maybe the most famous representative: the espresso. This beverage is a concentrated type of coffee made with specially roasted beans and an espresso machine.

Finely ground beans are packed into a portafilter, which is then locked into the base of the espresso machine. Very high pressure (a necessity for espresso) forces water through the packed grounds to pull one- or two-ounce shots of creamy, thick espresso. The only difference between espresso and coffee is in the beans and the brewing methods.

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The Italian word for milk, latte is not actually a coffee drink. A latte or caffè latte is a milk coffee that boasts a silky layer of foam. A true latte will be made up of one or two shots of espresso, steamed milk, and a final, thin layer of frothed milk on top.

On the other hand, the caffe latte often has less foam than a cappuccino and is usually served in a taller cup or glass. A caffe latte is an espresso with milk. In Italy, a Caffe is an espresso. Latte is milk. Ideally served with latte art on top and not too much foam.

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A latte macchiato is slightly different. Macchiato means marked or stained. A latte macchiato is a milk marked with an espresso. It has the same ingredients as a caffe latte but it is made and looks different. A good latte macchiato is served in a tall glass and has distinctive layers between the foam, espresso, and milk with the foam on top, espresso below the foam, and milk at the bottom.

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Another famous Italian coffee name, cappuccino is an espresso-based coffee drink that is traditionally prepared with steamed milk including a layer of milk foam. Other versions involve the use of cream instead of milk, non-dairy milk substitutes, and flavoring with cocoa powder or cinnamon.

It is typically smaller in volume than the latte we just described and topped with a thick layer of foam rather than being made with microfoam.

The name comes from the Capuchin friars, referring to the color of their habits, and in this context, referring to the color of the beverage when milk is added in small portion to dark, brewed coffee.

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Maybe not a coffee 100% but it makes an appearance on this list because it is an extremely ubiquitous item in coffee shops. The affogato is a dessert made with two main ingredients: vanilla ice cream and espresso. Originally invented in Italy, the word "affogato" literally translates as "drowned" in English. This is fitting, as the affogato is no more than a scoop of ice cream "drowned" in espresso.

While it is mainly viewed as a dessert, some restaurants and cafés in Italy still categorize the affogato as a beverage.

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In case anyone was wondering, yes, Americano is the Italian word for American. An Americano coffee is made by pouring hot water over one or two espresso shots, resulting in a drink of similar volume and strength to regular coffee.

The key to an Americano is that it starts with espresso and adopts the flavors and aromas of the espresso, but with a less powerful taste.

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A close cousin of the espresso, a ristretto is an espresso shot. It uses less hot water which creates a sweeter flavor compared to the bitter taste of a traditional shot of espresso or a doppio.

Ristretto means "restricted." Ristretto is all about quality over quantity. When less hot water is forced through the finely ground coffee beans, the result is a more concentrated flavor. The coffee tastes sweeter and less bitter because of the shorter extraction time.

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The first non-Italian entry in this list consists of black coffee, whiskey, and sugar, topped with whipped cream. Many drinks of hot coffee with a distilled spirit, and cream floated on top are given names derived from Irish coffee, although the names are not standardized.

Irish cream coffee can be considered a variant of Irish coffee but involves the use of Irish cream as a "pre-mixed" substitute for the whisky, cream, and sugar.

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Think of a cappuccino without the foam or chocolate sprinkle. Basically, a flat white is an espresso drink with steamed milk. It generally has a higher proportion of espresso to milk than a caffè latte and lacks the thick layer of foam in a cappuccino. While the origin of the flat white is unclear, various café owners in Australia and New Zealand claim its invention.

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The second non-Italian name on the list, Café au lait is French for "coffee with milk". It is coffee with hot milk added. It differs from white coffee, which is coffee with cold milk or other whiteners added. In many American coffeehouses, a café au lait is a drink of strong drip brewed or French-pressed coffee, to which steamed milk is added. American café au lait is generally served in a cup, as with brewed coffee.