On the other hand, whilst talking about Italy, one should be very careful which words to use, as is shown here.
Some of them I knew but there were a couple of surprises here. Including the cheese – which I like. I wonder how many times I’ve got it wrong???????
I’ve never thought of i.e. penne / pene
I’d like to read 10 most embarrassing mistakes to avoid in English!
Yes, indeed – made MUCH worse by the fact that I am unable to distinguish between the sound of a single “n” and a double “n” (which is the same for all double consonants) – since, in English, there is no real distinction! Still, I usually add something like arrabiata after it and “angry penis” doesn’t really make much sense, thank goodness!
Well, I can tell you that the difference in the pronunciation of sheet and the other word is quite important, as is the correct pronunciation of can’t! So there’s two.
LOL ahhahha!!
The cheese one.
Yep, be careful.
LOL – oh yes! Maybe I just say cheese now
We don’t say fico/a with a “c” though.
Well, we don’t say it here in the North.
We use the “g” : figo meaning hot.
I know. I always refuse to say it – especially to a lady. F keeps trying to get me to say it to his best friends – as in bella f… – but I never do
Tsk, tsk. You weren’t supposed to read it, Lola
But thanks for agreeing with me and taking it so well.
1) LOL and angry penis!!! Yeah, the double n must be difficult. I am very careful with sheet and the other one although it’s difficult and I tend to emphasize the long “e” to avoid … embarrassment;-)
2) just say cheese, it’s better!
3) we -women- use a lot the male version as it means just “hot”. The female version is more vulgar because it’s a word for the female genitalia and it sounds like “cunt”, I guess, in English. As always, it depends on the the context. If a friend tells me bella f… I know she/he is joking, if someone I don’t know tells me f… I’d be REALLY angry.
1) Double n, s, t, v, etc.!!!! Help! As long as you don’t make the i into an e (i.e. the Italian pronunciation of i), then you’re OK
2) exactly!
3) that’s the word you can’t get mixed up with “can’t” as, in English, it’s extremely bad to say (or, in fact, write!). I use it only when I’m driving in Italy (see my previous post) :-D. F knows it’s a bad word and makes jokes about it – knowing that I would never say it in front of other people – even Italians.
With regards to bella f…, these are his best girlfriends and even they try to get me to say it – but I just refuse. Which, of course, they find even more amusing