🎙 Welcome to  We learn Italian step by step  / Impariamo l’italiano piano piano

🎧 Bonus Episode 09 – Shadows, Figures, and Hidden Italian Voices – Chap 2 Part 2

Vocabulary for Chap 2 Part 2: Strange Meetings in the City
Theme: City spaces, mysterious figures, actions, and emotions

--> Link to vocabulary flashcards for Bonus Episode 9 <-- 

MYRA:
Ciao a tutti, benvenuti a un nuovo episodio speciale! Welcome to Bonus Episode 9. I’m Myra, your host, and with me, as always, the voice of mystery and mischief, Antonio.

ANTONIO:
Sì, sì, sono una voce… ma ammettilo, senza di me questo podcast sarebbe molto meno divertente.
Yes, yes, I’m a voice… but admit it, without me this podcast would be much less fun.

MYRA:
OK I admit it. This podcast would be much less fun without you.

In our last vocabulary episodes, we prepared you for Chapter 2 Part 1: the wind, the shadows, the woman under the streetlight. Today we step further into the story with new words from Part 2, words about the city, hidden objects, and the feelings that stir in moments of suspense.

We’ve grouped them into five new categories:

 🏙️ Category 1: City & Places
👤 Category 2: People & Descriptions
👜 Category 3: Objects & Actions
🕯️ Category 4: Movements & Gestures
💓 Category 5: Feelings & Reactions

ANTONIO:
Cinque categorie, diciassette parole… e un mistero che cresce.
(Five categories, seventeen words… and a mystery that deepens.)

MYRA:
Andiamo avanti passo dopo passo.
Let’s move forward step by step.

🏙️ Category 1: City & Places

Contextual Introduction – English with Italian Vocabulary

It’s a Saturday morning in the centro città.
You have an appointment with an avvocato, but the office isn’t open yet.
While you wait, you admire the tall pareti of the old library nearby, decorated with raffinate details that make the whole street feel elegant.

E adesso in italiano a velocità lenta.

Introduzione contestuale – Italiano

È sabato mattina nel centro città.
Hai un appuntamento con un avvocato, ma l’ufficio non è ancora aperto.
Mentre aspetti, ammiri le alte pareti della vecchia biblioteca lì vicino, decorate con particolari raffinati che rendono elegante tutta la strada.

Myra:
 E di nuovo a velocità normale.

(Antonio repeats the story at normal speed)

Active Recall – Category 1: City & Places

Lawyer
 → avvocato

Walls
 → pareti

Refined / elegant
 → raffinate

City center
 → centro città

Mini Quiz – Category 1: City & Places

MYRA:
The lawyer is very busy today.
ANTONIO:
L’avvocato è molto impegnato oggi.

MYRA:
The walls are white.
ANTONIO:
Le pareti sono bianche.

MYRA:
This is a refined restaurant.
ANTONIO:
Questo è un ristorante raffinato.

MYRA:
The hotel is in the city center.
ANTONIO:
L’albergo è nel centro città.

📘 Category 1: Grammar Notes – City & Places

• avvocato → masculine noun, singular. 
  • l’avvocato = the lawyer (m) 
  • plural: gli avvocati 
• pareti → feminine plural noun. 
  • singular: la parete = the wall
  • plural: le pareti = the walls
• raffinato / raffinata / raffinati / raffinate → adjective, must agree with the noun in gender and number.
   
  • un vino raffinato = a refined wine (m, sing.)
  • una donna raffinata = a refined woman (f, sing.)
  • piatti raffinati = refined dishes (m, pl.)
  • opere d’arte raffinate = refined works of art (f, pl.)
• centro città → literally “center of the city.” 
  • Always used in the singular.
  • Il centro città è molto affollato. = The city center is very crowded.

💡 Tip: Unlike English, Italian adjectives like raffinato must always match the gender and number of the noun they describe.

👤 Category 2: People & Descriptions
Categoria due: Persone e descrizioni

We’ve explored the city and its elegant spaces. But what about the people inside those places and the feelings they show? Let’s look at some words for descriptions.
 
 Contextual Introduction – English with Italian Vocabulary

Categoria due: Persone e descrizioni – Introduzione contestuale – Inglese con vocabolario italiano

You walk into a quiet café on a winter evening. The windows are covered, and the room seems scuro, with only a few candles giving light.
As the cold air follows you inside, you realize you’ve rabbrividito a little, and you rub your hands together to warm up.

Introduzione contestuale – Italiano

Entri in un caffè tranquillo in una sera d’inverno. Le finestre sono coperte e la stanza sembra scura, illuminata solo da poche candele.
Quando l’aria fredda ti segue all’interno, ti accorgi di aver rabbrividito un po’ e ti strofini le mani per scaldarti.

(Antonio repeats the story at normal speed)

Active Recall – Category 2: People & Descriptions

Richiamo attivo – Categoria due: Persone e descrizioni

Dark
 → scuro

Shivered
 → rabbrividito

Mini Quiz – Category 2: People & Descriptions

Piccolo quiz – Categoria due: Persone e descrizioni

MYRA:
The room seems dark.
ANTONIO:
La stanza sembra scura.

MYRA:
He shivered in the cold.
ANTONIO:
Ha rabbrividito per il freddo.

MYRA:
The sky is very dark tonight.

ANTONIO:
Il cielo è molto scuro stasera.

MYRA:
She shivered when she heard the noise.
ANTONIO:
Ha rabbrividito quando ha sentito il rumore.

📘 Category 2: Grammar Notes – People & Descriptions

• scuro / scura / scuri / scure → adjective meaning “dark.”
   
  • Must agree with the gender and number of the noun it describes.
  • un cielo scuro = a dark sky (m, sing.) 
  • una stanza scura = a dark room (f, sing.) 
  • occhi scuri = dark eyes (m, pl.) 
  • notti scure = dark nights (f, pl.)
• rabbrividire → verb meaning “to shiver, to tremble (from cold, fear, or emotion).”
   
  • Regular verb of the -ire group (like dormire). 
  • Past participle: rabbrividito (used with avere). 
  • Ho rabbrividito per il freddo. = I shivered from the cold. 
  • Lei ha rabbrividito di paura. = She shivered with fear. 

💡 Tip: Don’t confuse scuro (dark in color/light) with buio (darkness as a condition).

• La stanza è scura = The room is dark (in tone or light level).
• C’è buio nella stanza = There is darkness in the room.

👜 Category 3: Objects & Actions

ANTONIO:
Oscurità, brividi… e adesso? Gli oggetti che teniamo con noi e le azioni che facciamo possono cambiare una scena in un attimo.
(Darkness, shivers… and now? The objects we carry and the actions we take can change a scene in an instant.)

MYRA:
That’s true. These objects that we carry and the actions we take can change a scene in an instant. Perfect. Let’s move on to some useful objects and actions.

Contextual Introduction – English with Italian Vocabulary

Before leaving for a trip, you check everything one last time.
 Your seatbelt, the cintura, is fastened.
In your tasca, you carry a small medaglione for luck.
Your friend reminds you: Allaccia the strap on your bag so it doesn’t fall.
When the lights go out suddenly, you grab a torcia to see.
You notice someone stringeva a notebook tightly in their hands, while you were illuminando the path with your light.

E ora in italiano, lentamente.

Introduzione contestuale – Italiano

Prima di partire per un viaggio, controlli tutto un’ultima volta.
 La tua cintura è allacciata.
Nella tasca porti un piccolo medaglione per fortuna.
Il tuo amico ti ricorda: Allaccia la cinghia dello zaino così non cade.
Quando le luci si spengono all’improvviso, afferri una torcia per vedere.
Noti che qualcuno stringeva un quaderno con forza, mentre tu stavi illuminando il cammino con la tua luce.

E adesso a velocità normale.

(Antonio repeats the story at normal speed)

Active Recall – Category 3: Objects & Actions
Richiamo attivo – Categoria tre: Oggetti e azioni

Belt
 → cintura

Pocket
 → tasca

Medallion
 → medaglione

Buckle (command)
 → Allaccia

Flashlight
 → torcia

Was clasping / holding tightly
 → stringeva

Illuminating
 → illuminando

Mini Quiz – Category 3: Objects & Actions
Quiz breve – Categoria tre: Oggetti e azioni

MYRA:
Fasten your seatbelt.
 

MYRA:
Actually I have a little tip o this one. The first time I heard it I couldn’t remember the word for seatbelt or belt – because you can say belt and mean seatbelt in Italian. But if you think of the motion that you go through from just above your chin, and you bring your seat belt down across your body, to where if you had a ray gun, that is where it would be. So from chin to ray, cinture, which is the plural of belt. And the singular is  cintura.

So, Fasten your seatbelt:

Allaccia la cintura.

And if I was the flight attendant who was telling everyone to fasten your seat belts:
Allacciate le cinture di sicurezza!

ANTONIO:
Ah, certo… perché tutti hanno una pistola laser appesa alla cintura, no?
[Ah, of course… because everyone has a ray gun hanging from their belt, right?]

MYRA:
Certo, sempre. Doesn’t everyone have a ray gun hanging from their belt.
And now, Andiamo avanti.
The key is in my pocket.

ANTONIO:
La tasca… proprio accanto alla pistola laser, giusto?
[The pocket… right next to the ray gun, right?]

MYRA:
Torniamo seri, Antonio!
The key is in my pocket.

ANTONIO:
Va bene, va bene… continuiamo.
 La chiave è nella mia tasca.

MYRA:
She wore a medallion around her neck.

ANTONIO:
Indossava un medaglione al collo.

MYRA:
Turn on the flashlight.

ANTONIO:
Accendi la torcia.

MYRA:
He was clasping a book tightly.

ANTONIO:
Stringeva un libro con forza.

MYRA:
She was illuminating the room with a candle.

ANTONIO:
Non capisco cosa te ne fai di una candela… quando hai già una pistola laser alla cintura.
[I don’t see what you’d want with a candle… when you already have a ray gun on your belt.]

MYRA (ridendo ma ferma):
Concentrati, Antonio!
[Focus, Antonio!]

She was illuminating the room with a candle.

ANTONIO:
Stava illuminando la stanza con una candela.

📘 Category 3: Grammar Notes – Objects & Actions

• cintura → feminine noun, singular.
   
  • la cintura = the belt 
  • plural: le cinture
• tasca → feminine noun, singular. 
  • la tasca = the pocket
  • plural: le tasche
•  medaglione → masculine noun, singular.
   
  • il medaglione = the medallion 
  • plural: i medaglioni
• Allaccia → imperative form of allacciare (to fasten, to buckle).
   
  • Informal command (tu): Allaccia la cintura!= Fasten the seatbelt!
  • Formal command (Lei): Allacci la cintura!
• torcia → feminine noun, singular.
   
  • la torcia = flashlight / torch 
  • plural: le torce
• stringeva → 3rd person singular, imperfetto of stringere (to clasp, to grip).
   
  • Lui stringeva la mano di sua madre. = He was clasping his mother’s hand.
• illuminando → gerund form of illuminare (to illuminate, to light up).
   
  • Used to show an action in progress: Stava illuminando la stanza. = She was illuminating the room.

💡 Tip: Notice how Italian often uses the gerundio (illuminando) to describe background or simultaneous actions, where in English we use “-ing.”

🕯️ Category 4: Movements & Gestures
Categoria quattro: Movimenti e gesti

We’ve fastened seatbelts, checked pockets, and held a medallion for luck. Now let’s shift to movements and gestures, the way people lower their eyes, cross the street, or greet someone with a nod. 

Contextual Introduction – English with Italian Vocabulary

Introduzione contestuale – Inglese con vocabolario italiano

At the concert, everyone grew quiet as the lights dimmed.
 One person was abbassando their head to read a program.
Outside, people attraversavano the street quickly to get inside before the rain started.
Near the entrance, a friend greeted you accennando with a small nod.

Introduzione contestuale – Italiano

Al concerto, tutti sono diventati silenziosi quando le luci si sono abbassate.
 Una persona stava abbassando la testa per leggere un programma.
Fuori, le persone attraversavano la strada in fretta per entrare prima che iniziasse a piovere.
Vicino all’ingresso, un amico ti ha salutato accennando con un piccolo cenno del capo.

Active Recall – Category 4: Movements & Gestures
Richiamo attivo – Categoria quattro: Movimenti e gesti

Lowering
 → abbassando

They were crossing
 → attraversavano

Nodding / hinting
 → accennando

Mini Quiz – Category 4: Movements & Gestures
Quiz breve – Categoria quattro: Movimenti e gesti

MYRA:
He is lowering his eyes.
ANTONIO:
Sta abbassando gli occhi.

MYRA:
They were crossing the bridge.
ANTONIO:
Attraversavano il ponte.

MYRA:
She greeted me by nodding her head.
ANTONIO:
Mi ha salutato accennando con la testa.

MYRA:
The man was lowering his voice.
ANTONIO:
L’uomo stava abbassando la voce.

📘 Category 4: Grammar Notes – Movements & Gestures

• abbassando → gerund of abbassare (to lower, to reduce).
   
  • Sto abbassando la voce. = I am lowering my voice. 
  • Gerund (-ando/-endo) shows an action in progress, similar to English “-ing.” 
• attraversavano → 3rd person plural, imperfetto of attraversare (to cross).
   
  • Le persone attraversavano la strada. = People were crossing the street. 
  • Imperfetto is used here for an ongoing or habitual action in the past.
• accennando → gerund of accennare (to hint at, to nod, to gesture).
   
  • Mi ha salutato accennando con la testa. = He greeted me by nodding his head. 
  • Gerund again highlights the manner in which the action was happening. 

💡 Tip: Both abbassando and accennando show how Italian gerunds describe simultaneous or background actions, while attraversavano in the imperfetto sets the scene for what was happening in the past.

💓 Category 5: Feelings & Reactions

ANTONIO:
Abbassare, attraversare, accennare… ma senza emozioni non c’è storia.
(Lowering, crossing, nodding… but without emotions there is no story.)

MYRA:
Exactly. Let’s finish with some feelings and reactions.

Categoria cinque: Sentimenti e reazioni

Contextual Introduction – English with Italian Vocabulary

After a long exam, you hand in your paper and breathe a sigh of sollievo.
Later that evening, you walk into a room where the lights are all spente, and for a moment you enjoy the calm silence.

Introduzione contestuale – Italiano

Dopo un lungo esame, consegni il compito e tiri un sospiro di sollievo.
Quella sera, entri in una stanza dove le luci sono tutte spente, e per un attimo ti godi il silenzio tranquillo.

Active Recall – Category 5: Feelings & Reactions
Richiamo attivo – Categoria cinque: Sentimenti e reazioni

Relief
 → sollievo

Turned off / extinguished
 → spente

Mini Quiz – Category 5: Feelings & Reactions
Quiz breve – Categoria cinque: Sentimenti e reazioni

MYRA:
She felt great relief after the news.

ANTONIO:
Ha provato un grande sollievo dopo la notizia.

Notice that in Italian, when we talk about emotions or sensations, we often use the verb provare. For example: provare gioia, provare paura, provare sollievo

MYRA:
The lights are turned off.

ANTONIO:
Le luci sono spente.

MYRA:
All the candles were extinguished.
ANTONIO:
Tutte le candele erano spente.

📘 Category 5: Grammar Notes – Feelings & Reactions

• sollievo → masculine noun, singular. 
  • un sollievo = a relief 
  • un grande sollievo = a great relief 
  • Common phrase: tirare un sospiro di sollievo = to breathe a sigh of relief.
• spento / spenta / spenti / spente → past participle of spegnere (to turn off, extinguish).
   
  • Functions as an adjective meaning “off” or “extinguished.” 
  • La luce è spenta. = The light is off. 
  • Le candele sono spente. = The candles are extinguished. 
  • Ho spento la radio. = I turned off the radio. 

💡 Tip: Don’t confuse sollievo with sollevare (to lift/raise). They share a root but are used differently:

• Ho sollevato la scatola. = I lifted the box.
• Che sollievo! = What a relief!

Wrap-Up 

MYRA:
Today we explored five new categories of vocabulary: words for the city and places, for describing people, for useful objects and actions, for gestures, and for feelings and reactions.

ANTONIO:
Cinque categorie… e quante nuove possibilità per creare mistero.
(Five categories, and so many new possibilities to create mystery.)

MYRA:
With these words, you’ll be ready to follow along with Chapter 2, Part 2, from the city streets to the mysterious figures.

ANTONIO:
E adesso non avete scuse… abbassate, attraversate, accennate, e soprattutto… illuminate con noi la storia.
(And now you have no excuses. Lower, cross, nod, and above all, light up the story with us.)

MYRA:
In the next regular episode, we continue the story. Strange figures, whispered words, and hidden objects await.

MYRA:
A presto!
See you soon!

ANTONIO:
Molto presto… il mistero non aspetta.
Very soon… the mystery doesn’t wait.