Italian All-in-One For Dummies by Consumer Dummies Page B

sveh -lyah) ( alarm clock )
    le tende (leh tehn -deh) ( curtains )
    By the way, don’t bother to provide information about the size of your bed. Chances are that Italians won’t follow your explanation of royal measurements when it comes to mattresses. Do you know the saying “one size fits all”? It applies to Italian beds. You have to specify only matrimoniale (mah-tree-moh- nyah -leh) ( double bed ) or singolo ( seehn -goh-loh) ( single bed ).
    Il bagno: The bathroom
    One important room in any home is il bagno (eel bahn -yoh) ( the bathroom ). Italian bathrooms are peculiar. Should you want to try your hand at a compare-contrast game of non-Italian versus Italian bathrooms, one item commonly found in Italian bathrooms will probably stick out for you: il bidet (eel bee- deh ) ( the bidet ) — a plumbing fixture of French origin that’s present in every full Italian bathroom. If you’re puzzled by the bidet, then use the toilet, a half bathroom that offers the bare essentials. Here, you’ll find only a la tazza (lah tahts -sah) ( toilet bowl ) and a lavandino (lah-vahn- dee -noh) ( sink ).
    Here are some terms common to bathrooms:
    l’armadietto dei medicinali (lahr-mah- dyeht -toh dehy meh-dee-chee- nah -lee) ( medicine cabinet )
    l’asciugamano/gli asciugamani (lah-shooh-gah- mah -noh) (lyee ah-shooh-gah- mah -nee) ( towel/s )
    il bidet (eel bee- deh ) ( bidet )
    la carta igienica (lah kahr -tah ee- jeh -nee-kah) ( toilet paper )
    la doccia (lah doch -chah) ( shower )
    il lavandino (eel lah-vahn- dee -noh) ( sink )
    il pettine (eel peht -tee-neh)( comb )
    il sapone (eel sah- poh -neh) ( soap )
    la spazzola (lah spaht -tzoh-lah)( brush )
    la tazza (lah tahts -sah) ( toilet bowl )
    la vasca da bagno (lah vahs -kah dah bahn -yoh) ( bathtub )
    Other areas around the house
    The average Italian home isn’t very large. Don’t forget that Italy is a long, narrow, and densely populated peninsula mostly covered by mountains and hills. The living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom are all typical spaces in Italian homes, but yours may have more or different rooms. Here’s a list of additional terms you may use to discuss your home in Italian. Italians love to know about the customs of the people they meet. If you have pictures, show them and point to the different parts of your home, using the proper Italian terms:
    il balcone (eel bahl- koh -neh) ( balcony )
    la cantina (lah kahn- tee -nah) ( cellar )
    il corridoio (eel kohr-ree- doh -yoh) ( hallway )
    il garage (eel gah- raj ) ( garage )
    l’ingresso (leehn- grehs -soh) ( entrance, entryway )
    la lavanderia (lah lah-vahn-deh- ryah ) ( laundry room )
    la mansarda (lah mahn- sahr -dah) ( attic )
    la piscina (lah pee- shee -nah) ( pool )
    la scala (lah skah -lah) ( staircase )
    lo studio (loh stooh -dyoh) ( office; study )
    Talkin’ the Talk
    Susan is an exchange student visiting Italy. She is showing some pictures to Laura, the host family’s daughter. (Track 7)
    Susan: Ecco, la terza casa a destra è la mia.
    ehk -koh, lah tehr -tsah kah -sah ah deh -strah eh lah mee -ah.
    Here, the third home on the right is mine.
    Laura: Ma è grandissima!
    mah eh grahn- dees -see-mah!
    It’s really huge!
    Susan: Dici? Mah, ci sono sei stanze, una cucina, e tre bagni . . .
    dee -chee? mah, chee soh -noh sehy stahn -tseh, ooh-nah koo- chee -nah, eh treh bah -nyee . . .
    You really think so? Well, there are six rooms, a kitchen, and three bathrooms . . .
    Laura: Ma quanti siete in famiglia?
    mah kwahn -tee syeh -teh een fah- mee -lyah?
    How many persons are there in your family?
    Susan: Siamo in quattro: i miei genitori, mio fratello e io. Abbiamo tre stanze da letto di sopra e un soggiorno, una sala da pranzo e una family room di sotto. Come si dice “family room ” ?
    syah -moh een kwaht -troh: ee myeh -ee jeh-nee- toh -ree, mee -oh frah- tehl -loh eh ee -oh. ahb- byah -moh treh stahn -tseh dah leht -toh dee soh -prah