Common errors by learners of Italian

Hi, there! I'm Luca and in this amazing episode I wanted to talk about a very common mistake. This error is related to the words "LUNATICO" and "LUNATICA".

I have noticed that many non-native speakers who are learning Italian tend to use these words slightly improperly.

In what sense?

In the sense that they use such words as synonims for "pazzo" and "pazza". That is, to indicate a crazy person.

Let me explain!

I have noticed that foreigners studying Italian use the word "lunatico" to indicate someone who does or says strange things. Someone doing something that is typically done by crazy people. So they use the word "lunatico" as synonym for the word "pazzo". Meaning someone who does or says absurd things.

In this sense they use the word "lunatico" with a much more general meaning compared to the actual meaning of this word.

I mean, these people use this word as synonym for crazy in general. That is, to refer to someone who in general does strange things and is considered not in their right mind, weird, or insane.

In actual fact, in Italian the word "lunatico" has a much more specific meaning and is not equivalent to the word "pazzo".

In what sense?

In the sense that someone can be "lunatico/a" but not "pazzo/a". And conversely someone can be "pazzo/a" but not "lunatico/a".

Let me explain.

"Lunatico" means that this person doesn't have stable mood, specifically from one day to another. Some days this individual is extremely kind. By contrast, other days this individual seems hostile.

So a "persona lunatica" is an individual that one day appears to be very kind. The next day, strangely enough, this person, the same individual, gives you a completely different impression.

In particular, the word "lunatico" is used when someone one day treats us in a certain way, is very kind, willing to help, friendly, etc. The next day they don't even say "Hi!". As if they were offended. As if we did something wrong to them. If we talk to them, they reply rudely. But that's the same person.

So this is what "lunatico" means in Italian. It means that someone one day behaves in a certain way, the next day they behave completely differently. Clearly because one day they are in a certain mood, the next day they are in a different mood.

So the word "lunatico" is related to one's mood. Not as much to the idea of normality. There are people with such character, that is, they are "lunatiche". One day they behave in a certain way, the next day they behave differently. But they don't do absurd, strange or delusional things.

For instance, I could say: "Questa mia collega è un po' lunatica".

What does it mean?

This colleague of mine one day treats me in a certain way, the next day treats me differently.

In fact, I'm not saying that this colleague is not in her right mind or does completely senseless things. I am saying that my colleague has "un umore altalenante" (swinging mood), as we say in Italian. Like a swing moving like so, up and down, up and down. In particular from one day to the next.

But you surely know such people. One day they reply in a certain way. The next day they reply to you in a completely different way. As if they were mad at you. Well, you can call these people "lunatiche".

I think the confusion is due to the fact that in other European languages there are words with the same root that are used to refer to someone who is not in their right mind, is strange, weird, etc. So this causes confusion.

Well, I hope that everything is clear and that you liked this video.

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That being said - See you!