Learn Italian vocabulary for everyday objetcts

Hi, everybody! I'm Luca and this video is for those who are learning Italian. Specifically, this video is designed for those amazing people who can understand Italian, but would like to learn new words, new expressions.

If you are one of them, you might wanna subscribe to my channel, because on this channel I regularly publish Italian lessons on different topics related to the Italian language and grammar.

In my lessons, I usually talk about things that aren't explained in Italian courses. Therefore, if you want to learn new words and expressions, please consider subscribing to my channel.

That said, in this lesson I wanted to talk about some Italian words and expressions related to these 2 objects. In other words, I wanted to use these 2 objects as a starting point to explain a number of expressions and words.

Alright, then. First of all, you have surely recognized these objects. In Italian we call this "un dentifricio", and this "uno spazzolino". So: il dentifricio, lo spazzolino.

Alright. First of all, the first thing that can be said about these 2 words is that in one case, well, we use (the article) IL, so "il dentifricio", while in the other case we use (the article) LO, "lo spazzolino". We use the article "lo" because it allows for a smooth pronounciation. But you possibly, or rather almost surely, already knew that.

Italian grammar: some examples with definite article LO

Anyway, let's start from this object, which is simpler.

Alright. I have called it "dentifricio". Properly speaking, this should be called "un tubetto di dentifricio". So to refer to this type of container we use the word "tubetto". This noun's singular is "tubetto", its plural is "tubetti". Please pay attention that this word includes two Ts. I pronounce it like so: /tubetto/. There is a double T. I don't say /tubeto/, I say /tubetto/.

The word "tubetto" refers to this type of container. Here I have other examples of "tubetti". This is "un tubetto di maionese". This, instead, is "(il) tubetto di una pomata".

Specifically, this is (referred to as) "una pomata antidolorifica". What does "pomata antidolorifica" mean? It's a cream that you rub on your skin to help alleviate pain, that is, to relieve pain.

Like I said, technically speaking, this is "un tubetto di dentifricio". Everybody simply says "il dentifricio".

This the actual "tubetto". This is called "il tappo". If I do this... What have I just done? "Ho tolto il tappo". So I use the verb "togliere". "Ho tolto il tappo". The verb "togliere" is rather peculiar because its present tense is "io tolgo", whereas its past tense is "io ho tolto".

What's the opposite of "togliere il tappo"? "Mettere il tappo". What have I done? "Ho messo il tappo al dentifricio".

Whatever... For equal treatment, I'm gonna show you another toothpaste, that is another brand's toothpaste. Otherwise, it looks as if I'm advertising this brand. This is a well-known toothpaste brand. Another toothpaste brand.

Specifically, (in Italian) this is called "tubetto", this is called "scatola". So this container here is "un tubetto", this one is called "una scatola".

Obviously, inside this box....

Inside this box you'll obviosuly find, surprise surprise, "un tubetto".

So these two can be referred to as "due tubetti di dentifricio". What am I holding? I'm holding "due tubetti di dentifricio" or "due dentifrici".

Alright. I'd say that "il dentifricio" is the name of this material, this material that you use to brush your teeth. If we want to be precise, we should say that these are "due tubetti di dentifricio".

The word "tubetto" is rather peculiar because it appears to be diminutive of the word "tubo". And indeed in Italian we also have the word "tubo". "il tubo" - ok, you surely know what "il tubo" means.

Thing is, if we want to point to "un tubo" which is smaller in size, i.e. to a very small "tubo", we actually use the word "tubicino". So "un tubicino", "dei tubicini". If you want, you can use the noun "tubetto", but, me personally, the word "tubetto" makes me think of, first of all, those containers I've shown you.

(Italian vocabulary for non-native speakers)

Well, I have shown you tubes of toothpaste, mayonese, and pain relief cream. Tubes typically contain various types of cream, but they can also contain, for instance, glue ("la colla").

But let's go to our second object, which is a bit more complex, or rather, is related to more words.

This object is commonly called "spazzolino". Specifically, this one is "uno spazzolino da denti".

If you are wondering why (in Italian) we say "spazzolino da denti" and not "spazzolino per i denti", - well, a while ago I made a video in which I explained this particular way of using the preposition DA. Here you can find a card to it. Check it out!

So, I'd say that everybody just says "spazzolino". Uno spazzolino, degli spazzolini.

What's interesting about the word "spazzolino" is that this is a derivative word. Originally, it was diminutive of "spazzola".

In Italian this one is called "una spazzola". This one is "una spazzola", this one is "uno spazzolino".

"Spazzola" is a (grammatically) feminine noun. So I should say "questa spazzola". "Spazzolino" is a masculine noun, so I should say "questo spazzolino".

This one is "una spazzola". This one is a slightly smaller "spazzola". In any case, I'd call it "una piccola spazzola", exactly because, if I say "uno spazzolino", everybody will think of a toothbrush.

Specifically, this is "una spazzola per scarpe". In addition to that, you also have "spazzole per capelli" or "spazzole da donna". So "una spazzola per capelli". Those objects are used "per pettinarsi". Or, rather than "per pettinarsi", "per lisciare i capelli". Whatever! You see what I mean.

Anyway, you see what the noun "le spazzole" means.

Going back to our toothbrush, well, this part here is called "manico". So: "il manico dello spazzolino" or "l'impugnatura". So "il manico" or "l'impugnatura".

Specifically, if you have these rubber parts, right? You know that lately they tend to add these rubber parts for better grip. In Italian, we can call it "un'impugnatura ergonomica"

Why do they add these rubber parts? So that, essentially, when you brush your teeth, in this way your finger won't slide. That is, your finger will stay put, these rubber parts will prevent if from sliding.

In any case, this is called "il manico" and this is called "la testina". This part here is called "testina". "La testina dello spazzolino".

Then there's a word that you probably don't know, which is "setola". Its singular form is "setola", its plural is "setole". These are called "le setole dello spazzolino". These parts... - whatever, you understand what "le setole" means. Similarly, these are called "le setole della spazzola".

These's also another objects having "le setole", which is called "il pennello". You probably, or rather almost surely, know the word "pennello". Well, "il pennello" typically has "un manico" and "delle setole". "Le setole" refer to these things here. So: "una setola", "delle setole".

Before I conclude, I wanted to tell you something.

Alright. In Italian we say "lavarsi i denti", we don't say "spazzolarsi i denti". Even if, in actual fact, this movement, right? technically speaking is brushing your teeth, the Italian expression is "lavarsi i denti". So in Italian we don't say "Spazzolarsi i denti è molto importante", but we say "Lavarsi i denti è molto importante".

I know that in other languages it's not the same, but in Italian we say like this. So we use the general verb "lavarsi" and not the technical verb "spazzolarsi". So I will say "Mi lavo i denti" or "Mi sono lavato i denti". I won't say "Mi spazzolo i denti" or "Mi sono spazzolato i denti". Don't ask me why, but that's the way it is.

Well, that's it! I hope this video helped you learn new Italian words and new Italian expressions.

Here you can find a card to another video I made that you might wanna watch, if you want to speak good Italian. Check it out!

Learn Advanced Italian with UnlearningItalian (Channel Outro).