How to speak advanced Italian

In this video lesson I'm going to explain 5 phrases to go from the intermediate level to the advanced level in Italian.

If you learned Italian as a foreign language and wish to speak Italian naturally, you've come to the right place!

I'm Luca and welcome you to my channel. This channel is aimed at those who wish to improve their level and speak advanced Italian.

By watching this video, you'll learn 5 phrases which will help you get from the intermediate to the advanced level.

But let's not waste time and jump straight into the first expression! Buckle up your seatbelt and prepare to fly to advanced Italian!

Round one

The first Italian phrase I would like to explain is: "alla buona".

I'll give you an example right away!

"Sotto casa mia ha appena aperto un nuovo ristorante. Cioè, non un ristorante di lusso, un ristorante alla buona. Più una trattoria che un ristorante".

The second example sentence could be this: "Quel pub mi piace molto. È un posto alla buona... - (beep), I can't speak! "Quel pub mi piace molto. È un posto alla buona, ma è molto carino".

The third example sentence could be: "Anche se sono ricchi, i parenti della mia ragazza sono persone alla buona".

Well, as you can see from these examples, "alla buona" means basic, no-frills, rough and ready.

In particular, if this phrase refers to an eating place, for example a restaurant, it means that such place is basic and no-frills.

For example, a restaurant "alla buona" is more similar to a trattoria than a fine dining restaurant. Chances are, it's an inexpensive place, there's no master chef and they don't cook refined or sophisticated dishes.

"Una persona alla buona", instead, is a simple and unpretentious individual, who doesn't brag or show off. As we say where I live, someone "alla buona" is someone who "non se la mena". Or, as they say in the rest of Italy, someone who "non se la tira".

Something peculiar about this phrase is that it can also be used in a completely different way, with a different meaning.

I'll give you an example straight away!

"Non chiamarlo più quel falegname! Il mobile non l'ha aggiustato bene! L'ha aggiustato alla buona".

Another example sentence could be: "Non sono un sarto! I pantaloni te li posso aggiustare così, alla buona".

And the third example could be: "Queste foto non le ha fatte un professionista. Sono state fatte alla buona".

Well, as you can see from these examples, "alla buona" may also mean roughly, carelessly. In particular, it is used when people do the bare minimum.

For example, if I say that the carpenter "ha aggiustato il mobile alla buona", I mean that, yes, he has fixed it, this piece of furniture won't fall to pieces, but he didn't fix it well.

In this sense, this expression is close to the Italian phrase "alla bell'e meglio". Specifically: "fare qualcosa alla bell'e meglio". 

Incidentally, the idiomatic phrase "alla buona" has a meaning very close to the verb "arronzare". This verb can be used either with no object, or transitively, that is, "arronzare qualcosa".

I don't know if you know this verb. I don't think so, because these verbs aren't usually taught in Italian language courses.

Anyway, some time ago I made a video lesson about the verb "arronzare" and two more verbs you may not know. I'll add a card to it up here. If you wish to expand your Italian vocabulary, check it out!

Anyway, let's move on to the second expression!

Round two

The second idiom I would like to explain is: "come se niente fosse".

Let's jump straight into the first example sentence!

"Si è avvicinato a una macchina, le ha dato un calcio e si è allontanato come se niente fosse".

The second example with this phrase, instead, could be: "Ha preso il vecchio televisore, l'ha appoggiato su una panchina del parco e se ne è andato come se niente fosse".

The third example sentence could be: "Non ci siamo sentiti per tre anni. Poi, come se niente fosse, mi ha chiesto di prestargli dei soldi".

Well, as you can see in these example sentences, the expression "come se niente fosse" means: as if it were nothing, as if it were normal, as if there were nothing strange. It is used when someone does something - let's say - unusual and acts as if nothing has happened.

But let's move on to the third phrase!

Round three

The third informal phrase I would like to explain is: "a palla".

Please do be careful, because in this phrase there's only one P, but it is pronounced as if there were two Ps, that is, as if there were a double P. People in fact say /appalla/, they don't say /a palla/.

The first example sentence could be this: "I miei vicini hanno fatto una festa e hanno messo la musica a palla".

The second instead... The second "instead"?! The second example, instead, could be: "Laura dice che non riesce a dormire perché il vicino tiene il televisore a palla".

And the third example sentence could be: "Per favore, quando vai in macchina, non tenere la musica a palla, se no fai la figura del tamarro".

If you are wondering what "tamarro" means, well, I'll add a card to a video I made a while ago where I explain in detail this word. So, well, if you wish to increase your vocabulary, click on it!

Alright! As you can see from these sentences, "a palla" means at full volume. For example, if someone is listening to the music and turns up the volume to the max, we can say "ha messo la musica a palla".

But let's move on to the fourth expression that I'd like to explain!

Round four

The fourth Italian phrase I would like to explain is: "ancora ancora". So there's the word "ancora" repeated twice.

But let's jump straight into some example sentences!

The first sentence could be this: "Se il problema fosse soltanto questo, si potrebbe ancora ancora risolvere".

The second example sentence could be: "Ancora ancora posso capire se succede una volta sola, ma se succede ripetutamente, beh, allora è diverso".

The third example sentence could be: "Uno che dice che studiare la grammatica italiana è noioso lo potrei ancora ancora capire. Ma dire che studiare la grammatica è dannoso mi sembra assurdo".

Well, as you can see in these sentences, the expression "ancora ancora" has a concessive meaning.

But let's see the fifth phrase!

Round five

The fifth Italian idiom I'd like to explain is: "morale della favola".

The first example sentence could be this: "Avevamo preparato tutto, ma poi si è messo a piovere. Morale della favola: non siamo andati".

The second example could be this: "Va bene ho capito, dai, la morale della favola è che i lavori pesanti li devo fare sempre io".

And the third example could be: "Evito di raccontarti tutta la storia, se no ci metto due ore. Va be', morale della favola: abbiamo risolto il problema".

As you can see from these sentences, "morale della favola" is an expression which is used to introduce the conclusion or the main point of something. In this sense, it's similar to phrases such as "per farla breve", "per concludere" and the like.

Similarly, if someone is telling me something and I want to know right away what's the main point at issue, I can ask them: "Ok, ho capito, ma qual è la morale della favola?"

Literally speaking, "la morale della favola" is the lesson one should learn from a given fable.

You probably know the word "favola" and perfectly know what a fable is. Fables are stories for children with speaking animals as main characters. An example of fable could be the story of the cricket and the ant, or the ant and the cricket.

A fable is usually meant to teach specific moral values. Fables are told to children not just for the sake of telling something, but primarily to teach children something. So now you understand why people say "morale della favola".

Well, I hope that you liked these five Italian phrases! If you liked them, please consider leaving a Like, so that I understand that you enjoy this type of content.

Like I said, this video and this channel are aimed at those who wish to get from intermediate to advanced in Italian.

If you want to improve your level and are tired of video lessons explaining stuff which is too basic, such as "ba", "be", "bi", "bo", "bu", well, please consider subscribing to my channel!

In the meantime, up here I'm going to add a video that I would encourage you to watch. If you wish to increase your Italian vocabulary, check it out!