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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Italian expression of the day: ‘Ti andrebbe’

How do you fancy learning a new way to ask a question in Italian?

Italian expression of the day: 'Ti andrebbe'
Photo: DepositPhotos

Italians aren't generally shy about telling you what they want. But if you get bored of asking people what they 'want' or 'would like', today's expression is a great way to mix it up.

Ti andrebbe might look like it should mean 'would it go to you', combining as it does the second-person pronoun with the third-person conditional of andare, 'to go'. 

But in fact the expression means something like 'how about…', 'do you fancy…' or 'do you feel like…'

Ti andrebbe di andare al cinema?
Do you fancy going to the cinema?

Ti andrebbe un caffè?
How about a coffee?

As you can see from the examples, you can use to it propose a thing, like coffee, or an activity, like going out. In the second case, add di + the second verb in the infinitive.

Ti andrebbe di mangiare qualcosa?
Do you feel like something to eat? 

You can also use the present tense of andare, making the expression ti va…? The two versions work in exactly the same way, but ti andrebbe is a touch more polite.

You'll also need to alter the phrase according to who you're addressing: while andrebbe will stay the same, the pronoun changes if you're referring to several people directly (vi), to 'us' (ci), to 'him' or 'them' for a group of guys (gli), to 'her' or 'them' for a group of women (le), or to one other person to whom you need to be especially polite (le). 

Vi andrebbe dell'acqua naturale o gassata?
Would you lot like still or sparkling water?

Signora Ricci, le andrebbe di entrare?
Would you like to come in, Mrs Ricci?

So how about it? Try asking someone what 'would go to them' today and see where you get.

Do you have an Italian word you'd like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.

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ITALIAN WORD OF THE DAY

Italian word of the day: ‘Rimorchiare’

Here's an Italian word you'll want to pick up.

Italian word of the day: 'Rimorchiare'

If you’ve ever studied for your foglio rosa (provisional driver’s licence) exam in Italy, you’re sure to have come across the word rimorchio (trailer).

Theory test T/F question: ‘The width of the trailer must never exceed that of the vehicle pulling it.’

Credo che dovremo noleggiare un rimorchio per trasportare tutta la merce.
I think we might need to rent a trailer to transport all the goods.

And rimorchiare, along with the more formal trainare, means to haul or tow.

La barca è stata rimorchiata a riva.
The boat was towed to shore.

But rimorchiare isn’t just used to talk about vehicles. It also means to pick or chat someone up, or hook up with them.

Sono usciti per rimorchiare.
They’ve gone out on the pull.

Se n’è appena andata con un tipo che ha rimorchiato.
She just left with some guy she picked up.

A rimorchiatore is a tugboat, but can also mean a player/persistent flirt, and rimorchione/a also describes someone who’s constantly chatting people up.

got talent nina GIF by Italia's Got Talent

In some parts of the country, meanwhile, you might hear someone described as a provolone – a big tryhard or wannabe player.

That’s a wordplay based on the reflexive verb provarci, meaning ‘to try it on with’, and the famous Italian cheese. 

È un gran provolone ma non riesce mai a rimorchiare.
He’s a real tryhard but he never manages to pull.

Do you have a favourite Italian word or expression you’d like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.

Don’t miss any of our Italian words and expressions of the day: download our app (available on Apple and Android) and then select the Italian Word of the Day in your Notification options via the User button.

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