🛠️ Bonus Episode 03 - Vocabulary for Surprises, Storms & New Directions

🎧 Bonus Episode 03 – Vocabulary for Surprises, Storms & New Directions – To Prepare for Episode 05

Before we reach the dramatic conclusion of Chapter 1 in Le Pagine del Passato, take a moment to explore the rich vocabulary that brings these final scenes to life. In this bonus episode, we focus on key words and expressions from Chapter 1, Part 4 – where emotions run high, secrets emerge, and a mysterious letter might just change everything.

🌟 Highlights:
✔️ Key vocabulary grouped into three meaningful categories: Legal & Official Matters, Actions & Feelings, and Weather & Nature
✔️ Active recall exercises to help you retrieve and retain new words
✔️ A mini quiz for each section to strengthen your translation skills
✔️ Bonus: Antonio’s poetic toast and a final review of today’s vocabulary

🎯 Practice with Purpose:
Before you meet Mariella at her turning point, listen to the words in context, repeat them aloud, and test yourself with quick challenges to build memory and confidence. Whether you're braving storms or facing big decisions, you'll be ready—with the words you need.

📜 Want to follow along while you listen? The full transcript includes grammar notes and vocabulary lists for extra support.

🎧 Let’s keep growing your vocabulary—piano piano—as we turn toward new directions in the story.

⏳ CHAPTERS  
00:00 Intro  
02:39 Category 1 – Legal & Official Matters  
04:09 Category 1 – Active Recall  
04:51 Category 1 – Mini Quiz  
06:07 Category 2 – Actions & Feelings  
08:28 Category 2 – Active Recall  
09:25 Category 2 – Mini Quiz  
11:09 Category 3 – Weather & Nature  
13:25 Category 3 – Active Recall  
14:16 Category 3 – Mini Quiz  
15:30 Wrap Up

All content © 2025 Impariamo l’italiano piano piano – Un impegno quotidiano

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:39 Category 1 - Legal & Official Matters
• 4:09 Category 1 - Active Recall
• 4:51 Category 1 - Mini Quiz
• 6:07 Category 2 - Actions & Feelings
• 8:28 Category 2 - Active Recall
• 9:25 Category 2 - Mini Quiz
• 11:09 Category 3 - Weather & Nature
• 13:25 Category 3 - Active Recall
• 14:16 Category 3 - Mini Quiz
• 15:30 Wrap up

Transcript

🎙 Welcome to  We learn Italian step by step  / Impariamo l’italiano piano piano

🎧 Bonus Episode 03 - Vocabulary for Surprises, Storms & New Directions

Vocabulary Boost for Chapter 1 Part 4 (to be introduced in Podcast Episode 5) 

Myra: Benvenuti alla nostra terza puntata bonus! 🎧 Welcome to our third bonus episode!

In questa sessione, esploriamo alcune parole ed espressioni chiave – some words and key expressions – che troverete in Le Pagine del Passato, Capitolo 1 – La Biblioteca Antica – Parte quattro, l’episodio finale del primo capitolo – words that you’ll hear in the upcoming final part of Chapter One.

-> Link to vocabulary flashcards for Chapter 1 Part 4 <--

Abbiamo raggruppato il vocabolario in categorie logiche – logical categories – che coprono (that cover) il linguaggio legale, le emozioni, la vita quotidiana – grouped into categories of legal language, emotions, daily life, e persino il tempo atmosferico and even the weather.

Come sempre, ascolterete le parole nel loro contesto, farete pratica con esercizi di richiamo attivo e vi metterete alla prova con un mini quiz alla fine di ogni sezione.
(As always, you’ll hear the words in context, practice with active recall exercises, and test yourself with a mini quiz at the end of each section.)

Myra: Mettetevi comodo, fate un bel respiro… 
(Make yourselves comfortable, take a deep breath)

Antonio: Ah, finalmente! È ora di riscaldare la voce e risvegliare la mente! 
(Ah, finally! It's time to warm up the voice and awaken the mind!)

Myra: Yes… yes, as Antonio says—let’s warm up our voices and wake up our minds!

Antonio: “Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita, mi ritrovai per una selva oscura…”

Myra: Okay, Dante! That’s maybe a bit too far for today… Let’s not get lost in the woods just yet.

 How about we start with our first category: Legal & Official Matters.

Category 1: Legal & Official Matters

Contextual Introduction

When someone passes away, their testamento must be read by a lawyer at a studio legale.
The daughter may receive a formal letter stating that she is kindly invitata to attend the lettura del testamento, where she finds out what has been left behind.

Completely in Italian

Myra: Antonio – over to you… Completamente in italiano,  lentamente per favore.

Quando qualcuno viene a mancare, il suo testamento deve essere letto da un avvocato in uno studio legale.
La figlia può ricevere una lettera formale che dice che è gentilmente invitata a partecipare alla lettura del testamento, dove scoprirà cosa le è stato lasciato.

Myra: E ora a velocità normale, per favore.

(Antonio repeats the contextual Introduction at normal speed)

Myra: Let’s go over some key words you just heard. I’ll say them in English—see if you can come up with the Italian.

Active Recall Exercise

1. What is the Italian word for "will"? → testamento
2. How do you say "law firm" in Italian? → studio legale
3. What phrase means "reading of the will"? → lettura del testamento
4. What is the feminine singular word for "invited"? → invitata

Perfetto. Now let’s move onto the mini quiz! I’ll ask the questions in English. Try to answer in Italian before Antonio gives you the correct response.

Mini Quiz

1. "The reading of the will is on Friday." → La lettura del testamento è venerdì.
2. "She is kindly invited to the reading of the will.” → È gentilmente invitata alla lettura del testamento.
3. "The lawyer read the will." → L’avvocato ha letto il testamento.
4. "The lawyer works at a law firm." → L’avvocato lavora in uno studio legale.

📘 Grammar Notes – Legal & Official Matters

• testamento – Masculine noun; legal document declaring wishes after death.
• studio legale – Compound noun; studio = office/study, legale = legal.
• lettura del testamento – Noun phrase; lettura = reading, del testamento = of the will.
• invitata – Feminine past participle of invitare; used as an adjective to mean “invited.” 

Category 2: Actions & Feelings

In this category, you’ll notice some examples of reflexive and reciprocal verbs—actions someone does to themself, or that people do to each other. If you feel you could use a refresher on these kinds of verbs, don’t worry: we’ll be dedicating an entire episode to reflexive and reciprocal verbs, including how they work in the passato prossimo. Stay tuned for that one. In the meantime, here’s the Contextual Introduction for this category.

Contextual Introduction

A woman felt a sorpresa when she received unexpected news.
She ha esitato before giving her answer, then ha annuito with a smile.
Her friend l’ha abbracciata calorosamente to show support.
Later, she si è chiesta what new opportunities might come from this news, while indicando a letter she was holding.

E ora in italiano lento.

Completely in Italian (slowly)

Antonio: Una donna ha provato una grande sorpresa quando ha ricevuto una notizia inaspettata.
Ha esitato prima di rispondere, poi ha annuito con un sorriso.
La sua amica l’ha abbracciata calorosamente per darle sostegno.
Più tardi, si è chiesta quali nuove opportunità potessero nascere da quella notizia, mentre indicava una lettera che teneva in mano.

E adesso, alla velocità normale.

(Antonio recites the same passage at normal speed)
 
Active Recall Exercise

1. What is the Italian word for "surprise"? → sorpresa
2. How do you say "she hesitated" in Italian? → ha esitato
3. What verb means "she nodded"? → ha annuito
4. How do you say "she hugged her warmly"? → ha abbracciata calorosamente
5. What is the past participle of "wondered" (feminine singular, reflexive)? → chiesta
6. What verb means "pointing" in Italian? → indicando

Mini Quiz

Once again, I’ll ask the questions in English. Try to answer in Italian before Antonio gives you the correct response.

1. "She was surprised by the news." → Era sorpresa dalla notizia.
2. "She hesitated before answering." → Ha esitato prima di rispondere.
3. "She nodded in agreement." → Ha annuito in segno di accordo.
4. "They hugged warmly." → Si sono abbracciati calorosamente.
   (a reciprocal action using a reflexive pronoun)
5. "She wondered what the letter said." → Si è chiesta cosa dicesse la lettera.
   (This is reflexive)
6. "He was pointing at the book." → Stava indicando il libro.

📘 Grammar Notes – Actions & Feelings

• sorpresa – Feminine noun meaning “surprise”; also past participle of sorprendere.
• ha esitato / ha annuito – Passato prossimo; 3rd person singular using avere + past participle.
• ha abbracciata – Feminine past participle of abbracciare, agreeing in gender with the direct object.
• chiesta – Past participle of reflexive verb chiedersi; agrees with subject (fem. sing.).
• indicando – Present participle of indicare (to point); used for ongoing action.

Category 3: Weather & Nature

Contextual Introduction

Outside, the pioggia was falling, and the vento was howling.
The old alberi in the courtyard scuotevano as the storm batteva against the windows.
Giulia’s jacket was bagnata from the storm.

E ora in italiano lento.

Completely in Italian

Antonio:
Ah, la tempesta! Come dice Dante...
"La bufera infernal, che mai non resta,
 mena gli spirti con la sua rapina..."

Myra: Again with Dante? “The infernal storm, that never rests, sweeps the spirits with its fury...)”

Antonio: Senti? Persino l’aldilà ha le sue giornate tempestose.
Myra: and even the afterlife has its stormy days.
 
 Okay, okay—however, no souls that I know of are being swept away today, Antonio.
 Can we get back to Giulia and her more earthly rainstorm?

Antonio: Va bene… lentamente, allora.

Fuori, la pioggia cadeva e il vento ululava.
I vecchi alberi nel cortile scuotevano mentre la tempesta batteva contro le finestre.
La giacca di Giulia era bagnata dalla pioggia.

Myra: And now—

Antonio: Aspetta! Almeno lasciami godere il momento...

Myra: Of course. But then—normal speed, please.

Antonio: Va bene… anche se con te, Myra, il dramma è sempre sottovalutato.
(All right… even though with you, Myra, drama is always underappreciated.)

Myra: Vabbè

(Antonio repeats the contextual introduction at normal speed.)

Myra: Beautifully read Antonio, even without any lightning or thunder.
 Now ascoltatori, let’s see what vocabulary you have figured out.

Active Recall Exercise

Myra: I’ll say the word in English—see if you can say the Italian.

1. What is the Italian word for "rain"? → pioggia
2. How do you say "wind" in Italian? → vento
3. What verb means "was shaking"? → scuoteva
4. How do you say "was beating" (imperfect)? → batteva
5. What is the Italian word for "trees"? → alberi
6. What’s the word for “wet” when describing a feminine noun? → bagnata

Mini Quiz 

Myra: I’ll say the sentence in English. Try to say it in Italian before Antonio.

1. "The wind was strong last night." → Il vento era forte ieri notte.
2. "Her jacket was wet from the storm." → La sua giacca era bagnata dalla tempesta.
3. "The trees were shaking in the wind." → Gli alberi scuotevano nel vento.
4. "The rain was falling heavily." → La pioggia cadeva forte.
5. "The storm was beating against the windows." → La tempesta batteva contro le finestre.
    
   
   

📘 Grammar Notes – Weather & Nature

• pioggia / vento – Pioggia is feminine; vento is masculine.
• scuoteva / batteva – Imperfetto tense; 3rd person singular for ongoing actions in the past.
• alberi – Masculine plural of albero (tree).
• bagnata – Feminine adjective; agrees with the gender of the noun (giacca).

Myra: Bravissimi ascoltatori! You've just completed your third bonus episode.
Take a moment to celebrate the words and expressions you've unlocked today.

-> Link to vocabulary flashcards for Chapter 1 Part 4 <--

Antonio:
Un brindisi! 🥂
A ogni parola sussurrata sotto la pioggia,
a ogni verbo conquistato con coraggio,
e a ogni testamento—grammaticale o no—che avete affrontato con onore.
Alla prossima parola!

Myra: A toast from Antonio—to every word whispered in the rain,
 every verb you’ve tackled with courage,
 and to every testament—grammatical or not—that you have faced with honor.
 To the next word.

Antonio, would you mind repeating that? Un po’ più piano questa volta, per i nostri ascoltatori. (Slowly please) —for our listeners.

Antonio: Un brindisi...
 a ogni parola sussurrata sotto la pioggia,
 a ogni verbo conquistato con coraggio,
 e a ogni testamento—grammaticale o no—che avete affrontato con onore.
 Alla prossima parola!

Myra: Alla prossima parola! I like it!! In the next episode, we return to Le Pagine del Passato for the final part of Chapter One where:

Mariella receives a mysterious letter...
an unexpected invitation...
and a decision that could change everything.

Until then, take a quiet moment to listen again, practice (out loud if you can), and let the language settle in—piano piano.

And if you’d like to review a few extra grammar points from today’s vocabulary, you’ll find them in the episode transcript at the end of each category.

Ci sentiamo presto!

Antonio: Prestissimo!
 
 

📚 Vocabulary from Bonus Episode 03

🏛️ Category 1: Legal & Official Matters

• testamento – will
• studio legale – law firm
• lettura del testamento – reading of the will
• invitata – invited (feminine, past participle)

💬 Category 2: Actions & Feelings

• sorpresa – surprise
• ha esitato – she hesitated
• ha annuito – she nodded
• ha abbracciata calorosamente – she hugged warmly
• si è chiesta – she wondered / asked herself
• indicando – pointing

🌧️ Category 3: Weather & Nature

• pioggia – rain
• vento – wind
• scuoteva – was shaking (from scuotere, imperfect tense)
• batteva – was beating (from battere, imperfect tense)
• alberi – trees
• bagnata – wet (feminine singular)