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Fashion and the Arts –
Essential Italian Vocabulary

When talking about artistic life and experiences in Italy, one can refer to Renaissance artists, literature, opera, and even modern fashion.

All the players of these trades are considered artists in their own right, and their names are well-known in Italy and abroad: Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Puccini, Verdi, Armani, Gucci, Botticelli, Boccaccio, and Versace, among many others.

Here are some terms you will come across when dealing with Italian art forms, both modern and historical.

Coffee Vocab List
  Phrase in Italian Phrase in English Pronunciation
La moda. Fashion. Lah moh-dah.
Sfilata di moda. Fashion show. Sfee-lah-tah dee moh-dah.
Via MonteNapoleone. Famous fashion street in Milan. Vee-ah mohn-teh-nah-poh-leh-oh-neh.
Abito. Suit. Ah-bee-toh.
Vestito. Dress. Vehs-tee-toh.
Occhiali da sole. Sunglasses. Oh-kee-ah-lee dah soh-leh.
Alta moda. High fashion. Ahl-tah moh-dah.
La passerella. The catwalk. Lah pahd-she-rehl-lah.
Sfilare la passerella. To walk on the catwalk. Sfee-lah-reh een pahd-she-rehl-lah.
Rinascimento. Renaissance. Ree-nah-shee-mehn-toh.
Artista. Artist. Ahr-tees-tah.
La Gioconda. The Mona Lisa. Lah joh-kon-dah.
La Cappella Sistina. The Sistine Chapel. Lah cahp-pehl-lah sees-tee-nah.
La Madonna. / La Vergine Maria. The Virgin Mary. Lah Mah-dohn-nah. / Lah Vehr-gee-neh Mah-ree-ah.
Affresco. Fresco. Ahf-frehs-koh.
Ritratto. Portrait. Ree-traht-toh.
Cattedrale. Cathedral. Kaht-the-drah-leh.
Letteratura. Literature. Leht-teh-rah-too-rah.
Medioevo. Middle ages. Meh-dee-oh-eh-voh.
La Divina Commedia. The Divine Comedy. Lah dee-vee-nah koh-meh-dee-ah.
Machiavellismo. Political cunning. Mah-kee-ah-vehl-lees-moh.
Opera. Opera. Oh-peh-rah.
Teatro. Theater. Teh-ah-troh.
Soprano. Soprano. Soh-prah-noh.
Tenore. Tenor. The-noh-reh.
Canzone. Song. Cahn-zoh-neh.
Aria. Solo song. Ah-ree-ah.
Intermezzo. Interlude. Een-tehr-mehz-zoh.
Libretto. Booklet. Lee-breht-toh.
Ritornello. Refrain. Ree-tohr-nehl-loh.

Slang/Commonly Used Expressions

  Expression in Italian Expression in English Pronunciation
Sciacquare i panni in Arno. To purify (standardize) the language. Sha-quah-reh ee pahn-nee een Ahr-noh.
Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita. The opening of the Divine Comedy. Nehl mehz-zoh dehl cahm-meen dee nohs-trah vee-tah.
Amor, ch’a nullo amato amar perdona. A love so strong no loved one cannot love back. (From Dante) Ah-mohr kah nool-loh ah-mah-toh ah-mahr pehr-doh-nah.

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