Italian 104 · Lesson 38
Describing People and Places
Describe the atmosphere, cost and location of everyday places.
Begin ↓01 / 08
People
Giulia è gentile e simpatica.
Giulia is kind and friendly.
Marco è simpatico.
Marco is friendly / likeable.
Gentile describes someone kind or polite; simpatico often means friendly or likeable, not sympathetic in the English sense.
02 / 08
Quiet or busy
È un quartiere tranquillo.
It’s a quiet neighbourhood.
Il bar è affollato.
The café is crowded.
Tranquillo is quiet or calm. Affollato means crowded; animato means lively. Occupato usually means busy or occupied for a person, seat or space.
03 / 08
Beautiful and interesting
La città è bella e interessante.
The city is beautiful and interesting.
Il museo è interessante.
The museum is interesting.
These are useful for a street, city, museum or conversation. Interesting ends in -e for both masculine and feminine singular.
04 / 08
Price
Questo ristorante è caro.
This restaurant is expensive.
È un posto economico. / Costa poco.
It’s an inexpensive place. / It doesn’t cost much.
Caro means expensive here. Economico can mean inexpensive; costa poco is a natural alternative that avoids suggesting poor quality.
05 / 08
Near and far
È vicino alla stazione.
It’s near the station.
È lontano dal centro.
It’s far from the centre.
Use vicino a and lontano da with a reference point. The preposition is part of the useful phrase.
06 / 08
Agreement you need
un posto tranquillo / una zona tranquilla
a quiet place / a quiet area
posti interessanti / città interessanti
interesting places / interesting cities
Adjectives in -o usually give -a, -i, -e. Those in -e usually become -i in the plural. Change the adjective to match the noun.
07 / 08
Avoid translating busy blindly
Sono occupata oggi.
I’m busy today. (woman)
C’è molta gente in centro.
It’s busy in the centre.
Say sono occupato if you are unavailable. Say c’è molta gente if a place is busy with people.
Remember this
Takeaway
È un quartiere bello e tranquillo, ma è lontano dal centro.
It’s a beautiful, quiet neighbourhood, but it’s far from the centre.
Describe a place with two qualities and a location. Add a contrast if one detail changes your overall opinion.