Italian · Elementary (A2) · Chapter 10 of 12
Describing people
Com'è fatto?
Describe what people look like and what they're like in Italian, talk about how someone was, and use che (who, that) and reflexive verbs in the past.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Describe someone's looks and personality
- Say what someone was wearing
- Add information with che (who, that)
- Use reflexive verbs in the past
Listen
At a café in Rimini, Veronica tells her friend Alice about a party she went to on Saturday. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Alice
Allora, com'è andata la festa di Sara?
So, how was Sara's party?
Veronica
Bene. Mi sono divertita molto. E ho conosciuto un ragazzo simpaticissimo.
Good. I had a lot of fun. And I met a really nice guy.
Alice
Ah sì? Racconta! Com'è?
Oh really? Tell me. What's he like?
Veronica
Si chiama Edoardo. È alto, ha i capelli ricci e gli occhi verdi.
His name is Edoardo. He's tall, with curly hair and green eyes.
Alice
E di carattere com'è?
And what's he like as a person?
Veronica
È molto divertente. Prima era un po' timido, ma poi abbiamo parlato tutta la sera.
He's really funny. At first he was a bit shy, but then we talked all evening.
Alice
E com'era vestito?
And what was he wearing?
Veronica
Portava una giacca blu e una camicia bianca. Era molto elegante.
He was wearing a blue jacket and a white shirt. He looked very smart.
Alice
Vi siete scambiati il numero?
Did you swap numbers?
Veronica
Sì. È il ragazzo che lavora al bar della piazza.
Yes. He's the guy who works at the café in the square.
Alice
Quello con gli occhiali? Lo conosco.
The one with glasses? I know him.
Veronica
Sì, è lui. Domani prendiamo un caffè insieme.
Yes, that's him. We're having a coffee together tomorrow.
Understand
What's he like? Looks and personality
can ask about looks or personality. To be clear, ask (What's he / she like as a person?). For looks, use with adjectives like (tall), for hair and eyes, and (to wear) for clothes and glasses.
Careful: means friendly and nice to be with, not “sympathetic”. Some adjectives ending in -co change their sound in the plural: → (but → ).
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| / | He's / She's tall. |
| / | He's / She's short. |
| / | He's / She's slim. |
| / | He / She has curly / straight hair. |
| / | He / She has long / short hair. |
| / / | He / She has green / blue / brown eyes. |
| He has a beard. | |
| He / She wears glasses. | |
| / | He's / She's nice, friendly. |
| / | He's / She's shy. |
How someone was, and che
To describe how someone was or looked in the past, use the from chapter 5: , , . For what happened, use the : .
To add information about a person or a thing, use (who, which, that): . never changes. In English you can often leave “that” out, but in Italian you can't: (the girl I met).
- Da giovane mio padre aveva la barba.When he was young, my father had a beard.
- Ho un'amica che parla bene l'inglese.I have a friend who speaks English well.
- Il film che abbiamo visto era bellissimo.The film we saw was really good.
Reflexive verbs in the past
Reflexive verbs like and (to have fun) always use in the passato prossimo. The pronoun comes first and the participle agrees with the subject: (a woman), (a man).
With , and , some of these verbs mean “each other”: (we met), (did you swap numbers?).
| Person | |
|---|---|
| / | |
| / | |
| / / | / |
| / | |
| / | |
| / |
More in the grammar: Essere and avere: to be and to have · Reflexive verbs: mi chiamo, mi alzo · The imperfetto: describing the past · Relative pronouns: che, cui, il quale, quello che
New words
- la festaparty · feminine
- divertirsito have fun, to enjoy yourself · = I had fun (a woman)
- conoscereto know (a person or place); to meet · = I met (for the first time)
- il ragazzo / la ragazzaboy, young man / girl, young woman · also: boyfriend / girlfriend
- simpaticonice, friendly · plural: ; = really nice
- Racconta!Tell me! · from (to tell a story)
- i capellihair · masculine plural
- gli occhieyes · masculine plural; singular:
- divertentefunny, fun
- timidoshy · feminine:
- Com'era vestito?What was he wearing? · for a woman:
- portareto wear; to bring, to carry
- elegantesmart, elegant
- scambiarsi il numeroto swap numbers · = we swapped numbers
Practise
1.Veronica had a good time. What does she say?
2.Complete with the right word for “who”.
He's the guy who works at the café.
3.Complete with the imperfetto of .
On Saturday Edoardo was wearing a blue jacket.
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.He has curly hair and green eyes.
5.What does mean?
6.Match the Italian with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
Mio fratello è alto e ha i capelli corti.
My brother is tall and has short hair.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.