Dolce Vita Bloggers: Five Italian Words

I love the Italian language. It isn’t my first language, but I honestly think it’s the language of my soul. Growing up, this language was music to my ears and finally after many years, I’m grateful that I am now able to express myself using this beautiful language.

There are times when I want to use an Italian word because for some reason my native language just doesn’t give the word the life it deserves.

This month’s Dolce Vita Blogger topic is Five Italian Words. I wrote a post about my Five Favourite Italian Words after my move to Italy. So, I decided to do something a bit different.

There are so many words that can be used to describe Italy, its culture and life in Italy. I’ve gathered five adjectives that I use often to describe Italy, in particular Calabria and my experiences here.

Here they are…

VIVACE
(English: lively)

When I want to feel the energy of this amazing city I call home, I head to Corso Mazzini. It is always buzzing regardless of the time of day. The perfect place to people watch, stop for a coffee, do some shopping or meet up with friends for an aperitivo.

SPETTACOLARE
(English: wonderful)

pizzo calabro calabria

The view from “I Spuntuni” in Pizzo is spectacular. I can look out over the gulf and admire the emerald green water for hours. It’s unreal to think that such beauty is less than an hour away from Cosenza.

MOZZAFIATO
(English: breathtaking)

Dolce Vita Bloggers

When I came face-to-face with the Raganello Canyon from the overlook located in Civita – I was literally blown away. It was breathtaking – the immensity of this canyon is like nothing I’ve every seen before.

INCANTEVOLE
(English: enchanting)

Looking out from the panoramic terrace of San Nicola Arcella with Isola di Dino in the distance was like being transported into a dream. How could you not fall in love with a place as enchanting as this? The mountains in the distance are just so magical and mysterious.

SQUISITO
(English: delicious)

With the simplest and freshest of ingredients, you can create some of the most incredibly delicious dishes. There is nothing more comforting that sitting at a long table with family and friends, eating dishes rich with tradition and flavours passed down from generation to generation.

What adjectives would you use to describe Italy? I’d love to know, share them in the comments below.

Grazie mille to our wonderful Dolce Vita Blogger hosts – Kelly of Italian At Heart, Jasmine of Questa Dolce Vita and Kristie of Mamma Prada for organizing this great link up!

If you haven’t already read my past contributions to the Dolce Vita Blogger Link Up, you can find them here!

And, don’t forget, you can check out the other bloggers taking part in this month’s blog link up by clicking on the image below!

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Dolce Vita Bloggers Italian Language

LuLu

Originally from Toronto but currently living in Calabria, blogging about my life and love for all things Italian!

Katja
May 30, 2021 at 4:39 pm

Non tanto tempo fa avevo letto un articolo simile ma rivolto ad un pubblico tedesco: sorrido perché in base alla cultura d’arrivo (nel tuo caso anglofono e nell’articolo che ho letto tedesco), le parole prese in considerazione sono diverse!
E mi piace l’idea di associare ad ogni parola un’immagine dell’Italia (nel tuo caso della Calabria!).
Image Earth Travel
June 14, 2018 at 3:34 pm

To be honest, I haven’t heard the word ‘mozzafiato’ yet, even after living here for almost 2 years . I’m obviously not learning the language as well as you Lulu! 😉
Italian is such a passionate language and in addition, there’s the totally unique hand gesture as another complete language – this requires a bit more concentration to pick up. As you know, if you don’t get the hand gesture just right, it can mean something totally different and out-of-place.
Great fun post and cool photos. 🙂
1. LuLu
  June 15, 2018 at 9:03 am
  
  Haha it’s so true….here we have Italian, dialect and hand gestures! No wonder our heads are spinning by the end of the day! It all keeps life here interesting, right?
hammad
May 18, 2018 at 10:36 am

language of your soul…that is the point… italian is very sweet language.well writen post.
1. LuLu
  May 20, 2018 at 8:58 am
  
  Thank you so much! I love the language and so proud of myself for learning it over these years!
Britta
May 17, 2018 at 2:23 pm

Absolutely love this list of words! I need to use squisito more in my own vocabulary. I like how you said you sometimes have a hard time finding words in your native language- I agree! The longer I live in Italy I feel like sometimes English just doesn’t have the right word… or I’m forgetting my English!
1. LuLu
  May 20, 2018 at 8:58 am
  
  I’m definitely forgetting my English! hahaha There are so many times I can’t remember the English word and all that comes to mind is the Italian one! Oops!
Jasmine
May 14, 2018 at 3:25 pm

I love how you said it’s the language of your soul!!! I think it’s also my SOUL LANGUAGE. Adore that.
1. LuLu
  May 15, 2018 at 7:15 am
  
  I had a feeling you would like that! 🙂 There was no other way to describe how I feel about this language, it’s become a huge part of who I am.
Kelly
May 14, 2018 at 3:04 pm

I loved all these adjectives Lulu! Vivace is so fun to say! It really sounds and feels lively 😉 Mozzafiato, squisito, incantevole, spettacolare…I feel the same about Italy! <3
1. LuLu
  May 15, 2018 at 7:14 am
  
  Thanks sweetie! I might just do another post like this – it was a lot of fun to think about some of my favorite adjectives.
Kristie Prada
May 13, 2018 at 8:11 pm

Aw Lulu such great choices. Sometimes I think Italian words create much more of a picture that the English. I love Vivace. I didn’t know Squisito! I’m going to have to write this down! Thank you for joining up again, always such a great post xx
1. LuLu
  May 15, 2018 at 7:12 am
  
  Yes, I completely agree! They just sound better in Italian. It’s always a “piacere” to participate in these link ups! It has motivated me to write more, so thank you! 🙂
Rochelle Del Borrello
May 13, 2018 at 8:45 am

Love your list! Italian’s have so many words to describe beauty, awe and taste it’s all very sensual 😉
So happy to find another blogger in the South! 👍😃👋
1. LuLu
  May 15, 2018 at 7:11 am
  
  Grazie!! It’s true, there are so many words that just don’t conjure up the same emotions as they do in English. I find myself now struggling to find the perfect word when speaking to my English friends.
  
  I’m so happy to connect with another southern blogger!! Have you ever been to Calabria? I haven’t been to Sicily yet, but I really want to go!
Sonia
May 12, 2018 at 9:45 pm

Lulu, what a fun post! I love the words you chose and the photos to accompany them. Well done!
1. LuLu
  May 15, 2018 at 7:09 am
  
  Thank you, so many words came to mind. But I think these were the most interesting and fun to say! 🙂
Laura - Mummy Lauretta
May 12, 2018 at 4:48 pm

I love these and great images to represent them. They describe Calabria so well x
1. LuLu
  May 15, 2018 at 7:08 am
  
  Thanks so much! 🙂 I easily could have added more words! 🙂
Lucy and Kelly
May 12, 2018 at 6:16 am

We love that you chose 5 adjectives to describe where you live! You’ve taught us some new words and we would definitely use all of these to describe Praiano, where our Nanna was born. The words sound so much more fitting to the place in Italian! <3 It's truly Mozzafiato!
Lucy and Kelly xx
http://www.theblossomtwins.com
1. LuLu
  May 12, 2018 at 8:36 am
  
  Awww, I love that I could share some new words with you – and you are totally right, they would work for Praiano as well – all of Italy for that matter! Un bacione to both of you! 🙂
Elena
May 11, 2018 at 6:54 pm

Bellissimo! My word for your photos on your site.
Recently, I sent your link to my cousin who is in Italy heading down to Calabria after he see the sites of ROMA.
You sent him “ROB” a lot of information of places to see in Consenza and spots not to go!
Thank you for sharing information with him and he is so excited to see Consenza and other parts of Calabria. I hope to do same next year if I can get more time off work so I can stay and explore longer. TC
1. LuLu
  May 12, 2018 at 8:33 am
  
  Thank you so much for your comment! 🙂 I hope your cousin has a great time and it would be so great if you can make it to Italy. It’s a great country that will leave a lasting impression for sure!
KareninCalabria
May 11, 2018 at 12:46 am

Great choices. I must say that I also love squisito to describe food. It seems so elegant. And mozzafiato is so similar to the English, but somehow is more appropriate for photos like yours of the incredible canyon.
1. LuLu
  May 12, 2018 at 8:27 am
  
  Grazie! I had fun with this post, there are so many great adjectives in Italian! 🙂