The Hardest Nouns (open vs closed, e endings, etc.

Question 1

woman

Answer 1

donna (open o)

Question 2

threshold (slab of stone at bottom of door entryway - only meaning in italian)

Answer 2

soglia (open o)

Question 3

heartbeat

Answer 3

palpito (1st syll)

Question 4

space (empty space), poet. air

Answer 4

vano

Question 5

day

Answer 5

giorno (closed)

Question 6

thought

Answer 6

pensiero (open e)

Question 7

path (trail and fig. journey)

Answer 7

sentiero (open e)

Question 8

universe

Answer 8

universo (open e)

Question 9

sign (gesture; spiritual meaning)

Answer 9

segno (closed e)

Question 10

madness, foolishness (ie. of love)

Answer 10

follia (accent on i)

Question 11

ground, soil

Answer 11

suolo (open o)

Question 12

homeland (implies national identity and loyalty, patriotic and political use)

Answer 12

patria

Question 13

homeland (implies nostalgia, emphasis on the physical land one was born on)

Answer 13

suolo natio (open o)

Question 14

iron; object (made out of iron)

Answer 14

ferro (open e)

Question 15

what is the 2 syllable word for torch?

Answer 15

torcia (open o)

Question 16

what is the 3 syllable word for torch?

Answer 16

fiaccola (1st syll)

Question 17

wit; witticism, a witty remark (word = formal tone…charming in writing, out of place in speech)

Answer 17

facezia (open e & ts)

Question 18

flashlight

Answer 18

torcia elettrica (open o & open e)

Question 19

terrible event (dramatic and grand tone)

Answer 19

sventura

Question 20

bad luck (everyday bad luck, nothing catastrophic)

Answer 20

sfortuna

Question 21

capital city of an italian region

Answer 21

il capoluogo (open o)

Question 22

province (second-level administrative division)

Answer 22

la provincia
(pl = province + provincie)

Question 23

contract

Answer 23

contratto

Question 24

breast; sinus

Answer 24

il seno (closed)

Question 25

torment, agony

Answer 25

tormento (closed e)

Question 26

soul

Answer 26

anima (1st syll)

Question 27

fig. love at first sight

Answer 27

colpo di fulmine (closed o) (1st syll) (hit of lightning)

Question 28

What is the common idiomatic way to say thunderbolt? What does it mean?

Answer 28

la saetta (closed e) it's literary for arrow

Question 29

blow, hit, pound; shot (of gun); (medicine, inf) stroke, fit; raid; (vulgar) sexual intercourse, esp. if short

Answer 29

colpo (closed)

Question 30

accent (stresses and dialect)

Answer 30

accento (open e)

Question 31

What is this accent called in Italian and English? é

Answer 31

accento acuto (“acute accent”) (open e)

Question 32

What is this accent called in Italian and English? è

Answer 32

accento grave (“grave accent”) (open e)

Question 33

What is this accent called in Italian and English? ê

Answer 33

accento circonflesso (“circumflex”) (open e's)

Question 34

joy

Answer 34

gioia (open o)

Question 35

man

Answer 35

uomo (open o), pl = uomini

Question 36

delight

Answer 36

delizia (2nd syll, ts)

Question 37

desert

Answer 37

deserto (2nd syll, open e)

Question 38

pleasure, delight; hobby; beloved one

Answer 38

diletto (open e)

Question 39

destiny, fate; destination

Answer 39

destino (2nd syll)

Question 40

what is the dated word for day?

Answer 40

il dì (inv)

Question 41

peony

Answer 41

peonia (open o)

Question 42

rose thorn; electrical plug; fish bone; prickle

Answer 42

spina

Question 43

stem (flowers and plants); stalk (vegetables)

Answer 43

gambo

Question 44

stem (refined tone)

Answer 44

stelo (open e)

Question 45

rose; roster, squad

Answer 45

rosa (open o)

Question 46

necklace; chain, string (lights, pearls, mountains, etc.); series (books, magazines, etc.)

Answer 46

collana (2nd syll)

Question 47

skirt

Answer 47

gonna (open o)

Question 48

gold

Answer 48

oro (open o)

Question 49

gold mine (+ fig)

Answer 49

miniera d'oro (open e and o)

Question 50

gold bar

Answer 50

barra d'oro

Question 51

gold bar (more technical and financial - means bullion)

Answer 51

lingotto d'oro (open o's)

Question 52

rod; slash symbol ,/'

Answer 52

barra

Question 53

in four four time

Answer 53

in quattro quarti

Question 54

in six eight time

Answer 54

in sei ottavi

Question 55

example

Answer 55

esempio (open e)

Question 56

in cut time

Answer 56

in alla breve (open e)

Question 57

cut time

Answer 57

tempo tagliato (open e)

Question 58

time; part (of a film, show, etc); tense (grammar); weather; (mus) time signature; pl. airs

Answer 58

tempo (open e)

Question 59

glove; (slang) condom

Answer 59

guanto

Question 60

tulip

Answer 60

tulipano (3rd syll)

Question 61

purchase (starting with a vowel)

Answer 61

acquisto

Question 62

purchase (starting with a consonant)

Answer 62

compera (closed o)

Question 63

impulse buying

Answer 63

acquisto compulsivo

Question 64

sound

Answer 64

suono (open o)

Question 65

first course; the first one; the former (first of aforementioned two items)

Answer 65

primo

Question 66

air; look, appearance; wind (all senses)

Answer 66

aria

Question 67

(mus) staff; 5 pointed star drawn

Answer 67

pentagramma

Question 68

what is the two word way of saying first course?

Answer 68

primo piatto

Question 69

time, instance; (arch) vault; turn

Answer 69

volta (open o)

Question 70

apricot

Answer 70

albicocca (open o)

Question 71

pear; (slang) fix (dose of a drug)

Answer 71

pera (closed e)