Italian grammar
Esclamazioni romanesche: anvedi!, daje! (e ma che stai a dì?, tiè!)
Understand old-school Roman exclamations: anvedi!, daje!, ma che stai a dì?, tiè!.
From the scene Anvedi! (Look at that!)
In short
Roman exclamations, spoken and jokey: anvedi!, ma che stai a dì?, daje!, tiè!
Your turn
Which one goes with come off it! (disbelief)?
Options: anvedi! · daje! · ma che stai a dì?
Show answer
come off it! (disbelief) → ma che stai a dì?
How it works
In this scene, Elena's old-school Madrid speech (castizo) is voiced with old-school Roman.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Che bella! E il (blank) accanto a Lei?
Options: panino · chotis · chulapo
Show answer
Che bella! E il chulapo accanto a Lei?
How pretty! And the chulapo standing next to you?
Good to know
Anvedi! is "well, look at that! / no way!", ma che stai a dì? is "come off it!", and daje! is "come on! / yes!" (cheering or urging).
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Dei panini, caro, prima che (blank)!
Options: finiranno · finiscano · finiscono
Show answer
Dei panini, caro, prima che finiscano!
The sandwiches, dear, before they run out!
Good to know
Tiè! is a triumphant "take that!", and a romano de Roma is a Roman born and bred. These are spoken and jokey: never use them in writing.
well, look at that! / no way! anvedi!
Tomás
Anvedi! Lei, con un fidanzato chulapo?
Well, look at that! You, with a chulapo boyfriend?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank)! Lei, con un fidanzato chulapo?
Options: Ma che stai a dì · Daje · Anvedi
Show answer
Tomás
Anvedi! Lei, con un fidanzato chulapo?
Well, look at that! You, with a chulapo boyfriend?
come off it! (disbelief) ma che stai a dì?
Your turn
What goes with ma che stai a dì??
Options: well, look at that! / no way! · come on! / yes! · come off it! (disbelief)
Show answer
ma che stai a dì? → come off it! (disbelief)
come on! / yes! daje!
Elena
Un panino coi calamari. Daje! All'attacco!
A squid sandwich. Come on! Attack!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Un panino coi calamari. (blank)! All'attacco!
Options: Ma che stai a dì · Daje · Anvedi
Show answer
Elena
Un panino coi calamari. Daje! All'attacco!
A squid sandwich. Come on! Attack!
take that! tiè!
Your turn
What goes with tiè!?
Options: take that! · well, look at that! / no way! · come off it! (disbelief)
Show answer
tiè! → take that!
a Roman born and bred un romano de Roma
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| well, look at that! / no way! | anvedi! |
|---|---|
| come off it! (disbelief) | ma che stai a dì? |
| come on! / yes! | daje! |
| take that! | tiè! |
| a Roman born and bred | un romano de Roma |
More lines from the story
- NuriaChe bella! E il chulapo accanto a Lei?How pretty! And the chulapo standing next to you?
- ElenaDei panini, caro, prima che finiscano!The sandwiches, dear, before they run out!
- ElenaUn fidanzato. Ballava il chotis da cani.A boyfriend. He danced the chotis terribly.
- TomásE a Madrid come si parla, signora Elena?And how do people talk in Madrid, Signora Elena?