Body parts
Parti del corpo
- Get to know the basic body parts.
- Basic phrases to describe your health.
- The plural of nouns
Learn essential Italian body parts and their plurals, like la testa (head), le gambe (legs), and le mani (hands), through practical examples and dialogues about health and symptoms.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (17) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Divide these words into two categories: visible body parts and body parts used for movement.
Parti del corpo visibili
Parti del corpo usate per muoversi
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Gli occhi
The eyes
2
Descrivere
To describe
3
I piedi
The feet
4
Il collo
The neck
5
Il naso
The nose
Esercizio 5: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- Name the bodyparts. (Name the bodyparts.)
- Describe where it hurts. (Describe where it hurts.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Un piede ha cinque dita. A foot has five toes. |
|
La testa ha occhi, orecchie, un naso e una bocca. The head has eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth. |
|
Mi fa male il collo. My neck hurts. |
|
La schiena è collegata al collo. The back is connected with the neck. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Io ________ la mia giornata ai miei amici ogni sera.
(I ________ my day to my friends every evening.)2. Tu ________ sempre i tuoi sintomi al medico quando vai alla visita.
(You ________ always your symptoms to the doctor when you go to the appointment.)3. Lui ________ come si sente quando ha mal di testa.
(He ________ how he feels when he has a headache.)4. Noi ________ le parti del corpo che impariamo durante la lezione.
(We ________ the parts of the body that we learn during the lesson.)Exercise 8: Let's describe the body after a medical visit
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Descrivere - Describe
Presente
- io descrivo
- tu descrivi
- lui/lei descrive
- noi descriviamo
- voi descrivete
- loro descrivono
Chiedere - Ask
Presente
- io chiedo
- tu chiedi
- lui/lei chiede
- noi chiediamo
- voi chiedete
- loro chiedono
Dire - Say
Presente
- io dico
- tu dici
- lui/lei dice
- noi diciamo
- voi dite
- loro dicono
Avere - Have
Presente
- io ho
- tu hai
- lui/lei ha
- noi abbiamo
- voi avete
- loro hanno
Sembrare - Look
Presente
- io sembro
- tu sembri
- lui/lei sembra
- noi sembriamo
- voi sembrate
- loro sembrano
Osservare - Observe
Presente
- io osservo
- tu osservi
- lui/lei osserva
- noi osserviamo
- voi osservate
- loro osservano
Exercise 9: Il plurale dei sostantivi
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The plural of nouns
Show translation Show answersnasi, piedi, bocche, mani, facce, braccia, occhi, gambe
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Descrivere to describe Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) descrivo | I describe |
| (tu) descrivi | You describe |
| (lui/lei) descrive | he/she describes |
| (noi) descriviamo | we describe |
| (voi) descrivete | You describe |
| (loro) descrivono | they describe |
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Lesson Overview: Body Parts in Italian
This lesson introduces essential Italian vocabulary related to the parts of the body, focusing on the plural forms of nouns. It is designed for beginner learners at the A1 level and helps familiarize you with common words used to describe physical sensations, body parts, and discuss health concerns.
Key Vocabulary and Examples
Learn important body parts such as la bocca (the mouth), gli occhi (the eyes), le gambe (the legs), and i piedi (the feet). The lesson shows practical usage with sentences like Ho mal di testa e devo prendere una medicina (I have a headache and need to take medicine) and Le mani sono sporche dopo aver lavorato in giardino (The hands are dirty after working in the garden).
Understanding Plural Nouns
The lesson emphasizes the plural form of Italian nouns especially when talking about body parts, e.g., le gambe (legs), le mani (hands), i piedi (feet). Practicing these will help you describe symptoms or physical conditions more naturally.
Categories of Body Parts
The body parts are categorized for better comprehension:
- Visible Body Parts: la bocca, gli occhi, il naso, la faccia, i capelli
- Body Parts Used for Movement: le gambe, i piedi, le braccia
Dialogue Practice
The lesson includes practical dialogues such as medical consultations, pharmacy visits, and discussions about symptoms with peers. These simulate real situations where you describe pain and use vocabulary related to body parts, helping you gain confidence in conversation.
Verb Conjugation Focus
Important verbs appear in context, including descrivere (to describe), chiedere (to ask), dire (to say), and avere (to have), all in the present tense. Exercises help consolidate their forms and usage.
Mini Story
A short story models natural language use when describing body conditions during a medical visit, reinforcing vocabulary and verb forms in a coherent context.
Note on Language Differences and Useful Expressions
Unlike English, Italian has gendered nouns and distinctive plural endings: masculine nouns typically end in -o (singular) and change to -i (plural), feminine nouns ending in -a change to -e. For example, il piede becomes i piedi for feet. Body parts in plural are common when discussing symptoms (mi fanno male le gambe – my legs hurt).
Useful expressions include:
- Ho mal di... — I have pain in...
- Mi fanno male... — ...hurt me (plural parts)
- Puoi toccare... — Can you touch...
Understanding these phrases helps you communicate effectively about health and body awareness in everyday contexts.
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