Visit the countryside
Visita la campagna
- Talk about the village and the countryside.
- Learn the names of the farm animals.
- Learn about the most known rural regions of your host country.
- The impersonal "si"
Explore Italian countryside life with this A2 lesson focusing on the impersonal "si". Learn words like "mucche" (cows), "galline" (hens), and expressions such as "Si vive tranquilli" to describe rural living and daily farm activities.
Vocabulary (18) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Il toro
The bull
2
Il maiale
The pig
3
All'aria aperta
In the open air
4
Allevare
To raise
5
La natura
The nature
Esercizio 2: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- Where did you grow up? On the countryside or in the city? (Where did you grow up? On the countryside or in the city?)
- Did you have to care for animals? Farm animals or pets? (Did you have to care for animals? Farm animals or pets?)
- What do you think of the bull fighting in Spain? (What do you think of the bull fighting in Spain?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Sono cresciuto in campagna. I grew up on the countryside. |
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La mia famiglia ha una fattoria, quindi ho aiutato molto a prendermi cura dei maiali, delle mucche e delle galline. My family has a farm so I helped a lot to care for the pigs, cows and chicken. |
|
Sono cresciuto in una piccola città. La mia famiglia aveva un cane. Mi occupavo di lui. I grew up in a small city. My family had a dog. I helped to care for him. |
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Sono cresciuto a Berlino, la capitale della Germania. Avevamo solo un piccolo appartamento, quindi non abbiamo mai avuto un animale domestico. I grew up in Berlin, the capital of Germany. We only had a small apartment so we never had a pet. |
|
Penso che la corrida sia una tradizione importante in Spagna e voglio assistere a un incontro. I think the bull fighting is an important tradition in Spain and I want to see a fight. |
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La corrida in Spagna è crudele. Quella tradizione deve finire presto per proteggere i tori. The bull fighting in Spain is cruel. That tradition has to end soon to protect the bulls. |
| ... |
Exercise 3: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. In campagna si ____ il grano e si alleva il bestiame.
(In the countryside, ____ wheat is grown and livestock is raised.)2. Ci si ____ presto per nutrire gli animali.
(People ____ up early to feed the animals.)3. Durante il weekend, si ____ spesso il villaggio vicino.
(During the weekend, the nearby village is often ____.)4. Domani ____ la campagna e vedrò le mucche al pascolo.
(Tomorrow I ____ the countryside and will see the cows grazing.)Exercise 5: A visit to the countryside
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Essere - To be
Presente
- io sono
- tu sei
- lui/lei è
- noi siamo
- voi siete
- loro sono
Vedere - To see
Presente
- io vedo
- tu vedi
- lui/lei vede
- noi vediamo
- voi vedete
- loro vedono
Vivere - To live
Presente
- io vivo
- tu vivi
- lui/lei vive
- noi viviamo
- voi vivete
- loro vivono
Svegliarsi - To wake up
Presente
- io mi sveglio
- tu ti svegli
- lui/lei si sveglia
- noi ci svegliamo
- voi vi svegliate
- loro si svegliano
Allevare - To raise
Presente
- io allevo
- tu allevo
- lui/lei alleva
- noi alleviamo
- voi alleviate
- loro allevano
Nutrire - To feed
Presente
- io nutro
- tu nutri
- lui/lei nutre
- noi nutriamo
- voi nutrire
- loro nutrono
Exercise 6: Il "si" impersonale
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The impersonal "si"
Show translation Show answerssi allevano, ci si sveglia, si vive, si visita, si vedono, si nutre, si alleva, si usano
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Allevare to raise Share Copied!
Futuro semplice
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) alleverò | I will raise |
| (tu) alleverai | you will raise |
| (lui/lei) alleverà | he/she will raise |
| (noi) alleveremo | we will raise |
| (voi) alleverete | You will raise |
| (loro) alleveranno | they will raise |
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Lesson Overview: Discovering the Italian Countryside
This A2 level lesson introduces you to the Italian countryside life, offering vocabulary and expressions centered around rural settings, farm animals, and simple everyday activities. The main grammatical focus is on the Italian impersonal "si", which is commonly used to express general statements or habits without specifying the subject.
Key Language Points
- Impersonal "si": Used extensively to speak about general truths or shared experiences in the countryside, e.g., "Si vede un paesaggio bellissimo" (A beautiful landscape is seen).
- Vocabulary related to rural life: Words like mucche (cows), pecore (sheep), galline (hens), fattoria (farm), and terms describing nature and farming activities.
- Everyday verbs in the present tense: For example, coltivare (to cultivate), svegliarsi (to wake up), nutrire (to feed), vedere (to see), and vivere (to live).
Sample Expressions and Phrases
The lesson provides practical dialogues to practice discussing visits to villages and farms, describing animals, and sharing experiences regarding countryside life.
- "Hai mai visitato questo villaggio?" (Have you ever visited this village?)
- "Si vive tranquilli e si gode della natura." (One lives peacefully and enjoys nature.)
- "Si mangia molto bene con prodotti freschi della campagna." (One eats very well with fresh products from the countryside.)
- "Ci si sveglia presto per lavorare nei campi." (People wake up early to work in the fields.)
Practical Grammar Highlight: The Impersonal "Si"
The impersonal "si" is used to make generalized statements or talk about common actions without a specific subject. It is equivalent to the English passive voice or the indefinite "one" or "people". For example,
- "Si vede spesso galline e conigli" means "Chickens and rabbits are often seen" or "People often see chickens and rabbits."
- "Si mangia molto bene" can be translated as "One eats very well" or "People eat very well."
Differences Between English and Italian Phrasing
English often uses the passive voice or impersonal expressions with words like "one" or "people". In Italian, the impersonal "si" efficiently covers these uses without explicitly mentioning a subject. This structure helps learners express common experiences or habits smoothly.
Useful English-Italian equivalents include:
- One lives = Si vive
- People see = Si vede
- They eat (general) = Si mangia
- People wake up = Ci si sveglia (the reflexive pronoun ci is often added with reflexive verbs to convey impersonal actions)
Conclusion
This lesson is ideal for practicing conversational Italian related to nature, farming life, and rural activities, while mastering the impersonal "si" in a meaningful context. It also builds useful vocabulary for describing landscapes, animals, and countryside customs.
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