Learn essential Italian expressions of time like "durante" (during), "fino a" (until), and "appena" (as soon as) while discussing personal hygiene routines and shopping for hygiene products such as "sapone" (soap), "deodorante" (deodorant), and "dentifricio" (toothpaste). This A2 lesson focuses on practical vocabulary for everyday conversations in shops and daily self-care habits.
Vocabulary (16) 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 sapone
The soap
2
Lo sspazzolino
The toothbrush
3
Spazzolare i denti
Brushing the teeth
4
Essere allergico
To be allergic
5
Il rasoio
The razor
Esercizio 2: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- What hygiene products do you use on a daily basis? (What hygiene products do you use on a daily basis?)
- Describe your morning (or evening) routine. (Describe your morning (or evening) routine. )
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
Uso il mio spazzolino tre volte al giorno. I use my toothbrush three times a day. |
Faccio la doccia ogni due giorni e quindi uso il mio shampoo. I have a shower everey second day so then I use my shampoo. |
Non uso mai la crema. I never use cream. |
Dopo che mi sveglio e mi alzo mi lavo i denti. After I wake up and get up I brush my teeth. |
Prima di pettinarmi, di solito faccio una doccia. Before brushing my hair I usually have a shower. |
Poi uso la crema per proteggere la pelle. Then I use cream to protect my skin. |
... |
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. Durante la doccia, mi ______ sempre i capelli con lo shampoo.
(During the shower, I ______ always wash my hair with shampoo.)2. Fino a quando non ______ mio fratello, non finisco mai di spazzolare i denti.
(Until my brother ______, I never finish brushing my teeth.)3. Appena torno dal lavoro, mi ______ subito le mani con il sapone.
(As soon as I get home from work, I ______ immediately wash my hands with soap.)4. Ancora ______ il deodorante che ho comprato il mese scorso.
(Still ______ the deodorant I bought last month.)Exercise 5: Marco's Hygiene Routine
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Svegliarsi - Wake up
Presente
- io mi sveglio
- tu ti svegli
- lui/lei si sveglia
- noi ci svegliamo
- voi vi svegliate
- loro si svegliano
Lavarsi - Wash
Presente
- io mi lavo
- tu ti lavi
- lui/lei si lava
- noi ci laviamo
- voi vi lavate
- loro si lavano
Prendere - Take
Presente
- io prendo
- tu prendi
- lui/lei prende
- noi prendiamo
- voi prendete
- loro prendono
Usare - Use
Presente
- io uso
- tu usi
- lui/lei usa
- noi usiamo
- voi usate
- loro usano
Pettinarsi - Comb
Presente
- io mi pettino
- tu ti pettini
- lui/lei si pettina
- noi ci pettiniamo
- voi vi pettinate
- loro si pettinano
Avere - Have
Passato prossimo
- io ho avuto
- tu hai avuto
- lui/lei ha avuto
- noi abbiamo avuto
- voi avete avuto
- loro hanno avuto
Finire - Finish
Presente
- io finisco
- tu finisci
- lui/lei finisce
- noi finiamo
- voi finite
- loro finiscono
Comprare - Buy
Presente
- io compro
- tu compri
- lui/lei compra
- noi compriamo
- voi comprate
- loro comprano
Essere - Be
Presente
- io sono
- tu sei
- lui/lei è
- noi siamo
- voi siete
- loro sono
Exercise 6: Le espressioni di tempo: durante, fino a, appena, ecc.
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Time expressions: durante, fino a, appena, etc.
Show translation Show answersfino, finché, ancora, subito, appena, Appena
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A2.22.1 Grammatica
Le espressioni di tempo: durante, fino a, appena, ecc.
Time expressions: durante, fino a, appena, etc.
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Bagnarsi to wash oneself Share Copied!
Passato prossimo
Italian | English |
---|---|
(io) mi sono bagnato/mi sono bagnata | I washed myself |
(tu) ti sei bagnato/ti sei bagnata | You have washed yourself |
(lui/lei) si è bagnato/si è bagnata | he/she has washed himself/herself |
(noi) ci siamo bagnati/ci siamo bagnate | We washed ourselves |
(voi) vi siete bagnati/vi siete bagnate | You have washed yourselves |
(loro) si sono bagnati/si sono bagnate | They washed themselves |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice Italian today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: Personal Hygiene and Time Expressions in Italian
This lesson focuses on personal hygiene vocabulary and practical expressions used in daily routines and shopping contexts, combined with key Italian time expressions such as durante (during), fino a (until), and appena (as soon as). The content is tailored for A2 learners and aims to build conversational skills when discussing personal care products, routines, and timing in Italian.
Key Themes Covered
- Shopping for hygiene products: Simulated dialogues in stores and supermarkets help you practice purchasing items like toothpaste, soap, deodorant, and shampoo with specificity and courtesy.
- Describing personal hygiene routines: Use time expressions to narrate your daily care habits, including washing teeth, showering, and applying deodorant.
- Using time expressions: Important temporal connectors durante, fino a, and appena guide you to sequence actions smoothly and naturally in Italian.
Examples of Useful Vocabulary and Expressions
- Product names: dentifricio (toothpaste), sapone (soap), deodorante (deodorant), shampoo (shampoo), bagnoschiuma (shower gel)
- Time expressions: Appena mi sveglio (As soon as I wake up), Durante la doccia (During the shower), Fino a mezzogiorno (Until noon)
- Polite phrases: Vorrei (I would like), Ha bisogno di altro? (Do you need anything else?), Grazie (Thank you)
Grammar and Verb Usage
The lesson includes verbs commonly used in personal hygiene contexts, mostly in the present tense (e.g., svegliarsi, lavarsi, prendere, usare) and also the past tense for some verbs (e.g., avere in passato prossimo). You will find full conjugation tables and exercises that reinforce verb agreement and appropriate use with reflexive pronouns.
Important Notes on Language Differences
Unlike English, Italian often uses reflexive verbs to describe personal hygiene actions, e.g., mi lavo (I wash myself) rather than just "I wash." Temporal expressions like appena serve both as "as soon as" and "just," which can require context for correct understanding. The placement of these expressions (usually before the verb) is key for natural phrasing in Italian. For instance, Appena torno a casa translates to "As soon as I get home," whereas English might sometimes omit "as soon as." These subtle distinctions are highlighted to help learners adjust from English sentence structures to authentic Italian ones.
Practical Phrases for Daily Use
- Buongiorno, cerco un buon dentifricio. – Good morning, I am looking for a good toothpaste.
- Durante la doccia, uso un bagnoschiuma profumato. – During the shower, I use a scented shower gel.
- Appena finisco qui, glieli mostro. – As soon as I finish here, I will show them to you.
- Fino a mezzogiorno, metto ancora il deodorante. – Until noon, I still put on deodorant.