so vs. then I’ve been to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It’s a tower, and it’s leaning. You look at it, but nothing happens, so then you look for someplace to get a sandwich. Ho visitato la torre pendente di Pisa. E’ una torre, e pende. La guardi, ma non succede nulla, quindi poi cerchi qualche posto per… Read More »
regret doing something regret to have done something I’d rather regret doing something than not doing something. Preferirei pentirmi di aver fatto qualcosa piuttosto che di non aver fatto qualcosa. – James Hetfield ✓ I regret telling her about my problems. ✗ I *regret to have told* her about my problems. Mi pento di averle parlato dei miei… Read More »
the latest the last The latest technology is not always good for anything except to the producers of the technology. L’ultima tecnologia non è sempre un bene per qualcosa tranne per i produttori della tecnologia. – Wendell Berry ✓ Have you heard the latest news? ✗ Have you heard the *last* news? Hai sentito le ultime notizie? Latest… Read More »
above all vs. overall This above all: to thine own self be true. E soprattutto sii sincero con te stesso. – William Shakespeare ✓ I love her for many reasons, but above all because she makes me laugh. ✗ I love her for many reasons, but *overall* because she makes me laugh. La amo per tanti motivi, ma… Read More »
very a lot Common sense is very uncommon. Il buon senso è molto raro. – Horace Greeley ✓ The components are very light. ✗ The components are *a lot* light. I componenti sono molto leggeri. We use very, not a lot, before an adjective or adverb. Some more examples: ✓ It’s very difficult to imagine. (very + adjective)… Read More »
few: the last/next few days/weeks/months/years/dollars etc. the last days/weeks/months/dollars ✓ The world has become smaller in the last few years. ✗ The world has become smaller *in the last years*. Il mondo è diventato più piccolo negli ultimi anni. When we speak about the last or next unspecified number of days, weeks, months, years etc. (because we don’t… Read More »
in order not to + INFINITIVE, so as not to + INFINITIVE not to + INFINITIVE I don’t like these cold, precise, perfect people, who, in order not to speak wrong, never speak at all, and in order not to do wrong, never do anything. Non mi piacciono quelle persone fredde, precise e perfette che, per non sbagliare… Read More »
would do something would have done something Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree. Anche se sapessi che domani il mondo sarebbe andato in pezzi, pianterei lo stesso il mio melo. – Martin Luther ✓ Thanks! I knew you would understand. ✗ Thanks! I knew you… Read More »
on the contrary I am truly free only when all human beings, men and women, are equally free. The freedom of other men, far from negating or limiting my freedom, is, on the contrary, its necessary premise and confirmation. Sono veramente libero solo quando tutti gli esseri umani, uomini e donne, sono ugualmente liberi. La libertà di altri… Read More »
worth doing worth to do Truth is everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for. La verità è che tutti ti faranno male; devi solamente trovare quelli per i quali vale la pena di soffrire. – Bob Marley ✓ It’s a terrible film. It certainly isn’t worth going to the cinema… Read More »