AIL DELI A2 flashcards

33 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Definite article: lo

Masculine singular article used before words starting with s + consonant, z, gn, ps, x, y. Example: lo studente, lo zaino, lo gnomo.

Present of essere

Irregular present indicative: sono, sei, è, siamo, siete, sono. Used for identity, origin, state, and as auxiliary in compound tenses.

Passato prossimo with essere

Formed with present of essere + past participle agreeing in gender and number with subject. Used with intransitive motion/change verbs and reflexives. Example: sono andato/a.

Imperfetto endings -are

Regular imperfect endings for -are verbs: -avo, -avi, -ava, -avamo, -avate, -avano. Example: parlavo, parlavi, parlava.

Future irregular stems

Common irregular future stems: sar- (essere), avr- (avere), andr- (andare), potr- (potere), dovr- (dovere), vorr- (volere). Endings are regular: -ò, -ai, -à, -emo, -ete, -anno.

Combined pronouns glielo

Indirect pronoun gli/le combines with direct lo/la/li/le to form glielo, gliela, glieli, gliele. Example: Glielo do (I give it to him/her).

Negative expressions

Non... mai (never), non... niente/nulla (nothing), non... nessuno (nobody), non... né... né (neither... nor). Double negative is required in Italian.

Reading: keyword scanning

Read questions first, underline keywords (names, numbers, dates), then scan the passage for those exact or synonymous items to locate the answer paragraph quickly.

Contrast markers

Words signalling contrast or correction: ma, però, invece, tuttavia, al contrario, bensì. They often introduce the information that answers a comprehension question.

Inference from context

Deduce unknown word meaning from surrounding words, word formation (prefixes/suffixes), and cognates. Example: 'infelice' = in- (not) + felice (happy).

Main idea vs detail

Main idea = overall topic or purpose of the text. Detail = specific fact (who, when, where, how much). Questions use 'scopo principale' vs 'secondo il testo'.

Limiting words

Words that restrict or negate: solo, soltanto, tranne, senza, mai, nessuno, niente. They change a statement's truth value in true/false items.

Listening: predicting content

Before audio plays, use question and options to guess text type, speakers, and likely vocabulary. This primes recognition of key words during listening.

Listening: distractor pattern

Wrong options often repeat words heard in the audio but alter one detail (time, place, person, number). Correct option usually paraphrases the whole meaning.

Numbers and times

Frequent listening targets: ore (una, due, tre...), mezze (half), un quarto (quarter), minuti, prezzi (euro, centesimi), date (il primo, il due...).

Speaker intention cues

Formulas reveal intention: Vorrei... (request), Mi dispiace (apology/refusal), Volentieri/Certo (acceptance), Puoi...? (informal request), Le dispiace...? (formal request).

Listening: second pass strategy

On second listening, confirm marked answers and check guesses. Change an answer only if you hear clear contradicting evidence, not just doubt.

Formal email opening

Formal Italian email begins with Gentile Signore/Signora or Egregio Dottore, then Le scrivo per... (I write to you to...). Uses Lei forms throughout.

Informal email closing

Informal closings: A presto, Un abbraccio, Ciao, A domani. Formal closings: Distinti saluti, Cordiali saluti, In attesa di un Suo riscontro.

Cohesive connectors

Link ideas: prima (first), poi (then), inoltre (moreover), quindi (therefore), però (but), infine (finally). They improve flow and score in written production.

Accent marks

Grave (à, è, ì, ò, ù) vs acute (é, ó). Distinctive pairs: è (is) vs e (and), sì (yes) vs si (oneself), né (nor) vs ne (of it).

Double consonants

Double consonants are pronounced longer and change meaning: anno (year) vs ano, fatto (done) vs fato (fate), palla (ball) vs pala (shovel).

Task response check

Before finishing, verify all required content points are covered, word count is near target, and register (formal/informal) is consistent throughout.

Oral: asking clarification

Polite requests: Scusi, può ripetere? Non ho capito. Può parlare più lentamente? Come si dice...? Che cosa significa...? Useful in interactive tasks.

Oral: expressing opinion

Phrases: secondo me, a mio parere, penso che..., mi sembra che..., sono d'accordo, non sono d'accordo. Follow with a reason using perché.

Circumlocution strategy

When a word is unknown, describe it: È una cosa che serve per... / È una persona che... / Si usa quando... This maintains fluency in oral production.

Oral: turn-taking

Acknowledge and react: Sì, capisco; Hai ragione; Davvero?; Che bello!; Mi dispiace. Ask back with E tu? or Lei? to keep interaction going.

Italian stress pattern

Most Italian words stress the penultimate syllable (piacevole). Final vowels are always pronounced; many words end in stressed vowel (città, caffè).

Oral: describing a picture

Structure: In questa foto vedo... (people, place), poi descrivo le azioni (stanno facendo...), infine esprimo un'opinione o un'impressione.

Present tense -ire verbs

Regular -ire: -o, -i, -e, -iamo, -ite, -ono (dormo, dormi, dorme...). Some add -isc-: capisco, capisci, capisce, capiamo, capite, capiscono.

Reading: true/false rule

A statement is true only if fully supported by the text. If any part contradicts or is not stated, mark false. Do not use outside knowledge.

Listening: note-taking

While listening, jot down numbers, names, and key nouns in the margin. Notes reduce memory load and help match options accurately.

Written: register consistency

Choose formal (Lei, titles, Distinti saluti) or informal (tu, Ciao, Un abbraccio) at the start and keep it throughout. Mixing registers lowers score.