‘Buongiorno’, ‘arrivideci’, ‘si’, ‘no’ and ‘grazie mille’. Whether you regularly go on holiday in Italy or not, chances are you've encountered these words before. Maybe you even know what they mean. Do you think Italian is a beautiful language, and are you fascinated by Italian culture? Then you've come to the right place, because we've listed 62 facts and figures about Italy, the Italian language, and this Southern European country's amazing culture.
11 historic facts about Italy
Italy is one of the most popular holiday destinations in all of Europe. Tens of millions of people visit Italy every single year. Most of them know precious little about the country. Which is a shame, because Italy has a rich history. In order to teach you a bit more about said history, we've listed a number of historic facts about Italy.
The name ‘Italy’ likely originates from the Greek word ‘Italoi’. The ancient Greeks used this term to refer to the people that worshipped Vitulus - a god that took the shape of a calf.
Italy has only been officially recognised as a country since 1861. Prior to that, it consisted of a variety of different states. Italian is the official language as of its official recognition.
The Oenotrians, who lived approximately in the 11th century BCE, were the first inhabitants of what is now Italy. After they disappeared, many other tribes arrived, including the Romans, Etruscans, Latins, Celts, Sardinians and Greeks.
With a total of 58 world heritage sites, Italy is at the top of the UNESCO world heritage site list. The Colosseum, Naples’ historic city centre, the Amalfi coastal region, Etna, the Dolomites and Venice, just to name a few, are examples of heritage sites that have made their way onto this list.
The Italian flag is based on the French flag, albeit with different colours. Each colour has its own meaning. The green left band signifies the Italian mountains and pastures. The white middle band represents the snow on the mountaintops and the red band on the right represents the blood spilled by the soldiers during the war.
According to myth, the Italian capital of Rome was founded on 21 April in the year 753 BCE by the twins Romulus and Remus. However, archaeologists believe the city was founded in four steps. They say it happened in the 10th, 8th, 6th and 4th centuries BCE respectively.
The city of Bologna has the oldest university in the world. The University of Bologna was founded in 1088 and has operated continuously ever since.
The first true pizzeria in the world opened in 1830 in Naples.
The traditional newspaper came about in approximately 1556 in Venice. People in power at the time had newsworthy items printed on paper every month.
Italy has two autonomous regions: Vatican City and San Marino. Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world and is enclosed entirely by the city of Rome. San Marino is the oldest still existing constitutional republic in the world and is located near the popular resort town of Rimini.
The leaning tower of Pisa has been leaning from the moment it was built. Architects at the time discovered it during the construction of the first three floors. The uneven setting of the foundation on soft soil was mentioned as the most important cause of the issue.
13 facts about the Italian language
No matter where in Italy you travel, Italian is spoken practically everywhere. Much like the country itself, the language has its own rich history. Do you want to learn more about the origin of the Italian language and the dialects spoken in Italy? Or do you want to learn Italian? Keep reading, because below you will find a lot of interesting facts about the Italian language.
The Italian language originates from the Florentine dialect that was spoken in the Tuscany region in the 14th century. This dialect, in turn, has its roots in vulgar Latin.
Just like French, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish, Italian is a romance language that originates from Latin. Out of all the languages that are still spoken today, Italian is the one most similar to it.
Because every region has its own language, the Italian language is home to more than 30 local languages and dialects. A few well-known examples include Neapolitan, Milanese, Sicilian, Sardinian and Roman.
Some Italian dialects have little to no resemblance to each other at all. When Italians from a different region speak in their own dialect, other Italians may barely understand them, if at all.
The Italian alphabet consists if fewer letters than the English alphabet, namely 21 instead of 26. The letters ‘j’, ‘k’, ‘w’, ‘x’ and ‘y’ don't appear in the Italian alphabet. They are used exclusively in loanwords.
Italian is the native language of some 55 million people. In total, the Italian language has approximately 68 million speakers worldwide.
Italian is spoken in fewer countries than Spanish, French and German. Part of the reason is that Italy as a country wasn’t officially recognised until 1861. It's the de facto language in the autonomous regions of San Marino and Vatican city, but also in parts of Switzerland. Additionally, it is spoken in a number of neighbouring countries such as France, Malta, Greece, Croatia and Slovenian.
Italian is a phonetic language. This means its pronunciation is used as the basis for its spelling.
The Italian language makes a distinction between word genders. This means there are both masculine and feminine words.
In addition to words, Italians make extensive use of hand gestures in order to express themselves. These gestures can be so clear in meaning that words may not even be necessary. An Italian will know virtually all of these gestures, but a ‘foreigner’ will most likely be at a loss for words, so to speak.
Many Italian words have several meanings. The exact meaning of a word depends on the context in which it is used.
Some Italian words resemble English words, but mean something else. ‘Cantina’ may appear similar to the word ‘canteen’, but it means ‘basement’. Words like these are known as falsi amici, otherwise known as false friends.
Italian has been declared the official language of Italy on two separate occasions: in 1925 by Mussolini and in 1947, in the first constitution of the Republic of Italy.
13 facts about Italian cuisine
Italian cuisine is popular all over the globe. Understandably so. After all, who doesn't like a good pizza, a fresh pasta or a delicious tiramisu? Italians love their own cuisine - and how could they not? There are a few things you should absolutely know about Italian food, especially if you occasionally go on holiday in Italy. Below we've listed a few things you have to know about Italian food.
In Italy, lunch is the most important meal of the day. Traditionally, it consists of three courses. The first course is often heavy on carbs (soup or pasta), while the second course is all about proteins (fish, meat, vegetables). A typical Italian lunch ends with a dessert.
Antipasti has nothing to do with pasta, but it's the name of a traditional Italian collection of small appetizers, both hot and cold. Some examples include: meat, olives, cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes and bruschetta. Antipasti is often eaten before the first course and is meant to whet people's appetite.
Italians consider their ‘gelato’ - definitely don't call it ice cream if you're in Italy - to be the best in the world. In essence it has the same basic ingredients as regular ice cream, though the composition is a little different. Gelato contains more milk than cream, which results in less overall fat. It's also mixed more slowly than ‘regular’ ice cream, resulting in a softer texture.
Italians absolutely loathe the idea of a ‘Hawaiian pizza’. Putting fruit on a pizza is akin to treason. Are you on holiday in Italy? Don't order a Hawaiian pizza, but try a traditional Margherita or Marinara instead. Else you might have to deal with a situation like the one here:
On the pasta side of things, a spaghetti bolognese is treated pretty much the same way. In Italy, this sauce is mainly served with bigger pastas like tagliatelle, or used in lasagnas. Italians don't think it should go with spaghetti.
Tomatoes are a staple of Italian cuisine. It should therefore come as no surprise that tomato sauce originates from Italy. The first recipe for this sauce dates from 1692, appearing in a cookbook at the time.
You're probably aware of how much Italians love their pasta. They love it so much that the average person eats around 24 kilos of it every year. For comparison: the average Englishman eats approximately 12 kilos of pasta per year. Quite the difference!
Pasta isn't just eaten in Italy, but all over the world. As a result, there are countless varieties of pasta. It's unknown how many there are exactly, but it is estimated that there are more than 600 different kinds.
Every Italian region has its own culinary specialities. Not only do they use widely different ingredients, but they use said ingredients in ways you don't see elsewhere. As a result, a certain dish can vary greatly from one region to the next.
When you order pasta, you may end up with some leftover sauce. Don't leave it. Instead, ‘wipe’ it up with a piece of bread. This may sound unusual, but in Italy it's a compliment to the chef if the plate is emptied completely.
Historically, pizza was mainly seen as food for the poor. Until 1830 - when the first pizzeria opened its doors in Naples - it was sold exclusively as a street food.
As the story goes, tiramisu was created by accident. In the process of making vanilla ice cream, an Italian restaurateur was said to have dropped mascarpone in a bowl of eggs and sugar.
An Italian will absolutely condemn you if you cut your spaghetti. Instead, you stick your fork in a few strands on your plate or a spoon. You then twist your fork until the noodles form a little ball you can eat.
10 customs, cultural norms and values in Italy
Italians have their fair share of customs and place great importance on cultural norms and values. It's good to be aware of these, especially if you regularly travel to this southern European country. In order to keep things organised, the list below sums up some of the most important customs, cultural norms and values in Italy.
Italians greet each other with a kiss on the cheeks. In the north, typically two kisses. In the south, three is more common. This greeting is not just used for friends and family, but for acquaintances and business contacts as well.
If you are seated at a table, keep your hands on your lap, not on the table. Italians only put their hands on the table while they eat. It is not customary to rest your elbows on the table.
Don't start eating as soon as the food is served, but wait until the person who prepared the food is seated, or tells you that you can start eating. This is a sign of politeness.
Don't just wash your hands after using the toilet, but wash them before you take your seat at the table as well. This is because hygiene is very important to Italians.
In many parts of Italy, shops and restaurants will close for a few hours in the afternoon for a siesta. This doesn't always happen in major tourist areas, but it is still commonplace in smaller towns.
If you are invited over to an Italian's house, it is customary to bring a small gift. Something small is usually sufficient, like a bottle of wine or some flowers.
Being late is the most normal thing in the world for Italians. Being late is preferable to being early.
Respect and politeness are very important to Italians. They greet each other with a kiss on the cheek and/or a handshake. Additionally, they will always say ‘grazie’ (thanks) and ‘prego’ (please) in order to be polite.
Most Italians are religious (Catholic) and it's a big part of their lives. They frequently go to church and usually say a prayer before eating.
Going to church with bare shoulders or visible knees is considered highly inappropriate in Italy. So if you are planning to visit a church while in Italy, make sure you have the appropriate clothing to cover up these body parts.
15 facts you may not know about Italy
A typical Italian breakfast consists of an espresso or cappuccino with a croissant.
In Italy, people don't drink cappuccino after 11AM. Italians believe the milk in it would be too heavy on the stomach.
While drinking an espresso it is customary to remain standing.
When Italians talk about ‘confetti’, they are not talking about shredded colourful paper. Rather, they're talking about sugared almonds. In Italy, you get these as a gift at weddings.
Rome is home to hundreds of thousands of cats.
If you kill a cat in Italy - accidentally or otherwise - you can be fined for 10,000 euros. Additionally, you may face up to three years in prison.
Italy is home to three active volcanoes: Etna, Stromboli and Vesuvius.
The espresso machine was invented in 1884 by the Italian Angelo Moriondo.
The battery was invented in Italy by Alessandro Volta.
The oldest bank in the world - Bano Monte dei Paschi di Siena - was founded in 1472 and is still in use today.
In the region of South Tyrol, German is a co-official language along with Italian. The same applies to French in the region of Valle d’Aosta.
In Italian sentences, the finite verb can be omitted and word order is fairly flexible. This results in a number of challenges when translating Italian. Because Italian is a Romance language and English is a Germanic language, there are numerous grammatical differences as well.
If you're travelling to Rome, definitely don't forget to toss a coin into the famous Trevi fountain, over your shoulder. According to legend, tossing a single coin means you will one day return to Rome, two coins means you will meet the love of your live and three coins means you will get married.
Every year, more than a million euros worth of coins are removed from the fountain. All of this money is donated to charity.
The popular hazelnut paste Nutella originates from Italy. Back in 1949, when cacao was scarce, Pietro Ferrero added hazelnuts to his sugary paste. As a result of requiring less cacao, he was able to continue making his famous product.