Italiancork

Play it Smart: Have an H1 in Italian Up Your Sleeve
This is exactly what five of my students did, and it paid off beautifully!
One of these star students was even featured in the Irish Examiner for securing a perfect Leaving Cert score of 7 H1s. Alessandro strategically replaced his H2 in English with a brilliant H1 in Italian, earning him top marks nationwide and an article in the Examiner.
It was a remarkably smart move. We began studying Italian together four years ago, and he was fully prepared for his exam by 5th Year. During 6th Year, we simply had to maintain the outstanding standard he had already reached. I didn't even need to see him after the end of May because, of course, he was completely ready!
This is exactly the approach I advise for all my students who decide—or have the opportunity—to take Italian. In fact, if your children love languages, or if they are lucky enough to have an Italian parent or grandparents, I highly recommend they begin studying Italian in 1st Year. This ensures they are fully prepared to sit the Leaving Cert by the end of 5th Year so they can put their focus on other subjects during 6th Year and still secure top marks in Italian.
I am incredibly proud to say that out of the eight students I prepared this year, five achieved an H1, and the remaining three secured a fantastic H2. They were absolutely thrilled with their results!
I highly encourage any interested parents and students to book your lessons now, as I have very limited availability.
For more information Italiancork.com

🇮🇹 Ready to live La Dolce Vita? Join our new Italian for Beginners Online course and start speaking from day one! 🛵💨

Whether you're planning a trip to Italy or just love the language, our fun and friendly classes are taught by a qualified, experienced, and native Italian teacher.

Course Details:

When: Wednesdays, 7.30 - 9.00 pm

Starts: September 9th

Where: Online (Learn from the comfort of your home!)

⚠️ Class sizes are limited, so book early to avoid disappointment!

How to Book:

Scan the QR code in our flyer (reference image: Beginners Sept 2026 ItalianCork with QR (1).jpg)

Visit ItalianCork.com

Contact Carolina directly at 087-95 88 375 or [email protected]

We went to the Sagra degli Antichi Mestieri in Sersale on Wednesday night, and it was absolutely magical!
What Makes a Sagra Special?
Sagre are usually held in borghi medievali (historic medieval towns) or piccoli paesi (charming small villages). The location alone sets the scene: instead of wide, busy avenues, you’ll find narrow, winding alleys called viottoli where cars can’t go. Everything centers around a main piazza, with cobblestone paths weaving up and down through the village.
It feels straight out of a fairy tale. Walking past centuries-old stone buildings decorated with twinkling lights and vibrant market stalls instantly transports you back in time.
Good Food, Great Music, and Pure Mountain Air
The atmosphere in Sersale was alive with wonderful music and incredible live performers. And then, of course, there was the food! The stands were packed with mouthwatering local specialties:
Porchetta from the Carrozzino restaurant
Freshly baked pizza and calzoni
Crispy crocchette di patate
Golden arancini (a staple here in Calabria)
We washed it all down with award-winning craft beer brewed nearby in Zagarise, nestled in the mountains of Sila Piccola. They even had local honey that tasted out of this world—and for good reason! Zagarise boasts some of the purest air in the world, thanks to its high altitude, dense pine forests, and virtually zero industrial pollution.
A Glimpse into the Past
Beyond the food and drink, we were completely mesmerized watching a traditional blacksmith (fabbro) at work. We even toured a historic home preserved exactly as it was 150 years ago—complete with authentic furniture, antique tools, and vintage kitchen utensils.
Why You Need to Visit One
If you want to taste the real Italy, you have to visit a sagra. They take place all over the country, especially during the summer, and almost every town has one dedicated to its proudest local product. You'll find:
La Sagra della Patata (Potato)
La Sagra della Cipolla (Onion)
La Sagra del Vino (Wine)
La Sagra della Polenta
La Sagra degli Imparettati (a delicious local hand-rolled pasta)..and so many more!
I can't recommend the experience enough. If you ever find yourself in Italy, make sure a local sagra is at the top of your list. Or better yet—just come visit us in Sersale so you know you're getting the real deal!
"Want to learn the real Italian spoken in the streets, markets, and sagre—not just in textbooks? Let’s join one of our classes. Andiamo!"

Quanti baci? How many kisses? 😘🇮🇹

My husband is a endless source of inspiration for my posts…

We’re in Calabria where people are super warm and friendly. That means a lot of kissing—depending on the situation! My poor husband is totally confused: "Wait... when do you kiss? Who do you kiss? How many kisses?!" 😅

Allora, there’s no official guidebook, and it definitely changes depending on the region! But here are a few local rules of thumb:

☀️ Meeting at the beach lido/bar after a whole year: One kiss per cheek. EVERYBODY kisses EVERYBODY. No doubts!

🍝 Going out for dinner with friends: Girls kiss girls, men kiss girls... but men usually don't kiss men in this setup (a warm handshake or hug instead!).

✈️ Meeting friends/family at the train station or airport: One kiss per cheek. Everyone kisses everyone—zero hesitation!

È tutto per adesso! That’s all for now!

Baci a tutti! Kisses to everyone! 😘✨

Ecco un altro modo di dire (idiomatic expression):
"Ci sto!" 🙋🏻‍♀️🍕☕️
What about this one?
Literally translated, "Ci sto" means "I stay there." But for the sake of my poor husband’s sanity (and yours!), what it actually means in everyday Italian is: "I’m in!" or "Count me in!" 🙌🏼
Here’s how to use it like a true native:
👉 "Vieni all’aperitivo questa sera?" → "Ci sto!"
(Are you coming for drinks tonight? I’m in!)
👉 "Are we grabbing a pizza later?" → "Ci sto!"
👉 "What about gelato?" → "Ci sto!"
👉 "Caffè?" → "Ci sto!"
👉 "sabato 19 settembre alla festa al Leaping Salmon?" → "Ci sto!" "Ci sto!" "Ci sto!"
You’ve probably caught this phrase in Italian movies or series (even if you were relying on the subtitles 😉).
So, next time someone suggests something fun, don't just say sì—hit them with a enthusiastic "Ci sto!" 🇮🇹✨

SI!!!!!!! L’Intelligenza Artificiale came out for our Italian Leaving Cert!!
It has been an intense sixth year for my students, but the hard work paid off! They were all exultant when the exam papers arrived on their desks. The reading comprehension was on the subject we studied the most this year: Artificial Intelligence. It might be tricky sometimes to write about a specific subject: pertinent vocabulary and even a specific knowledge is necessary!
Even better, the writing section was on a piece about AI that we had written together, preparing every single sentence and analyzing every aspect of AI! Furthermore, last summer with our book club, we read and studied the prescribed materials, so they were super ready for the reading comprehension of the book Il treno dei bambini written by Viola Ardone.
My next sixth-year students are already well prepared on the prescribed material. Their oral exam is ready to go with the sequence description, role-playing, and general conversation. During this coming year, we are going to practice writing and reading comprehension on demanding and challenging subjects such as the environment, health, and current affairs.
In the meantime, we are waiting for the results, which will come out at the end of August. Please God, may my eight 2026 students all get into their first-choice university. They have been working so hard for so many years, and they really deserve it!
To know more about Leaving Cert preparation, check https://italiancork.com/

🥬 CHE CAVOLO?! 🤔 (Wait... What a cabbage?)
Have you ever looked at a vegetable and thought, "Wow, this is the perfect way to express my utter confusion"?

No? Well, Italians do it all the time!

If you are learning Italian (or just love the culture), you’ve probably heard someone shout "Che cavolo?!" while throwing their hands in the air. Literally, it translates to "What a cabbage?!"

But why on earth are we bringing leafy greens into our moments of shock? 🥦

The Anatomy of an Italian "Niceness" Filter 😇
Think about the English expression: "What the heck?!"
What even is a "heck"? It doesn’t really mean anything—it’s just a nicer, PG-rated word used to express shock, anger, or confusion instead of dropping a heavy swear word.

"Cavolo" does the exact same job in Italian!

So, what is the real swear word it's hiding?

It happens to be one of the most commonly used words in the entire Italian language (seriously, some people use it instead of a comma).

Let’s play a little game of linguistic hangman. The mystery word:

Starts with CA... (just like cavolo)

Ends with ...O (just like cavolo)

But hidden right in the middle, instead of the innocent -vol-, there are two very strong Z’s!!

Did you guess it? 😉 👇

(Hint: It rhymes with pizza, but it definitely isn't on the menu!)

New Italian Beginners! Pronto for your holidays! A few spots left https://www.italiancork.com/italian-beginners-italiancork/