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    • Commissario Ricciardi: Il posto di ognuno
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Studentessa Matta

Cultural Anecdotes & Current Affairs

  • amici italiani
  • Amici, Friends
  • Curiosities & Current Affairs
  • Guest Posts & Interviews
  • Italian Culture
  • Matta Life
  • Soulmates for Dinner: Exploring “Four to Dinner” on Netflix

    Soulmates for Dinner: Exploring “Four to Dinner” on Netflix

  • Italiano con Amore: Il Podcast di Eleonora Silanus

    Italiano con Amore: Il Podcast di Eleonora Silanus

  • From Inferno to Paradiso: Italian Expressions That Span Hell to Heaven

    From Inferno to Paradiso: Italian Expressions That Span Hell to Heaven

  • Chat with Serena Capilli: Teacher and Author of Due Amiche

    Chat with Serena Capilli: Teacher and Author of Due Amiche

  • Sarah Stevenson: Why I’m Learning Italian — A Matta Reader’s Journey

    Sarah Stevenson: Why I’m Learning Italian — A Matta Reader’s Journey

  • After 2 long years Matta programs have returned to Italy… we are jousting again!

    After 2 long years Matta programs have returned to Italy… we are jousting again!

  • 2021 Hallelujah! I’m traveling again after COVID and on my way to Italy!

    2021 Hallelujah! I’m traveling again after COVID and on my way to Italy!

  • Bruce Katz: artist makes art out of a peanut butter sandwich!

    Bruce Katz: artist makes art out of a peanut butter sandwich!

  • Love Italian? Then You Will Love, Love, Love Bologna!

    Love Italian? Then You Will Love, Love, Love Bologna!

  • Tutti i modi per salutare in italiano! All the ways to say hello in Italian!

    Tutti i modi per salutare in italiano! All the ways to say hello in Italian!

  • Living the Bella Vita: The Art of Slowing Down

    Living the Bella Vita: The Art of Slowing Down

  • How Italian Women Shaped Society and Family After 1945

    How Italian Women Shaped Society and Family After 1945

  • Transforming a Medieval Church into a Tuscan Home: Kyle Ball’s Inspiring Journey

    Transforming a Medieval Church into a Tuscan Home: Kyle Ball’s Inspiring Journey

  • Tutti a tavola! Italians and the Magic of Food

    Tutti a tavola! Italians and the Magic of Food

  • Macchiaioli vs. French Impressionists

    Macchiaioli vs. French Impressionists

  • The Ox Head on Florence’s Duomo

    The Ox Head on Florence’s Duomo

  • CareBonara — The legend of Carbonara (according to Barilla)

    CareBonara — The legend of Carbonara (according to Barilla)

  • How to Make Knife-Cut Tagliatelle: Recipe with Sausage and Thyme

    How to Make Knife-Cut Tagliatelle: Recipe with Sausage and Thyme

  • Austin, Texas. Dove abito io (quando non sono in italia)

    Austin, Texas. Dove abito io (quando non sono in italia)

  • Le vere voci: Things the Aretini Like Best About Arezzo

    Le vere voci: Things the Aretini Like Best About Arezzo

  • Trentino una zona tranquilla nel cuore delle dolomiti piena di leggende

    Trentino una zona tranquilla nel cuore delle dolomiti piena di leggende

  • Stanley Tucci is Searching for Italy… even speaking the language!

    Stanley Tucci is Searching for Italy… even speaking the language!

  • Heroes of the Resistance — The Seven Cervi Brothers

    Heroes of the Resistance — The Seven Cervi Brothers

  • Discover the Wonders of Ravenna: Art, Literature, and Beyond

    Discover the Wonders of Ravenna: Art, Literature, and Beyond

  • 2021 — Brindo a un nuovo anno! Toasting in a brand new year!

    2021 — Brindo a un nuovo anno! Toasting in a brand new year!

  • Sofonisba Anguissola: A Name to Remember and a New Novel to Read!

    Sofonisba Anguissola: A Name to Remember and a New Novel to Read!

  • Let’s Go to the Market in Arezzo! Andiamo!

    Let’s Go to the Market in Arezzo! Andiamo!

  • Lost Luggage, Found Fortune: A Lesson in Traveling Through Italy with Phil Rosen

    Lost Luggage, Found Fortune: A Lesson in Traveling Through Italy with Phil Rosen

  • 2020 — I should be traveling to Italy today… instead world shut down by COVID

    2020 — I should be traveling to Italy today… instead world shut down by COVID

  • Getting married in the time of Covid-19

    Getting married in the time of Covid-19

  • Quarantine: Italian Origins and Human Resilience

    Quarantine: Italian Origins and Human Resilience

  • Italy on Lockdown: The Darkest Hour, But We’ll Make It!

    Italy on Lockdown: The Darkest Hour, But We’ll Make It!

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Dal profumo di caffè al panico al bancone: sopravv Dal profumo di caffè al panico al bancone: sopravvivere alla colazione italiana!

From scent of coffee to panic at the counter: how to survive ordering Italian breakfast like a pro!

Colazione all’italiana! Ordering breakfast at the bar like a local
How to Order Breakfast Like an Italian: Coffee & Pastries at the Bar

Sei in Italia. È presto.
#CoffeeAndCornetto #FareColazione #ItalianBarEtiquette #ItalianBreakfastVibes #LearnItalianWithMatta #studentessamatta
🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta 🇮🇹 Matta Italian Langu 🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta 🇮🇹
Matta Italian Language Tip!

☕ Fare una bella figura al bar

Making a Good Impression at an Italian Coffee Bar

Want to order your espresso like a local? 🇮🇹

In my newest post on StudentessaMatta.com (for A1 to B1 Italian learners), you’ll learn the Italian you need to confidently order coffee al bar.

Here’s a little cultural tip to help you fare una bella figura (make a good impression):

💧 If your espresso comes with a small glass of still or sparkling water, many Italians take a sip before drinking their coffee. The water cleanses the palate so you can better appreciate the aroma and flavor of the espresso.

You may have heard that drinking the water after your espresso insults the barista. It’s a fun story... but mostly café folklore. Many Italians drink the water afterward simply because they’re thirsty or want to refresh their palate before heading back to work. Most baristas won’t think twice about it.

The real secret to fare una bella figura isn’t memorizing every unwritten rule. It’s appreciating the culture, being courteous, and speaking even a little Italian with confidence. 

One espresso.
One new word.
 One small conversation.

That’s how fluency grows.

👉 Read the full article on StudentessaMatta.com and join me in Italy for an immersive Italian language adventure where you’ll practice your Italian one espresso at a time!
Sono a Vancouver, in Canada, per festeggiare il 4° Sono a Vancouver, in Canada, per festeggiare il 4° compleanno di Ty e il 2° compleanno di Lu! 🎉🎂 Tanti auguri a questi due adorabili cuccioli, che riempiono ogni giornata di sorrisi, energia e tanta gioia! ❤️🎈
A Quick Shot of Italian for Your Daily Routine Un A Quick Shot of Italian for Your Daily Routine

Una rapida dose di italiano per la tua routine quotidiana — for A1-B1 Learners

Un caffè al bar
A Coffee at the Café

Uno dei modi più piacevoli per praticare l'italiano è entrare in un bar. Non serve una conversazione lunga. Bastano poche parole: un saluto, un ordine e un sorriso.
#CoffeeinItalian #EverydayItalian #Italiangrammar #italianlanguage #Italianvocabulary #LearnItalian #MattaEspresso #SpeakItalian #StudentessaMatta
One of the greatest joys of writing novels set in One of the greatest joys of writing novels set in Italy is hearing from readers who experience the places I’ve written about firsthand. 

This is Lauretta, whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Arezzo this June. Originally from San Francisco, she’s spending the summer in beautiful Arezzo studying Italian at Cultura Italiana Arezzo, my wonderful partner language school.

Lauretta speaks Italian beautifully and recently sent me this message:

“Ciao Melissa, sono Lauretta d’Arezzo. Sto leggendo il tuo libro, Il risveglio di Isabella, e mi piace moltissimo! Mi aiuta ad ampliare il mio vocabolario. Penso che i romanzi che parlino dei fatti veri della storia siano molto interessanti. Grazie per aver scritto Il Risveglio di Isabella.”

Grazie, Lauretta! ❤️ Sono davvero felice che il romanzo ti stia piacendo.

Il risveglio di Isabella is set against the backdrop of Arezzo, Tuscany, and follows an American art historian who uncovers a centuries old mystery linking a missing Renaissance masterpiece, the tragic life of Isabella de’ Medici, and a young woman living in wartime Italy. Blending art, history, romance, and suspense, the novel is a journey through Tuscany’s rich past that inspires one woman to rediscover her own creativity and purpose.

Available now on Amazon in paperback, Kindle ebook, and Audible audiobook.
Happy reading... or as we say in Italy, buona lettura! 🇮🇹❤️

#StudentessaMatta #IlRisvegliodiIsabella #WakingIsabella #ItalianLanguage #Arezzo
🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta 🇮🇹 Matta Italian Langu 🇮🇹 Un consiglio dalla Matta 🇮🇹
Matta Italian Language Tip!

When it comes to comparing things in Italian! 

(Read the latest blog post on the http://StudentessaMatta.com )

Comparing things is something we do every day. We compare prices, restaurants, cities, wines, calories… and even grammar rules! In Italian, you’ll hear three different verbs for making comparisons: confrontare, paragonare, and comparare. They may all translate as to compare, but each has its own nuance. And watch out for one particularly sneaky false friend: confrontare.

Confrontare = to compare two or more things side by side to identify their similarities and differences. This is the verb Italians use most often in everyday conversation when comparing prices, cities, restaurants, books, wines, or just about anything else.

Paragonare = to compare by drawing a likeness or placing one thing on the same level as another. It often has a more figurative, descriptive, or literary feel.

Comparare = also means to compare, but it’s much less common in spoken Italian. You’ll mainly encounter it in formal, legal, bureaucratic, or technical language.

And most importantly... Confrontare ≠ to confront

In Italian, confrontare has nothing to do with 
challenging or confronting someone.

You confrontare two wines.
You don’t confront the waiter!

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  • Blog
    • Italian Language Learning, Tips, Motivation
    • Art & Artists
    • Cultural Anecdotes & Current Affairs
    • Food & Wine
    • History, Holidays, Festivals
    • Literature, Music, Film
    • Traveling, Cities, Excursions
    • Matta Posts with Quizlet Vocabulary Flashcards
    • Sofia la piccola Matta teaches beginner Italian to children
    • Blog Signup
  • About
    • Get to know Melissa
    • What people are saying…
    • Matta Guest Posts
    • Other sites by Melissa
      • Melissa Muldoon Author Site
      • Art of Loving Italy Blog
      • Pinterest Art of Loving Italy
      • Matta Youtube Channel
      • Matta Music Spotify Playlist
      • Matta Podcast
    • News, Awards
    • Studentessa Matta Theme Song
    • Why are you learning Italian? Share Your Story
  • Learn with Melissa
    • Online Lessons + Conversation
    • Learn in Italy with Melissa
    • Join the Matta Italian Book Club — Private & Group Reading Experiences
    • Matta Quizlet Interactive Flashcards
      • Book Club Vocabulary: Io Non Ho Paura
      • Book Club Vocabulary: Guida Astrologica
      • 2022 Italian Words of Week
      • 2021 Italian Words of Week
  • Learn in Italy
    • Matta Travel Programs – Study in Italy with Melissa
      • 2027 June Matta Arezzo Italian Program
      • 2026 September Matta Tuscan Villa Language Program
      • 2026 September Matta & ItalianME Florence Language Program
      • 2026 Arezzo Jousting Festival September Weekend Program
      • Matta Travel Philosophy
    • Previous Matta Language Programs Italy
    • Italian Language Homestay Vacations
    • Walk in Italy Day Experience / Italian Lesson in Italy
  • BookClub
    • About BookClub
    • Commissario Ricciardi: Il posto di ognuno
    • Commissario Ricciardi: Condanna del sangue
    • Commissario Ricciardi:Il senso del dolore
    • Il Treno dei Bambini
    • La Libreria dei Gatti Neri
    • Brodetto galeotto
    • Io non ho paura
    • Quattro metà
    • Prima regola non innamorarsi
    • Il risveglio di Isabella
    • Guida astrologica per cuori infranti
    • Book Club Resource Hub
  • Novels
    • Melissa Muldoon Author Website
    • Amazon Author Page
      • Buy Dreaming Sophia
      • Buy Waking Isabella
      • Buy Il Risveglio di Isabella
      • Buy Eternally Artemisia
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