# Family Ties in Calabria

**Language:** Italian  
**CEFR Level:** A1  

> Improve your listening and speaking on the go with this engaging course. Join Vincenzo as he reunites with family and navigates fast-paced Italian conversations.

**Setting:** Vincenzo travels from New York to a lively family gathering in Calabria. He catches up on life, work, and family while asking his cousins to speak a bit slower.

## Lessons

### 1. Greetings and reunion

Vincenzo arrives in Calabria and greets his cousin Sofia warmly after a long trip.

**Vocabulary:**
- il cugino (the cousin)
- la famiglia (the family)
- l'aeroporto (the airport)
- ciao (hello)
- bene (well)

**Objectives:**
- Greet family members.
- Ask how things are going.

### 2. Please speak slowly

Sofia speaks a bit too fast, so Vincenzo asks her to slow down and enunciate her words.

**Vocabulary:**
- piano (slowly)
- veloce (fast)
- capire (to understand)
- ripetere (to repeat)
- la parola (the word)

**Objectives:**
- Ask someone to speak slowly.
- Express a lack of understanding.

### 3. Mothers and daughters

Vincenzo talks about his mother in New York and his two daughters.

**Vocabulary:**
- la madre (the mother)
- la figlia (the daughter)
- la donna (the woman)
- vivere (to live)
- vicino (near)
- stesso (same)
- città (city)

**Objectives:**
- Describe family members.
- State where someone lives.

### 4. The new grandchildren

Vincenzo proudly shares the news about his newborn twin grandchildren.

**Vocabulary:**
- il nipote (the grandchild)
- i gemelli (the twins)
- il mese (the month)
- due (two)
- piccolo (small)
- nipotini (young/small grandchilds)

**Objectives:**
- Talk about young children.
- Use basic numbers.

### 5. Working in construction

The conversation shifts to Vincenzo's construction business in the USA.

**Vocabulary:**
- il lavoro (the job)
- la casa (the house)
- l'edificio (the building)
- fare (to do)
- americano (American)
- caccia (hunting)
- tempo libero (free time)
- andare (to go)
- cane (dog)

**Objectives:**
- Discuss jobs and professions.
- Talk about construction work.

### 6. The American wife

They discuss their other cousin who moved to America, and his American wife's language skills.

**Vocabulary:**
- la moglie (the wife)
- la lingua (the language)
- l'inglese (the English)
- l'italiano (the Italian)
- parlare (to speak)
- anche (also/too)
- portare (to bring)
- saluti (the greetings)

**Objectives:**
- Discuss language skills.
- Talk about nationalities.

### 7. Sunday lunch traditions

The family gets ready to eat and reflects on the importance of family ties across oceans.

**Vocabulary:**
- la domenica (the Sunday)
- il pranzo (the lunch)
- il cuore (the heart)
- gustare (to savor)
- insieme (together)
- non vedo l'ora (I look forward to...)

**Objectives:**
- Talk about daily meals.
- Express gratitude for family.