Year 11 Italian Beginners · Term 1 Week 1A
Worksheet · Course induction · alphabet, greetings, numbers
Write by hand first. Use the online checks afterwards.
Answers are shown online for checking. Your handwritten sheet stays the real work.
Topic: people, places and communities
Grammar focus: Nouns (singular) and singular definite and indefinite articles
HSC material: Text 1 · 2017 Q1; 2016 Q12
The vocabulary, grammar and culture parts were written for this plan. A teacher has not checked them yet.
Part A · Vocabulary
Learn these words before you meet the texts. Cover the meaning column and test yourself.
| Word | Meaning in this week's texts |
|---|---|
| Buongiorno | good morning / hello |
| vorrei | I would like |
| una cioccolata calda | a hot chocolate |
| da portar via | to take away |
| Altro? | anything else? |
| basta così | that is all / that is enough |
| l’annuncio | the advertisement / notice |
| il mercato | the market |
| in centro | in the town centre |
| una bancarella | a market stall |
| vendere | to sell |
| la marmellata ed il miele | the jam and the honey |
Part B · Words
These words are in this week's texts. Use the meaning bank and write one letter for each word.
Part C · Grammar · Nouns (singular) and singular definite and indefinite articles
For review · a teacher has not approved this text yet
Read the explanation, find the pattern in this week's texts, then practise it.
Every Italian noun is either masculine or feminine.
Most singular masculine nouns end in -o, and most singular feminine nouns end in -a; some singular nouns end in -e and can be either gender.
The word for 'the' (definite article) or 'a/an' (indefinite article) changes to match the gender and the first letter of the noun.
| il + masculine noun starting with most consonants | the (e.g. il mercato, il miele) |
| la + feminine noun starting with a consonant | the (e.g. la marmellata, la fattoria) |
| l’ + masculine or feminine noun starting with a vowel | the (e.g. l’annuncio) |
| lo + masculine noun starting with s + consonant or z | the (e.g. lo studente, lo zaino) |
| un + masculine noun (vowel or most consonants) | a / an (e.g. un mercato, un annuncio) |
| una + feminine noun starting with a consonant | a (e.g. una cioccolata, una bancarella) |
| un’ + feminine noun starting with a vowel | an (e.g. un’amica) |
| uno + masculine noun starting with s + consonant or z | a (e.g. uno studente) |
From this week's texts: read and underline the pattern
| Text | Sentence | English |
|---|---|---|
| Listening · Text 1 | Buongiorno, vorrei ordinare una cioccolata calda da portar via. | Good morning, I would like to order a takeaway hot chocolate. |
| Reading · 2016 Q12 | Hai visto l’annuncio per il mercato in centro? | Have you seen the advertisement for the market in the town centre? |
| Reading · 2016 Q12 | Pensavo di affittare una bancarella per vendere la marmellata ed il miele di mia nonna. | I was thinking of renting a stall to sell my grandmother's jam and honey. |
Exercise 1 · Fill the gap
Exercise 2 · Translate
T1. Good morning, I would like a tea.
T2. The farm is big.
T3. There is a market in the town centre.
Exercise 3 · Your own sentences
Write three sentences in Italian about places or food in your neighbourhood using un, una, il and la.
Part D · Culture · Cafés and open-air markets in Italy
For review · a teacher has not approved this text yet
Read, then answer the question.
In Italy, people visit the local bar (café) in the morning for coffee or una cioccolata calda, which is a thick, rich hot drink. When speaking to staff in a café or shop, customers greet them with Buongiorno and use polite forms like vorrei (I would like). Open-air markets (il mercato) are also a regular part of community life in the town centre (in centro). Local people go there to buy fresh food and homemade items like jam and honey directly from stalls (le bancarelle).
Where do people in your community go to buy fresh local produce or meet for a morning drink, and how do you greet the person serving you?
Part E · Listening
Text 1 · 2017 Q1. Listen in class: take notes the first time, answer after the second.
| Listen for | Your notes |
|---|---|
| Greeting used | |
| Item ordered | |
| Eat in or take away? | |
| Anything else ordered? | |
| Likely place of conversation |
Where is this conversation likely to be taking place?
FEMALE: Buongiorno, vorrei ordinare una cioccolata calda da portar via.
MALE: Altro?
FEMALE: No, grazie, basta così.
Part F · Reading
2016 Q12. Read the text, then answer in English.
Ciao Teresa. Hai visto l’annuncio per il mercato in centro? Pensavo di affittare una bancarella per vendere la marmellata ed il miele di mia nonna. Ti ricordi che lei fa questi prodotti alla sua fattoria? Ne ha sempre troppi e non sa mai dove metterli. Lei me li darebbe volentieri e così noi faremmo un po’di soldi e ci divertiremo un sacco. Fammi sapere se vuoi aiutare. Maurizio
Who is speaking, and to whom? · What happened? · Where? · Complete a table of the details. The printed question for this text waits until Term 3.
Part G · Speaking
Plan what you will say. Write key words, not a script.
Conosci una famiglia italiana?