A scuola (At school): Italian School Vocabulary
In this post, we’ll learn some Italian school vocabulary. We’ll start with some general vocabulary related to schools. Next, we’ll move on to Italian school vocabulary for the classroom and for homework and tests. Then we’ll learn vocabulary to talk about school subjects. Finally, we’ll look at vocabulary related to college and university.
Dove vai a scuola? Where do you go to school?
First, let’s start with some basic vocabulary.
- la scuola
school - la scuola elementare, il liceo, l’università
primary school, high school, university - lo studente/la studentessa, l’insegnante, il professore/la professoressa
student, teacher, professor
- È una studentessa delle superiori.
She’s a high school student. - Frequenta la scuola elementare.
He goes to primary school. - In che classe è lui / lei?
What grade is he in/she in? - Cosa studi all’università?
What are you studying at university?
Nella classe In the classroom
Second, let’s learn some vocabulary to help you talk about the classroom.
- l’aula, il banco, la libreria, il blocco note
classroom, student’s desk, bookshelf, notebook - la cattedra, la lavagna, la lavagna bianca, la mappa/la cartina geografica, il mappamondo
teacher’s desk, blackboard, whiteboard, map, globe - il blocco note, la carta, la matita, la penna, la gomma
notebook, paper, pencil, pen, eraser - il tablet, lo schermo, la calcolatrice
tablet, screen, calculator - studiare, imparare, ascoltare, fare un test, fare attenzione, prendere appunti
to study, to learn, to listen, to take a test, to pay attention, to take notes - Questa classe è grande / piccola.
This classroom is big/small. - L’insegnante scrive sulla lavagna.
The teacher writes on the whiteboard. - Gli studenti prendono appunti.
The students take notes. - Gli studenti ascoltano l’insegnante.
The students listen to the teacher. - Gli studenti prestano attenzione all’insegnante.
The students pay attention to the teacher. - Ho una domanda.
I have a question. - L’insegnante risponde alle domande degli studenti.
The teacher answers the students’ questions. - L’insegnante insegna. Gli studenti imparano.
The teacher teaches. The students learn.
compiti a casa homework
Third, let’s move on to vocabulary for homework and tests. If you’re in primary school or high school, you probably have a lot of opportunity to say things like:
- Domani abbiamo un test.
We have a test tomorrow. - Sto facendo un test.
I’m taking a test. - Devo studiare.
I have to study. - Ho un sacco di compiti.
I have a lot of homework. - Devo memorizzare molte parole del vocabolario.
I have to memorize a lot of new vocabulary words. - Faccio i compiti ogni sera.
I do homework every night. - Ho ottenuto un voto buono / brutto nel test.
I got a good/bad grade on the test. - Ho superato / fallito il corso.
I passed/failed the class.
argomenti scolastici school subjects
Fourth, let’s learn how to say the names of various school subjects in Italian.
- le lingue
languages - la letteratura
literature - la storia
history - la scienza
science - la matematica
math - l’economia
economics - la psicologia
psychology - la biologia
biology - la chimica
chemistry - la fisica
physics - la geografia
geography - la scienza politica
political science - l’informatica
computer science - l’ingegneria
engineering - la medicine
medicine - la filosofia
philosophy - la storia dell’arte
art history - l’architettura
architecture - la legge / la giurisprudenza
law
Qual è la tua materia preferita? What’s your favorite subject?
Fifth, let’s learn some vocabulary for talking about the subjects you like, and the ones you don’t.
- La storia è la mia materia preferita.
History is my favorite subject. - Sono bravo con le lingue.
I’m good at languages. - Sto andando bene / sto ottenendo buoni voti in biologia.
I’m doing well/getting good grades in biology. - Qual è la tua materia meno preferita?
What’s your least favorite subject? - Non mi piace la matematica.
I don’t like math. - Sono pessimo in scienze.
I’m bad at science. - Non capisco la chimica.
I don’t understand chemistry. - Sto andando male / ottenendo brutti voti in fisica.
I’m doing poorly/getting bad grades in physics
all’università at university
Finally, let’s move on to Italian school vocabulary for universities. If you’re a studente universitario / studentessa universitaria university student, you’ll probably have a chance to use this vocabulary.
- la lezione, il seminario
lecture, seminar - l’auditorium, l’aula magna, il laboratorio
auditorium, lecture hall, laboratory - Oggi ho lezione.
I have class today. - Non ho lezione questo pomeriggio.
I don’t have class this afternoon. - Studio in biblioteca.
I study in the library. - Sto facendo ricerche.
I’m doing research. - Sto scrivendo un documento di ricerca.
I’m writing a research paper. - Sto facendo un esperimento.
I’m doing an experiment. - Qual è la tua tesi?
What’s your thesis on? - Sto scrivendo la mia tesi.
I’m writing my thesis. - Vivo in un dormitorio.
I live in a dormitory. - Ho un coinquilino/una coinquilina.
I have a roommate.
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