Academics & The Arts Articles

Article / Updated 03-16-2023

If you ever have the option of using a time machine to relive the era when Broadway churned out hit after hit after hit, set those dials to the late 1940s and set your return date for the end of the 1950s. When you open your chamber door, you’ll be entering into what’s known as Broadway’s Golden Age. After Oklahoma!, the hits just kept coming. Musicals that opened during these years are still being done all over the world — regionally and in summer stock, community theatre, high schools, and so on. And they’re often revived on Broadway. Gypsy (1959) has had five Broadway productions! Read on to find out why all the elements were right for the most fertile time in Broadway history and overviews of some of the most popular productions from this era. What made this age so golden? The Golden Age came into its stride after World War II because of three main reasons: A bustling economy: Many Americans had money to spend on entertainment such as Broadway shows. Travel to New York City was easier, so tourists from across the United States and around the world could see Broadway shows, guaranteeing a steady stream of audience members. Broadway on TV: The Ed Sullivan Show, which consistently staged long segments featuring Broadway musicals, brought Broadway shows into people’s living rooms every week. It’s one thing to have heard the title of the new R&H musical, and perhaps bought the album out of curiosity, but it was another to see the original cast perform three songs with full staging, whetting your appetite to order tickets and see the entire production. Better quality: Broadway shows had reached a level not seen before; American tastes coincided with what Broadway was producing. The shows that defined the Golden Age Shows of the Golden Age had many differences, yet the bones of them were the same: They were different because they took place in various locations (Siam, New York City, Napa Valley, London), different time periods (modern day, the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1800s, the early 1900s), and had different styles of music (classical, tin pan alley, jazz, swing). They were all similar in terms of having an overture, an intermission, a chorus, multiple leads, big and small moments of comedy, dancing, and more. However different or similar, the following Golden Age musicals are all musical theatre classics and are the result of the most fertile time on Broadway in terms of hit shows. (For more details and interesting anecdotes about these shows, check out my book Musical Theatre For Dummies.) On the Town (1944) When Oklahoma! opened in 1943, three audience members were poised to have their own musical smash just a year later. On that fateful opening night, composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist/librettists Betty Comden and Adolph Green, apparently, were on the street and offered tickets to Oklahoma! By 1944, they had their own hit musical called On the Town. The three not only wrote it, but Comden and Green also starred in two of the six main roles! Kiss Me, Kate (1948) Cole Porter had a smash with Anything Goes in the 1930s, but Kiss Me, Kate proved to be his longest-running hit. The show lasted for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway, was made into a film, and was revived on Broadway in the late 1990s and again in 2019. The show-within-a-show concept centered around two former lovers (who fall in love again) playing the leads in a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. Porter churned out a bunch of hit songs for the show, like “Too Darn Hot,” “Wunderbar,” and “So in Love.” South Pacific (1949) Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, who were already famous for State Fair, Carousel, and Oklahoma!, continued their successful partnership with this musical based on James Michener’s Tales of the South Pacific. You probably know this show is filled with beautiful songs like “Some Enchanted Evening,” “This Nearly Was Mine,” “Younger Than Springtime,” and “Bali Ha’i,” and charming uptempos like “Cockeyed Optimist,” and “Wonderful Guy.” But did you know it also has a strong progressive and anti-racism message? R&H got a lot of pushback for their song, “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught,” which explains that racism is passed down from generation to generation, but they insisted the song stay in the show. Guys and Dolls (1950) Guys and Dolls was composer/lyricist Frank Loesser’s second hit Broadway musical (his first was Where’s Charley? in 1948, based on the play Charley’s Aunt) and was called “The greatest American Musical of all time” by Bob Fosse. Guys and Dolls was a smash on Broadway, a successful film, and had an enormously successful revival in the 1990s, winning Faith Prince a Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her show-stopping performance as Miss Adelaide. “Luck Be a Lady Tonight” and “I’ve Never Been in Love Before” are just two of the hit songs from Guys and Dolls. The King and I (1951) One of R&H’s most enduring musicals, The King and I has been a Hollywood film and revived on Broadway three times. It continues to play all over the world. The musical is based on the novel Anna and the King of Siam, which was based on the memoirs of Anna, an actual British governess who went to Siam (now Thailand) to be a governess for the King’s children. The show won numerous Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and introduced now classic R&H tunes, like “I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Hello, Young Lovers,” and “Something Wonderful.” Original leads Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brenner both won Tony Awards for their performances of Anna and the King, respectively. The Pajama Game (1954) The Pajama Game has a libretto by George Abbott and a score by then newcomers Richard Adler and Jerry Ross; it’s a truly enjoyable show featuring the often recorded “Hey, There” and, one of my personal favorites, “I’m Not at All in Love.” This musical also boasts the Broadway debut of two theatrical titans and the launchpad of a movie star. The Pajama Game was the very first show produced by the man who won more Tony Awards than anyone else, Hal Prince! Hal Prince hired Bob Fosse to choreograph, starting Fosse’s ascension as one of the most famous choreographers (and later director) on Broadway. Carol Haney played the role of Gladys and got rave reviews dancing and singing the lead in the trio “Steam Heat.” No one ever thought she’d miss a show, but she had no choice when she hurt her ankle. Her understudy went on (without rehearsal) and because a film agent was in the audience, she wound up signing a five-year Hollywood contract. The understudy was Shirley MacLaine, and that story has given hope to understudies ever since. Damn Yankees (1955) The next musical that contained a score by Adler and Ross was Damn Yankees. Again, produced by Hal Prince with choreography by Fosse, this show cemented the stardom of Gwen Verdon who played Lola, a woman who sold her soul to the devil in order to be beautiful. The plot involves Joe Hardy who temporarily sells his soul to the devil so his beloved baseball team, The Washington Senators, can beat those “damn Yankees” and the Devil wants Lola to use her skills so he can own Joe’s soul permanently. My Fair Lady (1956) The longest running musical of the 1950s was My Fair Lady. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, the show has a score by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe and contains hit songs, like “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” and “On the Street Where You Live.” The show made a star out of Julie Andrews, the flower girl who’s taught to speak “proper” English. However, she wasn’t enough of a star, according to producer Jack Warner, to be cast in the film, so the role went to Audrey Hepburn. Luckily for Andrews, she was cast as Mary Poppins the same year as My Fair Lady. She then got sweet revenge when Hepburn wasn’t nominated for an Oscar and, not only was Andrews nominated, but she won! Jamaica (1957) Jamaica is important in the evolution of Broadway because it was one of the few Golden Age musicals to have a Black leading lady. Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg (who composed the music and lyrics to The Wizard of Oz) wrote a score for Jamaica using the style of calypso music made popular by Harry Belafonte. The musical was actually written for Belafonte, but when he became unavailable, the lead character was changed to a woman so Lena Horne could star. This role led to Horne being the first Black woman to be nominated for a Tony Award! And in the 1980s, she won a special Tony for Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music. In 2022, the Brooks Atkinson Theatre was renamed the Lena Horne Theatre, making her the first Black female performer to have her name on a Broadway theatre. The Music Man (1957) The Music Man is one of the rare shows with book, music, and lyrics all by the same person: Meredith Willson. On the surface, The Music Man appears to be an old-fashioned show with old-fashioned values, but it’s actually a very forward-thinking show. Rather than celebrate so-called small-town values, the show mocks the closed-mindedness of the citizens of River City, the fictional Iowa small town where the action takes place. West Side Story (1957) The Broadway classic West Side Story is based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but instead of being about two feuding families, it’s about two rival gangs: The Sharks, whose members are of Puerto Rican heritage, and The Jets, whose members are of Polish heritage, represent the Capulets and the Montagues. The show is filled with hit after hit: “Tonight,” “I Feel Pretty,” “Something’s Coming,” and “Somewhere,” which became a hit again almost 30 years later when Barbra Streisand recorded it for 1985’s The Broadway Album. The role of Anita, created by Chita Rivera (see the photo above), requires not only comedic and dramatic acting chops, but also Broadway belting, and incredibly difficult dancing while singing. By all accounts, Rivera was brilliant as Anita. Yet, infuriatingly, not only did she not win a Tony Award, but she wasn’t even nominated. I’ve been traumatized by the unfairness since 1957, and I hadn’t even been born! Gypsy (1959) Gypsy is a musical fable based on the story of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous stripper, and many consider it to be the all-time greatest American musical. Jule Styne wrote the music, and like West Side Story, Sondheim wrote the lyrics (his second Broadway musical) and Arthur Laurents was the playwright. Ethel Merman originated the role of Mama Rose, and although it’s considered her greatest role, she didn’t win the Tony Award. That year it went to Mary Martin for The Sound of Music, adding fuel to the fire of their supposed feud. In truth, they were good friends and, on a side note, if you’re wondering what a Tony Award goes for, Mary Martin’s sold at an auction in 2015 for $35,000! I thought a nun takes a vow of poverty! The Sound of Music (1959) The Sound of Music represents the end of the Golden Age. Not only was it produced in 1959, which most people consider the final year of the Golden Age, but it was also the final musical written by R&H, whose Oklahoma! started the Golden Age. The final lyrics that Hammerstein wrote were for the sweet folk tune “Edelweiss.” The show is based on the Von Trapp family singers and, proving again that Broadway embraces aging much more than Hollywood, Martin was 46 when she played the young virgin nun. Besides the title song, the show has the classic, “My Favorite Things,” which many consider a Christmas song for some reason. I guess because it references winter and presents?

Article / Updated 03-16-2023

Have you thought about being in a musical? Good! You may, therefore, wonder whether being in a musical is easy? The answer is yes! You may also wonder whether being in a musical is hard? The answer is also yes! As contradictory as that sounds, it really is both. Certain things are required for performing in a musical that are intuitive to many people and don’t require training. However, other things are difficult to do without proper training. And no matter what, the more training you have, the more musicals you’ll be cast in. In this article, I'm covering auditioning, but for more about the skills you need for musicals, check out my book Musical Theatre For Dummies. Parts of the audition process Lots of shows hold an initial audition and then callbacks, and then, hopefully, you get the role. But that’s not often the case. There can also be a dance call after the first audition, or another kind of call, like Meet Me In St. Louis, which had an ice-skating audition. (Yes, the Broadway show had an ice rink for Act Two!) Here are some of the common types of auditions: Initial audition This is the first time you’re auditioning for the show. The audition requirement might be to sing something from the show, something in the style of the show, or perhaps just sing something that shows your abilities. If a whole bunch of people are being seen, perhaps the casting office is just asking for 16 bars of music (16 measures is about 1 minute). The creative team might be at this audition or, perhaps, just the casting director or casting associates are. It’s very rare that anyone is offered the job after this audition unless it’s an audition for a role in a show that’s running and they’re bringing in people whom they know are right for the role. That usually means the creative team is at the audition and they decide that day who gets the gig. Callbacks This is the audition after the first audition. Often there’s more than one callback. And sometimes there are lots (like more than five!). Multiple callbacks happen for various reasons: Sometimes you’re given additional material to learn. Sometimes you’re given an acting note to work on and come back. Often, as they whittle down the final candidates for the role, more and more powers-that-be are brought in to watch the audition — like the producers, the writers, and so on. Dance calls For ensemble dance roles, auditions usually begin with a dance call. You audition in a group by learning a dance taught by the choreographer or an associate. After that, they usually call out the names of those whom they want to stay and show more. Everyone else knows to leave. Sometimes you’re asked to stay and sing or sometimes you’re asked to dance a different combination. This is for the ensemble who are labeled as “dancers who sing.” The reverse happens for ensemble members who are “singers who dance.” You come in and sing, and if they like what they hear, you’re asked to come to a dance call. The same audition process happens with roles that have some dancing. You audition with a song (and maybe a scene) and then you may be asked to return and do a dance call specific for that role. Often it’s with a bunch of other people auditioning for that same role! Chemistry calls Sometimes a show holds chemistry calls, in which two people audition together to see if they connect well onstage. As you can see, there’s no set number of auditions one can have for a role. Peeking inside the audition room Though the amount of auditions vary, the majority of them look basically the same. They’re usually held in a rehearsal room at a rehearsal studio. A pianist is present with the people leading the audition sitting behind a table. Sometimes one person is behind the table, but usually a few. Typically you’ll see the casting person, director, and music director. The further along the audition, the more people. Depending on the role, final auditions can have many people there to give their approval — 10, 15, 20! If you have an audition time, you sit in the area outside the rehearsal room with other people who are also waiting to audition. If it’s an open call, meaning anyone can audition, you usually line up and wait — sometimes for long periods of time. The process of waiting can be tedious, but you can chat with the people around you, which is how friendships are formed. Just don’t be the annoying person who can’t take a hint and chats nonstop as a fellow auditioner is trying to prepare, and don’t be the blowhard that keeps talking loudly about their various amazing auditions and upcoming gigs (#Shunned). After your name is called, you walk in, make small talk with the people behind the table, and hand the pianist your music. You then sing, make more small talk, and then sometimes you’re asked to sing another song you have with you or perform your own monologue. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to read something from the show that you received in advance. If it’s not a monologue, you’ll do the scene with a reader. A reader is an actor who’s hired to perform various scenes with everyone auditioning. (By the way, these readers are good. Santino Fontana began as a reader before he won his Tony Award for Tootsie!) After you’re finished, you’ll usually be thanked, and you’ll find out later whether you got a callback. Sometimes you’ll be asked on the spot if you’re available later for a callback. It’s always a delicious feeling to walk out of an audition room knowing they want to see you again! But try not to smirk too much when you walk by the other peeps auditioning. Dance auditions are similar in terms of being in a rehearsal studio with a pianist. The studio has walls with mirrors so you can watch yourself as you learn the dance. The audition that's not an audition The most frustrating type of audition is one where you don’t get to actually audition. That’s when the powers-that-be type you. This happens during auditions where there are lots and lots of hopefuls. They bring in groups of around 10 to 20 people who stand in a line, and the person in charge of the audition looks at everyone and decides what types look right for the show. Those people who pass the physical test are asked to stay … and everyone else is asked to leave — without ever having auditioned! When that happens, it means you’ve been typed out. You’ve waited for hours just to have someone look at you and say no … in about 20 seconds. It happened to Priscilla Lopez when she auditioned to be one of the young girls in the original production of Gypsy. But years later, she won a Tony Award, so there! Focus on these tips for auditioning Preparation is key. Here are some quick tips for auditioning, no matter what level of musical theatre you’re doing: Have a few great go-to audition songs. Have a song (or songs) that shows who you are. It doesn’t have to have incredibly specific lyrics. A general song about happiness or love can be great because you can bring your specific self to it. The way you express the lyric makes you unique. Think about how you would say “I love Paris in the Springtime” and think about how your mom would say it. I bet it’s totally different. My point is, if you express the lyrics as you really would in real life, you’ll be special. And always be thinking when you’re singing and when you’re not singing. Do: Make sure you’re always thinking and that it shows in your facial expressions. “What good is sitting alone in your room?” (Thought: Here’s a great idea for you to cheer yourself up!) “Come hear the music play!” Don’t: Avoid going blank-faced between phrases. “What good is sitting alone in your room?” (Blank-faced) “Come hear the music play.” The way you look when you’re thinking or expressing that thought in the air is uniquely you, and that’s what will make you stand out at an audition. Know exactly in what key you sing your audition song. You may sound fantastic on a sustained belted A, but the sheet music you have ends on a C. Change the key! Find the key that fits your voice. You can do this if you’re singing an audition song not from the show you’re auditioning for. But if you’re auditioning for a specific part in the show, the music you sing should be in the key of the show. It’s not that common for a theatre (except Broadway) to transpose the key of a song from a show that already exists. No matter what, always run your audition song with a pianist in advance. I’ve played piano at so many auditions where people bring music they’ve never rehearsed. They buy the sheet music thinking it’s the same as the recorded version they’ve sung along with … and it’s not! They wind up singing something that doesn’t suit their range at all — too low or too high — or it’s a version of the song with a different ending than what they know. The result is the same: a bad audition. You can sing from the show if you want, but you don’t have to. I suggest you bring a song that’s similar to the role you want to get. After you’re done, the people behind the table making the casting choices may ask you if you know a song from the show, and if you do, that gives you another opportunity to sing for them! Remember that the people behind the table have a problem, and they want you to solve it. They need to cast this show, and it would be great if you were the person they could cast. Then they can move on to the next phase of the show. So, don’t think they’re sitting there thinking, “How dare this person think they can be in our show?” They want you to succeed. The meanness of the judges on American Idol isn’t how Broadway (or other theatres) is. Yes, there has been the random hostile director, casting director, music director, or whatever, but it isn’t the norm! So go in there confident that you’re the person they want.

Article / Updated 03-16-2023

If your number-one priority is seeing your favorite show, in the best seats, at a specific time, with no hassle, then the best option is to plan ahead. That means buying your tickets months in advance and planning to pay significant, although not astronomical, prices. The good news is that popular musicals release tickets six to eight months in advance. That allows patrons to plan an entire Broadway trip (like booking plane tickets, securing vacation time, and getting hotel rooms) and experiences (like seeing other tourist attractions) well beforehand. You can purchase tickets through the production’s website directly or by visiting the theatre box office. Buying directly from the box office is ideal because it allows you to make sure you’re paying the actual ticket price listed versus a higher price through processing fees or additional charges from a ticketing agency. And if you don’t live in New York City, surely you know someone who does, right? Ask them to go to the box office for you and snag those tickets! Taking a chance at a TKTS booth Sometimes you can’t purchase tickets in advance. If you’re not set on a specific show, a wonderful and definitely cheaper option is to visit a TKTS ticket booth. TKTS ticketing booths sell day of tickets anywhere from 25 to 50 percent off the regular ticket price. That adds up to substantial savings for you and potentially fuller audiences for struggling or less popular shows. A show’s producer(s) makes these tickets available to TKTS because the show isn’t sold out. On the other hand, shows that do sell out often aren’t available on TKTS. You can count on popular shows being available, but not the hottest ones. TKTS has four locations in New York City, with the most well-known being in Times Square (see photo above). London has one in Leicester Square for West End shows. These booths traditionally open four to six hours before shows begin and are run by the Theatre Development Fund in New York City and The Society of London Theatre in the West End. If you live near New York City or visit regularly, then the Theatre Development Fund (TDF) is fabulous to join. If you’re eligible, it’s only $40 a year, and you get lots and lots of tickets to Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off Broadway shows offered at discounted prices. Check out www.tdf.org. And if you’re going to be spending time in the U.K., check out https://solt.co.uk/ to buy Theatre Tokens, which can be used to get tickets to more than 260 venues in the U.K. — they have no expiration date! I have so many fond memories of going into New York City with my dad on the weekends and lining up on 47th Street. One of us would run ahead and see what shows were on the board. If there was one we really wanted to see, we’d be thrilled but so anxious waiting in that long line because the available tickets for the show we wanted to see could be gone by the time we finally got to the booth. Therefore, then, as well as now, it’s always important to have a second choice. Nowadays, you can download the TKTS app, which is extremely helpful, especially on the days leading up to your theatre adventure. Why? Because you can check every day to see the shows that are available so you can get a sense in advance of what you want to see. And, with the TKTS app, you can see if your favorite show is listed every day and, if not, what day is the most likely for your show to be available. Getting discounted tickets to the most popular shows on the weekend is more difficult. Weekday nights are a better time to visit TKTS. Playing the lottery and winning big Another option is to explore whether or not your favorite show has any lottery options. Lottery sales on the day of a show can include tickets sold in the front two rows of a theatre, reduced-price tickets for students with a valid student ID, or cancellation lines for those who purchased seats but unexpectedly have to cancel. Whereas TKTS is the place to get tickets to shows that don’t sell out, lotteries are the best bet for shows that almost always sell out. Go to the show’s website to find out what their lottery process is before you trudge to the theatre. Lotteries began during Rent and the sight of people camped out hours before the show added to the show’s reputation as a mega-hit. And during Hamilton’s lottery, Lin-Manuel Miranda and other cast members would often put on a live show on the sidewalk to entertain those waiting to see if they’d win. Search for those shows on YouTube — they’re so fun. You don’t have to be special to win the lottery. It’s a number’s game, so if you have time on your hands, enter lotteries often. The more you do it, the more chance you have of winning those coveted tickets. And just because you won this week doesn’t mean they won’t let you enter next week. If you’re obsessed with a show, lotteries are a great way to see your obsession multiple times without declaring bankruptcy. Try out TodayTix A relatively new and wonderful way to tickets is through TodayTix.com, which offers nicely priced tickets for same day, same week, or advance sales of Broadway shows (and many other events). They also have same day lotteries and rush seats available. To enter, you usually just have to post something on social media announcing that you’ve entered the lottery. TodayTix has expanded from New York City to around the world so download the app onto your phone for when you’re travelling and want to know what performances are happening in the city you’re visiting. Buying from a reseller: When ya just gotta see it Sometimes, you find yourself with little to no options other than getting out your credit card and paying whatever it takes. When you find yourself in that situation, going through a ticket broker or reseller is your only avenue. One of the risks associated with this option is the possibility of using a reseller who sells you fake tickets or tickets at exorbitant prices (such unsavory types were previously known as scalpers). Just like with sporting events, make sure you realize that any tickets you acquire that aren’t from the theatre or an approved vendor can be a dicey proposition. That’s why you should carefully vet any ticket agency you eventually use. Going through a reseller or secondary ticketing agency includes paying extremely high ticket prices, but it also helps ensure that you can get what you pay for: the best tickets, on the best day, in the best location. Before you buy these tickets, feel free to vet whether they’re legitimate by posting on a theatre message board. They are full of major theatre fans who can tell you if you’re being scammed. I recommend AllThatChat.com for quick responses from knowledgeable theatre folk.

Article / Updated 03-16-2023

Certain Spanish words allow you to describe where people or things are in relation to other people and things. Expressing these spatial directions in Spanish — and thus creating more accurate and engaging sentences — is pretty easy if you can memorize these words: al lado (ahl lah-doh) (beside, next to, at the side of) al frente (ahl frehn-teh) (in front of) dentro (dehn-troh) (inside) adentro (ah-dehn-troh) (inside; because dentro also means “inside,” adentro may express movement, as when someone or something moves toward an interior) fuera (fooeh-rah) (outside) afuera (ah-fooeh-rah) (outside; like adentro, the Spanish word afuera can be used to express movement — in this case, the movement of someone or something toward an exterior) bajo (bvah-Hoh) (under; below) debajo (deh-bvah-Hoh) (underneath) arriba (ah-ree-bvah) (above) Practicing these directions comes in handy. The sentences that follow show you how you can use spatial-direction terms in your day-to-day conversation: La pastelería está al lado del banco. (lah pahs-teh-leh-reeah ehs-tah ahl lah-doh dehl bvahn-koh) (The pastry shop is next to the bank.) Al frente del banco hay una zapatería. (ahl frehn-teh dehl bvahn-koh ahy oo-nah sah-pah-teh-reeah) (In front of the bank there is a shoe store.) Las mesas del café están afuera. (lahs meh-sahs dehl kah-feh ehs-tahn ah-fooeh-rah) (The tables of the cafe are outside.) Cuando llueve ponen las mesas adentro. (kooahn-doh yooeh-bveh poh-nehn lahs meh-sahs ah-dehn-troh) (When it rains, they put the tables inside.) Arriba hay cielo despejado. (ah-ree-bvah ahy see-eh-loh dehs-peh-Hah-doh) (Above, the sky is clear.) Hay agua bajo los pies de Carlos. (ahy ah-gooah bvah-Hoh lohs peeehs de kahr-lohs) (There’s water under Carlos’s feet.) Debajo de la calle corre el tren subterráneo. (deh-bvah-Hoh deh lah kah-yeh koh-rreh ehl trehn soobv-teh-rrah-neh-oh) (The subway runs under the street.) Este ascensor va arriba. (ehs-teh ah-sehn-sohr bvah ah-rree-bvah) (This elevator goes up.) Hay un gato dentro de la caja. (ahy oon gah-toh dehn-troh deh lah kah-Hah) (There’s a cat inside the box.)

Article / Updated 03-16-2023

The gender of nouns is always a stumbling point for people learning Spanish. In Spanish, nouns always take on a specific gender. This gender role is in addition to the traditional role nouns take on as the subject of a sentence or the direct object of a verb. Spanish nouns are either masculine or feminine. Nouns that refer to males are always masculine, and nouns that refer to females are feminine, no matter their endings. You can’t always be sure when it comes to places or things, though. In Spanish, certain endings are good indications as to the gender (masculine or feminine designation) of nouns. For instance, nouns that end in -o (except la mano [lah mah-noh; the hand] and la radio [lah rah-deeoh; the radio]) are most often masculine. Nouns that end in -a, -ad (la ciudad [lah seeoo-dahd; city]), -ie (la serie [lah seh-reeeh; the series]), -ción (la canción [lah kahn-seeohn; the song]), -sión (la discusión [lah dees-koo-seeohn; discussion]), -ud (la salud [lah sah-lood; health]), and -umbre (la costumbre [lah kohs-toom-bvreh; custom]) generally are feminine. Certain nouns belonging to a theme are masculine, including Numbers (el cuatro [ehl kooah-troh; four]) Days of the week (el jueves [ehl Hooeh-bvehs; Thursday]) Compass points (el norte [ehl nohr-teh; north]) Names of trees (el manzano [ehl mahn-sah-noh; apple tree]) Compound nouns (el mediodía [ehl meh-deeoh-dee-ah; noon]) Names of rivers, lakes, mountains, straits, and seas (el Mediterráneo [ehl meh-dee-teh-rrah-neh-oh; the Mediterranean]) Certain nouns belonging to a theme are feminine, such as Many illnesses (la gripe [lah gree-peh; the flu], la apendicitis [lah ah-pehn-dee-see-tees; appendicitis]) Islands and provinces (la Córsega [lah kohr-seh-gah; Corsica]) If you’re not sure about a particular word’s gender, take a look at the article that precedes it for a hint. El and los are masculine forms of the, whereas la and las are feminine.

Article / Updated 03-15-2023

By mastering the basics of conversation in Italian, you put yourself and the person you're talking to at ease. Everyone should learn essential Italian conversational words and phrases before traveling to Italy. These words and expressions are sure to come up in most everyday conversations. Courteous phrases Being polite is just as important in Italy as anywhere else in this world. The following words and phrases cover most of the pleasantries required for polite conversation. After all, learning to say the expressions of common courtesy in Italian before traveling is just good manners. sì (yes) no (no) per favore; per piacere; per cortesia (please) Grazie (Thank you) Molte grazie (Thank you very much.) Prego! (You're welcome!) Si figuri! (It's nothing.) Mi scusi. (Excuse me.) prego (by all means) Può ripetere, per cortesia? (Can you please repeat.) Personal pronouns Once you've mastered the common pleasantries, the next important thing to learn is how to refer to people. The most common way is by using personal pronouns. In Italian, the pronouns (you and they) are complicated by gender and formality. You'll use slightly different variations of these words depending to whom you are referring and how well you know them. Io (I) lui (he) lei (she) noi (we) tu (you [singular]) lei (you [singular/formal]) voi (you (plural/informal]) loro (you (plural/formal]) loro (they) Use the informal tu (singular you) and voi (plural you) for friends, relatives, younger people, and people you know well. Use the formal lei (singular you) when speaking to people you don't know well; in situations such as in stores, restaurants, hotels, or pharmacies); and with professors, older people, and your friends' parents. The formal loro (plural you) is rarely used and is gradually being replaced by the informal voi when addressing a group of people. References to people When meeting people in Italy, be sure to use the appropriate formal title. Italians tend to use titles whenever possible. Use the Lei form when using any of the following titles. A man would be called Signore, which is the same as Mr. or Sir. An older or married woman is called Signora and a young lady is called Signorina. It is also helpful to know the correct vocabulary term for referring to people based on their age, gender, or relationship to you. uomo (a man) donna (a woman) ragazzo (a boy) ragazza (a girl) bambino [M]; bambina [F] (a child) padre (a father) madre (a mother) figlio [M]; figlia [F] (child) fratello (a brother) sorella (a sister) marito (a husband) moglie (a wife) amico [M]; amica [F] (a friend) In Italian, there are four words to cover the English indefinite articles a and an. For masculine words, you would use uno if the word begins with a z or an s and a consonant and you would use un for the rest. For feminine words, you should use 'un for words beginning with a vowel and una for words beginning with a consonant. Phrases for travelers There are some Italian phrases that are particularly helpful to international travelers. Below are several phrases may come in handy during your stay in Italy. Mi scusi. (Excuse me. [Formal]) Non parlo bene l'italiano. (I don't speak Italian well.) Parla inglese? (Do you speak English? [Formal]) Parlo inglese. (I speak English.) Mi sono perso. [M]; Mi sono persa. [F] (I'm lost.) Sto cercando il mio albergo. (I'm looking for my hotel.) Sì, lo so. (Yes, I know.) Non lo so. (I don't know.) Non so dove sia. (I don't know where it is.) Non capisco. (I don't understand.) Capisco, grazie. (I understand, thanks.) Può ripetere, per cortesia? (Can you repeat, please? [Formal]) È bello. (It's beautiful.) È bellissimo. (It's very beautiful.) Vado a casa. (I'm going home.) Domani visitiamo Venezia. (We'll visit Venice tomorrow.) Due cappuccini, per favore. (Two cappuccinos, please.) Non lo so. (I don't know.) Non posso. (I can't.) Non potevo. (I couldn't.) Non lo faccio. (I won't do it.) Non dimenticare! (Don't forget!) Lei non mangia la carne. (She doesn't eat meat.) Non siamo americani. (We aren't American.) Il caffè non è buono. (The coffee isn't good.) Non è caro! (It's not expensive!) It's possible to use more than one negative in a sentence. For example, you may say Non capisce niente (He/she doesn't understand anything). Generally, you may just put non in front of your verb to negate your sentence, such as m'ama non m'ama (he/she loves me, he/she loves me not). Common places and locations It is also helpful to know the correct vocabulary for some of the common places or locations that you might need or want while traveling in Italy. banca (bank) città (city) il consolato Americano (American consulate) il ristorante (restaurant) in campagna (in the country) in città (in the city) in montagna (in the mountains) l'albergo (hotel) l'ospedale (hospital) la casa (house) la polizia (police) la stazione dei treni (train station) metropolitana (subway) museo (museum) negozio (store) paese (country) spiaggia (beach) stato (state) ufficio (office)

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