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- Topic: Italian >
- "Ho chiamato le mie zie."
33 Comments
Most of my family comes from Italy, and to say auntie we say something like "zizzi." I don't really know how to spell it, because it's always verbal and never written. It's pronounced like "dzits-tsi."
I understand but in Ireland I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "aunts" or even "aunt" singular, it just sounds very formal and not like you're talking about a close family member. One aunty two aunties.
Oliviakins: In the US aunt is probably the most common term for the sister of a parent. In most parts of the US it's pronounced to rhyme with 'want', and as a form of address it's quite often lengthened to "auntie", while in the south it's pronounced 'ant' like the pesky little critter we're all familiar with.
Oh I know it's a word, the problem is it's not the only correct way of speaking.
Oliviakins: I agree completely. I was just trying to clarify how the word's used in the US. I'm sure there are a number of other English terms for this particular relative.
That's interesting, because in the US aunt is very casual when talking about your aunt and auntie is really only used by small kids or when addressing your aunt. And I'm pretty sure all English courses on Duo are American-English based, and we would never say "my auntie(s)" to someone, so that's probably why. But it should be accepted.
2231
I agree, put I I called my aunties on Halloween 2014 and it was marked as wrong. I've reported it as should be accepted.
I just added "aunties" as a possibility. : ) Keep reporting those different regional variations - I try to add them as I see them.
It's not slang.. it's slightly informal. It's pretty global when it comes to usage, not sure why you think it's Aussie.
Aunties is a correct translation of zie. Aunt and aunts are used more formally at least in Australia. Some of the words and spelling used in Duolingo are particularly American, eg candies.... Sweets or lollies.
JonMorris: Where I grew up in the US (Rhode Island), we said "auntie(s)" so I don't think it's restricted to the UK.
- 1735
Why is the definite article used here? I thought that it was dropped before possessive adjectives when referring to family members.
The definite article is only dropped if it's singular (eg. 'mia zia'). With plurals it's kept ('le mie zie').
- 212
«Zie» means "aunts". "Aunts and uncles" is said «zii» (that also only means "uncles").
Italian adjectives:
Amico = male friend Amica = female friend Amici = males only or male and female friends even if you have 6 girls and a boy it is AMICI Amiche = female only friends
Just been hit by the "Aunties" trick on the last question on my last heart. Sound.
- 842
Why is it "le mie zie"? I thought the rule was that with family it was not correct to use the article "le".
See RWln1969.... The article is only omitted in the singular with family members! It's needed in the plural.
SoBroithe: "to call ON" in English can mean "to stop by to visit" ; it can mean 'to request something of someone"; it can mean "to ask someone to answer a question" as a teacher might. These uses are different than simply 'to call' which means 'to (tele)phone'.
Thanks, Germanlehrerlsu. Your answer makes sense. But I don't understand why "called on" was given as a clue if it's incorrect.
SoBroithe: I don't know either. "Chiamare" of course has other meanings as in "to call someone by a certain name," or "to summon someone" and so forth, but I'm not familiar with any use of it in the sense of "to call on".
