Our new word of the week is : TAVOLO which in Italian means “table”. But did you now that UN TAVOLO in Italian has a slightly different meaning than UNA TAVOLA? Un TAVOLO (masculine word ending in – O) is a piece of furniture; UNA TAVOLA (feminine word ending in – A) is word with feelings included. Maybe, this is not by chance ?!!
IL Tavolo dell’ufficio, della sala o della cucina …ma La Tavola is the table where friends and familiy sit around for a meal together, to play cards, a table game, it is the place where children sit for their homework and grown-ups get together to discuss important family issues.
A Tavola ! it’s the expression used to call everybody when lunch or dinner is ready. It’s a word that comes to mind “with a table cloth on” (la tovaglia) . Italians rarely eat (or maybe Never? Mai?) without una tovaglia sulla tavola. The small place mats, in Italy, are generally used only for breakfast (per colazione) and they are called tovagliette americane (clearly not an Italian tradition!)
Setting the table for a meal is APPARECCHIARE o PREPARARE LA TAVOLA . To clear the table is : SPARECCHIARE.
Sedersi a tavola is a very pleasant habit , something worth doing while relaxing. Mangiare in Piedi is, for me, one of the most barbaric habit, something to avoid as plague – da evitare come la peste!
I also hate talking about politics, work and business a tavola; it should be banned : Vietato parlare di politica o lavoro a tavola. As the famous Commissario Montalbano by Camilleri says: “A tavola meglio il silenzio. Quando mangio non parlo .” For me, parlare va bene ma solo di cose piacevoli
Useful expressions:
Una bella tavolata – a nice group of friends eating together
Tavoletta – small board
Tavolino – another way to call the Table
“A tavola non si invecchia” _ way of saying meaning that sitting at the table for a meal is good for your health
Amare la buona tavola – to be fond of eating
Andare a tavoletta ( in macchina) – to drive very fast ( press the accelerator)
Vincere a tavolino – to win by appeal
Such a lovely thing to read!
Nadia
Thank you! Happy you like it 🙂