VERONA LOCAL DIALECT IN OSTERIA

Oste, dàme un gòto de vin Amarone... or "sà ghè ogi de bòn da magnàr?"

"Inn keeper, please, serve me a good glass of Amarone wine" or "what is the daily special dish?"

..this are just two of the local dialect forms to ask for a glass of wine or for some good food in Osteria. Be aware then, when you enter in a real Osteria you would be inside a little pretty world of local dialect.

The population of every town and region in Italy has it’s own particular way of speak and write the italian language. This “dialect” is often composed by the “pure” italian with a layer of “corrupted” foreign words used by traveling merchants and foreign powers who ruled the town in the past centuries. So in Verona local dialect (Veronese), the mostly venetian language spoke between the Garda Lake and the Vicenza Province, you’ll find words from (and similar to ) German, France and Spanish.

An exemple of German sounding word?

“Brà” of Piazza Brà, the big square where today you can enjoy the Arena Colosseum is a Veronese translation of the German word “breit” (broad in english) due to the Longobard people that ruled North Italy in the VI-VIII centuries.

Other words come from closer regions like Lumbardy and Trentino ( especially in the western part of the Verona province) and from Vicentino /Venetian in the eastern part.

When you are in Caffè Monte Baldo it is normal to hear people speak in the Verona dialect, especially among the elderly.

Here is another example:

The word “schei” , which means money, is an abbreviation of “scheidemunze”, the name given to coins by the Austro- Hungarians , who ruled our region since 18th century.

Below a short list of common Veronese words translated into italian and english that you'll not find in your dictionary.

VERONESE ITALIAN ENGLISH

Adese Adige (fiume) Adige river, that flows around the town center

Ancò Oggi Today

Bacàn Contadino Farmer

Bicèr Bicchiere Glass

Càneva Cantina Cellar

Gòto Bicchiere (di vino) A small, tall, glass of wine

imbriàgo Ubriaco Drunk man

Trincàr Bere To drink (alcool)

Disnàr Pranzo Have a lunch

Did you enjoy this short article on Veronese dialect? Please feel free to comment on our facebook page F caffemontebaldo or send us an email caffemontebaldo@gmail.com

Caffè Monte Baldo,

Via Rosa 12 37121 Verona Italy

www.osteriamontebaldo.it