Coffee Break Italian

This is the companion podcast to On Track Episode 2: the second day of the race, starting in Milan. The episode itself is on the Coffee Break Languages YouTube channel, and it's best to watch that first. We talk about how the day went, so be aware there will be spoilers!

Watch On Track Episode 2.

Get the free episode 2 handout for your own copy of the text, plus the word list.

Francesca tells the story of day two from Team Green's side, in a short Italian text written for learners. In Milan there's a race through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and an opera performed right outside La Scala. We read it through, talk about the language in it, then read it again, so by the end you'll understand every word.

Francesca says "penso che per Pablo sia stato interessante": after "penso che", "I think that", Italian uses the subjunctive, so it's "sia stato", not "è stato". For a simple opinion she also uses "secondo me", "in my opinion", which takes the ordinary verb.

Can't wait a week? Episode 3 is already on Coffee Break TV, and you get 20% off with the code ONTRACK20. Pick your language here and the code is applied for you.

Everything about On Track, including the Companion Courses.

On Track is brought to you in collaboration with Teachable. The On Track companion courses are hosted on Teachable. Future course creator? Find out more here.

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This is the companion podcast to On Track Episode 1: the first day of the race, starting in Venice. The episode itself is on the Coffee Break Languages YouTube channel, and it's best to watch that first. We talk about how the day went, so be aware there will be spoilers!

Watch On Track Episode 1: https://youtu.be/_-_lH0rYCVg

Francesca is on home ground for day one, and she tells the story from Team Green's side in a short Italian text written for learners: Venetian masks with secret lives, and a tongue twister. We read it through, talk about the language in it, then read it again, so by the end you'll understand every word.

Francesca uses "che" with an adjective to say "how...!", as in "che bello!" and "che creativo!", and it works with almost any adjective. Then there's "un sacco", which you'll hear all the time in everyday Italian.

Can't wait a week? Episode 2 is already on Coffee Break TV: https://coffeebreaktv.com/join?utm_source=acast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ontrack&utm_content=podcast-it-ep1

Everything about On Track, including the Companion Courses: https://coffeebreaklanguages.com/ontrack?utm_source=acast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ontrack&utm_content=podcast-it-ep1

On Track is brought to you in collaboration with Teachable. The On Track companion courses are hosted on Teachable. Future course creator? Find out more here: https://www.teachable.com/welcome/coffeebreak?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=partnerdirect&utm_campaign=coffebreak&utm_content=CT

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On Track is our new series: a five-day race across Europe by train. Two teams of Coffee Break language experts, ten cities in four countries, and language challenges at every stop. Team Green is Francesca, from Coffee Break Italian, and Pablo, from Coffee Break Spanish. Team Blue is Max, from Coffee Break French, and Thomas, from Coffee Break German.

The series itself is on the Coffee Break Languages YouTube channel, starting on Sunday 1st November at 5pm UK time. That's where to watch the race.

Alongside it, here on Coffee Break Italian, there's the On Track Companion Podcast. After each episode, Francesca tells the story of that day in Italian, in a short text written for learners. We read it through, talk about the language in it, then read it again, so by the end you'll understand every word.

Watch each episode first, then come back for the companion podcast. We talk about how each day went, so be aware there will be spoilers!

Episode 1 premieres here: https://youtu.be/_-_lH0rYCVg

Everything about On Track, including the Companion Courses: https://coffeebreaklanguages.com/ontrack?utm_source=acast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ontrack&utm_content=podcast-it-trailer

On Track is brought to you in collaboration with Teachable. The On Track companion courses are hosted on Teachable. Future course creator? Find out more here: https://www.teachable.com/welcome/coffeebreak?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=partnerdirect&utm_campaign=coffebreak&utm_content=CT

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have reached the last clue of our virtual treasure hunt - La fantastica Caccia al Tesoro di Coffee Break 2026 - which will lead us to the final location! Test your Italian and detective skills as we reveal everything you need to know to determine the last destination. Remember to submit your entry form listing the location from each episode to be in with a chance of winning a prize.

Click here to locate the entry form and for further details about the competition.

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It's time for the third clue of La fantastica Caccia al Tesoro di Coffee Break 2026, our virtual treasure hunt across Europe! Using the interesting facts we provide, and your language skills, can you work out where checkpoint number three is? In case you missed it - everyone who correctly identifies the four mystery locations will win a free month's subscription to Coffee Break Italian TV during September, as well as being entered into a prize draw to win lifetime access to our entire collection of Italian courses!

Don't miss out on this exciting adventure - click here for more details.

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We're back with the next episode of La fantastica Caccia al Tesoro di Coffee Break 2026, our virtual treasure hunt across Europe! Join us as we reveal clue number two which takes us one step closer to our final location. As we continue through this mini series we'll discover further clues to help you solve the mystery. Remember, you could be in with a chance of winning some great prizes!

For further details about how you can take part in the treasure hunt and enter the competition, click here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the first episode of La fantastica Caccia al Tesoro di Coffee Break 2026, our virtual treasure hunt across Europe! Join us in this first episode as we reveal the initial clue. As you continue through this mini series you’ll discover further clues, solve the mystery and practise your Italian.

For further details about Clue 1 and how you can take part, click here.

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Four mystery cities. Four cryptic clues. One week to work out where we're going.

The Great Coffee Break Treasure Hunt is back for 2026, and everything happens here: https://coffeebreaklanguages.com/treasurehunt

Each clue is a short poem describing a European city without ever naming it. Every clue is written from scratch in French, Italian, German and Spanish by the team who teach it, so it rhymes and reads properly in each one. Watch in whichever language you're learning.

WHEN THE CLUES GO LIVE (all 1pm UK)

Clue 1: Monday 24 August

Clue 2: Wednesday 26 August

Clue 3: Friday 28 August

Clue 4: Sunday 30 August

HOW TO ENTER

The entry form opens on the Treasure Hunt website on Sunday 30 August, alongside the final clue, and closes at 11:59pm UK on Monday 31 August.

WHAT YOU CAN WIN

Get all four right and you win a free month on Coffee Break TV, our on-demand video platform, in whichever language you're learning. You also go into a prize draw. One name comes out of the hat for each language, and that person takes the whole collection of Coffee Break courses in their language.

THE BONUS CLUE

Sign up for the Treasure Hunt emails and we'll send you an extra clue with every city: roughly how far it is from the last one, and in which direction. That one only goes out by email. You can sign up on the landing page.

THE REVEAL

Mark names all four cities, and the hidden spot the final clue points to, on Tuesday 1 September at 4pm UK. A second video on Wednesday 2 September goes back through every clue line by line and explains how each one worked. It's free, it's open to everyone, and there's no travel involved.

https://coffeebreaklanguages.com/treasurehunt

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The verb 'fare' means "to do" or "to make", but it does far more work than that in Italian. In this episode, Francesca goes through seven common set phrases built on 'fare' where the natural English translation is a completely different verb, from talking about the weather to packing a suitcase, taking a photo and asking a question. Learn these and a lot of everyday Italian falls into place.

➡️ Click here to watch the video version of this episode.

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