The Italian word tormenta has three definitions. It can mean a blizzard. Or a turbine of powdery light snow, carried by strong winds over mountain peaks, ridges, and slopes. Finally, it is a present tense conjugation of the verb to torment.
This should give you a pretty good idea of how many Italians think about snow. An opinion I wholeheartedly share! After living in Michigan and Colorado for so many years, I had my fill of snow. “Basta. Enough!”
A surprise tormenta
Over the weekend, we were surprised by an early snow and a power outage!
This set the stage for an interesting evening out. The pizzeria where we were having dinner with friends lost power towards the end of our meal. Thankfully, our pizzas had already arrived. I don’t know if they were able to use their electric pizza oven later in the evening.
Irony
The only places I want to see snow are in movies and on Christmas cards. So I find it ironic that we made it through a 3-week trip to New York, Connecticut, Indiana and Michigan without any snow. Snow is non uncommon in those states, even in November.
We enjoyed beautiful weather throughout the trip. Sometimes a bit chilly, but many days pleasantly warm. Still, knowing cold and snow were sure to come made us anxious to return to our temperate Mediterranean climate. So I have to appreciate the irony of our early snowfall!
Snow in Italy
Our area, near the southern Adriatic coast of Italy, doesn’t get much snow. But a lot of areas do, especially in the mountains. That’s fine; let it stay up there. I don’t want it, even if it is pretty!
Maybe you like snow, or language learning, or you’re curious, or have a winter trip planned to Italy! If so, here are some words that might be fun or useful!
Snowy Words
| Italian Word | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| la neve | snow |
| la nevicata | snowfall |
| la tempesta di neve | snowstorm |
| la tormenta / la bufera | blizzard |
| il nevischio | sleet |
| il fiocco di neve | snowflake |
| la palla di neve | snowball |
| il pupazzo di neve | snowman |
| il gelo | frost |
| il ghiaccio | ice |
Wintery Words
| Italian Word | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| l’inverno | winter |
| il freddo | cold |
| il caminetto | fireplace |
| la stufa a legna / la stufa a pellet | wood stove / pellet stove |
| Natale | Christmas |
| il tè / la tisana | tea / herbal tea |
| il minestrone | soup |
| la tazza di cioccolata calda | a cup of hot cocoa |
| Il cappotto | winter coat |
| il cappello | hat |
| i guanti / le muffole | gloves / mittens |
| intimo termico | thermal underwear |
| il maglione | sweater |
| la coperta | blanket |
| il piumone in piuma d’oca | down-filled comforter |
| il pattinaggio su ghiaccio | ice skating |
| fare snowboard | snowboarding |
| le racchette da neve | snowshoes |
| l’hockey | hockey |
| sciare | to ski |
| gli sci | skis |
| le scarpe da neve | snow boots |
| la slitta | sled or sleigh |
| andare in slitta | go sledding or sleigh riding |
Terms for roads or driving
| Italian Word | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| la spazzaneve | snow plow |
| il mezzo spargisale | salt spreader |
| le catene da neve | snow chains |
| le gomme da neve | snow tires |
| le gomme quattro stagioni | all-season tires |
| la pala da neve | snow shovel |
| le strade scivolose | slippery roads |
| il raschiaghiaccio | ice scraper |
I continue to see snow and snowstorms as a torment. But as with all things, I try to receive them with gratitude. And to always look for the blessings God brings even in the midst of the things I don’t much like. Warm and cozy things like tea and tisane, hot cocoa and caffè, minestrone, cozy blankets, fireplaces and pellet stoves.
I hope that you enjoyed this wintery post, and that you manage to stay warm, cozy, and healthy this winter – no matter how cold it gets!
📷 Image credits: all images are mine
Signora Sheila 
10 responses to “The Italian Tormenta: Winter’s on the Way”
Living in Florida, we are sadly lacking in the fluffy white stuff. I can say that because we are sadly lacking. I know I don’t do cold anymore–at least not well. Thanks for the lesson in Italian! Your perspective on winter is spot on!
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I’m with you, my friend. I don’t care for cold anymore either. And now, if you come to Italy at least you’ll know what to call things, lol!
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This is too funny. The weather for which I would say “basta” is the height of summer when heat and humidity are at their worst! I attribute this aversion to our forty years in Florida, twenty-three of them in South Florida which “boasts” a tropical rainforest climate. Nothing like bus duty, recess duty, and lunch outdoors in sweltering heat. (You may remember I taught school.) Now we live in the lower regions of the Midwest. Give me a snowy day! Of course, now that we’re retired, it’s easier to work our schedule around the snowstorms. Nor have we had to deal with a power outage when temps have dropped. Otherwise I might be singing a different tune than “Let It Snow!”
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Oh yes, Nancy, me too! I don’t handle either heat or cold well. I can’t imagine Florida humidity; ours is bad enough! I’m glad you no longer deal with recess and sweaty kids in the tropical climate! I too would have said Basta! And yes, not having to go out to work or get kids to school in snow is a torment. But I can see where as retired folk you could sing “Let It Snow.” But not me. I sing “let it snow, somewhere else!”
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I’m in Texas right now and last weekend we got 8″ of snow back home in Kansas. I hated to miss it. I do love snow, as long as I don’t have to drive in it. Blessings, Sheila.
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Sorry you had to miss your beloved snow, Patty! But it’s good that at least you didn’t have to drive in it! Snow is pretty, but I still can’t manage to miss it. I guess chances are though, that like us you won’t have a white Christmas either. And I do at least love that song!!
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Thanks for the photos and language lesson. Lots of crossover words there between Portuguese and Italian. But what stood out to me is bast. Yes we use that a lot, but not about snow (Brazil doesn’t get a lot of snow). But about grace. “Tua graca me basta” is what gets me through the snow and sleet of everyday struggles as well as the biggest battles.
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Oh yes Pete, lots of similarities between the two languages. In Italy, we use basta for so many things. We say it when we’ve had enough or too much food. When we’ve been working hard for a long time and know it’s time to call it quits. When the kids are doing what they shouldn’t. And for anything that we don’t want to see anymore, like snow! But you’re right, the greatest of all is, “La tua grazia mi basta.” Your grace is all I need. And that can even help us get through the Italian tormenta!!
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The best thing about winter is soup! I like a little snow as long as I don’t have to get out in it. Enjoyed your post.
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I agree, Donna. We have minestrone and all kinds of soup so often during the cold months! And sometimes in the evening even just a cup of hot broth with whatever else we’re eating. So good. And I’m with you, if it does snow, I hope I can stay indoors!
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