Language Learning

1. Cumu si dice "thank you" in corsu?

   How do you say "thank you" in Corsican?

   Usage

   Asking for the Corsican equivalent of a word you know; put a word from your own language between the quotation marks

   Grammar Note

   Si dice (si + 3sg of dì) is the impersonal "one says". Since "thank you" in Corsican is Grazie, put a word from your own language inside the quotation marks. Language names are lower case: corsu. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

2. Parlate più adasgiu, pè piacè

   Please speak more slowly.

   Usage

   A polite request to slow down

   Grammar Note

   Parlate is the 2pl imperative of parlà, the polite voi form. Più adasgiu is "more slowly"; to a friend say Parla più adasgiu. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Mi pudete scrive què?

   Can you write it down for me?

   Usage

   Asking someone to write something down

   Grammar Note

   Mi ("to me") goes before the conjugated pudete. Keep the grave accent in què. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Chì vole dì questa parolla?

   What does this word mean?

   Usage

   Asking the meaning of a word you heard or saw

   Grammar Note

   Vole dì (volè + dì) is the set way to say "mean". Parolla is feminine and also written parulla; significà also exists, but vole dì is the usual form. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Studiu u corsu — pudemu praticà insemi?

   I'm studying Corsican — can we practise together?

   Usage

   Looking for someone to practise Corsican conversation with

   Grammar Note

   The Corsican present also covers "I am studying", so Studiu is enough. Pudemu is the 1pl of pudè. Corsu is lower case and takes the article u as a language name. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Cumu si prununzia questu?

   How do you pronounce this?

   Usage

   Checking how a written word is pronounced

   Grammar Note

   Si prununzia is the impersonal "is pronounced"; prununzià is also written pronunzià. Sounds like chj and ghj are hard for learners, so this question comes up often. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. Mi pudete cunsiglià una bona risorsa pè amparà u corsu?

   Can you recommend a good resource for learning Corsican?

   Usage

   Asking someone knowledgeable for a good learning resource

   Grammar Note

   Mi goes before pudete. Risorsa is feminine, so the adjective is bona. Amparà is also written imparà and means both "to learn" and "to teach". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Cumu hè u dialettu di quì?

   What is the local dialect like here?

   Usage

   Asking about regional differences in speech

   Grammar Note

   Cumu hè asks "what is ... like". "Local" is expressed as di quì ("of here"). The north (Cismonte) and south (Pumonti) of Corsica speak somewhat differently. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

9. Ci hè un scambiu linguisticu quì?

   Is there a language exchange here?

   Usage

   Looking for a language exchange event or group

   Grammar Note

   Scambiu (exchange) is masculine and also appears as cambiu; linguisticu means "linguistic". For several, say Ci sò. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

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