At school

School subjects and school life in Italian

In Italy, the school system has its own vocabulary for everyday activities. Understanding school-related terms is essential at the A2 level.

Essential school verbs

• studiare — to study: *Ho studiato tutta la sera.* (I studied all evening.)
• interrogare — to test orally: *L'insegnante mi ha interrogato in storia.* (The teacher tested me orally in history.)
• consegnare — to hand in: *Devi consegnare i compiti domani.* (You must hand in the homework tomorrow.)
• prendere un voto — to get a grade: *Ho preso sette in matematica.* (I got a seven in maths.)
• superare un esame — to pass an exam: *Ho superato l'esame di scienze!* (I passed the science exam!)
• bocciare / essere bocciato — to fail / to be failed: *Non voglio essere bocciato.* (I don't want to fail.)

The grading system

In Italy, grades go from 1 to 10. A 6 is the minimum passing grade (*sufficiente*). Common expressions:

• *Ho preso un bel voto.* — I got a good grade.
• *Ho preso un brutto voto.* — I got a bad grade.

The school schedule

Italian schools often start in the morning and finish around noon or early afternoon. Use official time:

• *La scuola inizia alle otto.* — School starts at eight.
• *Le lezioni finiscono alle due.* — Lessons end at two.
• *I compiti sono per domani.* — Homework is for tomorrow.

Talking about subjects

To express your favourite or least favourite subject:

• *Mi piace la matematica.* — I like maths.
• *Non mi piace la storia.* — I don't like history.
• *La mia materia preferita è l'arte.* — My favourite subject is art.

Esempio: "Oggi ho un'interrogazione di italiano. Ho studiato molto, spero di prendere un bel voto." — "Today I have an Italian oral test. I studied a lot, I hope to get a good grade."