Episode 12 · Words That Actually Come Up
Non vedo l'ora - the Italian way to say I can't wait
Non vedo l'ora - literally I don't see the hour - means I can't wait. Emma takes it literally.
Emma's parents are coming. Laura is excited. Emma suggests a watch.
Laura ·
In this lesson
| Italian | Word for word | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Non vedo l'ora! | I can't wait! | literally: I don't see the hour |
| Non vedo l'ora di + verb | I can't wait to... | non vedo l'ora di partire, I can't wait to leave |
| Conoscerli | to meet them | conoscere = to meet someone for the first time |
| Felicissima | really happy | -issima makes it very |
Non vedo l'ora can stand alone as an answer: Domani andiamo al mare! - Non vedo l'ora!
What can't you wait for? Answer in Italian: Non vedo l'ora di...
The dialogue
Every line from the video, with the English meaning under the Italian.
Emma
Laura, my parents arrive tomorrow!
Laura
Che bello! Non vedo l'ora!
literally: I don't see the hour!
Emma
You can't see the time? Buy a watch!
Laura
No! Vuol dire che sono felicissima e impaziente!
No! It means I'm really happy and can't wait!
Emma
Oh! So that's how you say I can't wait?
Laura
Esatto: non vedo l'ora!
Exactly: I can't wait!
Emma✓ Correct
Non vedo l'ora di vedere i miei genitori!
I can't wait to see my parents!
Laura
Brava! E io non vedo l'ora di conoscerli!
Well done! And I can't wait to meet them!
The voices in this video are synthetic and the on-screen host is generated. The Italian itself is written and checked by a native speaker.
Ready to speak, not just watch?
Practise these phrases out loud with Laura in a small group or a private lesson.
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