On 2 June we celebrate the birth of the Italian Republic. This date coincides with the institutional referendum of 2 June 1946, in which Italians decided to put an end to monarchy and become a republic.
Each year, celebrations are held across the country, with a military parade and the spectacular Frecce Tricolori show taking place in Rome.
Cities of art, Unesco World Heritage Sites, opera, fashion, amazing landscapes and an exquisite cuisine: Italy is the cradle of the Renaissance movement and the symbol of La Dolce Vita par excellence!
How well do you know the Bel Paese? Take the quiz to find out!
- Pizza was invented in Venice. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- If you were born in Italy, you automatically have Italian citizenship. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- The Italian national anthem is known as Inno di Barbieri. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- The Unification of Italy only dates back to 1861. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- Fashion is one of the main exports of the country. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- Religious weddings are still very popular in Italy. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- Italians are eternal mama’s boys. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- On average, Italians eat 12 kg of ice cream per capita a year. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- Each wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano has an average weight of 36 kg. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
- The number of female entrepreneurs in Italy’s service sector is increasing. ☐TRUE ☐FALSE
Not sure about your answers? Find out by listening to our selected speeches!
29197: Pizza patrimonio dell’umanità
28533: Cittadinanza italiana
27888: Gli inni nazionali e il “Canto degli Italiani”
27828: Le differenze tra nord e sud Italia
27206: L'Italia della moda
26646: Crisi dei matrimoni in Italia
26540: Mammismo
26560: Come si riconosce un buon gelato artigianale
23595: Il Parmigiano Reggiano
22641: Donne imprenditrici in Italia
Want to become a vero italiano? Here are some must-know facts that will help you mingle with the locals!
FOOD
- Spaghetti are never eaten with a spoon: ditch it and use a fork instead!
- No cappuccino after 11 am (maximum 12, if you woke up late), it’s a breakfast drink!
- Espresso must be drunk fast. 30 seconds, finito.
- Pasta is not a side dish and must be al dente!
- Spaghetti Bolognese doesn’t actually exist. The meat sauce we call ragù alla bolognese is rarely eaten with spaghetti: try it with tagliatelle instead and you won’t be disappointed!
- Never put pineapple (or other exotic ingredients) on pizza, your life could be in danger…
- … and do not dare ordering wine with it, Italians always drink beer with their favourite pizza!
- Remember: the best restaurant is always la nonna!
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
- Gesturing is an art, and as such, it is not for everyone….
- Italians love football and everyone has a squadra del cuore, careful with what you say…
- Style is very important, so next time you have a meeting or a date try to look dapper….
- …. no point in getting there too early though, Italians are always late!
- Italians don’t like lining up and will often try to cut the queue, you will get used to it.
- Italians speak fast and loud, but wait a minute, isn’t Italian one of the most beautiful languages in the world?
Buona Festa della Repubblica a tutti!
Your Speech Repository Team