Does “genio” mean genie or genius in Italian?
Un desiderio, tanti soldi e un tradimento
A2 Italian listening practice · Italian · Picked for people who know a little
A man rubs a lamp and gasps: «Wow, un genio!» (“Wow, a genie!”), only to be told «io sono un genio cattivo» (“I’m an evil genie”). The twist for learners: genio means both “genie” and “genius” in Italian.
So “sei un genio!” is “you’re a genius!”, while Aladdin’s lamp holds un genio of the wish-granting kind, context tells them apart. The evil genie’s offer is pure comedy: 100 million euros, but everyone who’s ever cheated vanishes from the Earth. One little word, a genie’s bargain and a compliment rolled into one.
How common are the words?
How common are the words in this A2 Italian listening practice video?
How common in written Italian
How common in spoken Italian
Harder words in this video
These words are harder than A2. Here is what they mean.
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · OpenSubtitles 2018 (HermitDave) (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.
- ▸In Italian for praise: “sei un genio!” (“you’re a genius!”).
- ▸In Italian versions of Aladdin and fairy tales.
- ▸In Italian comedy sketches with a wish-granting twist.
- ▸Describing a brilliant idea as a colpo di genio (“stroke of genius”).