Survival kit lesson on parts of the body

I think the lesson on parts of the body needs improvement.

• First a minor concern: It is never explained that the plural of “il dito” is “le dita” – I just happened to notice the plural in this sentence “Le persone si rompono le dita quando lo fanno” and looked it up in another resource to understand what was happening. 
• But my major concern is that the explanation of when to use “mal” and when to use “male” in the phrase “avere male” makes no sense at all. The text says that “mal" is an adjective in “Ho mal di testa” while “male” an adverb in “Ho male al gomito." But the literal translations given of these examples are “I have pain of the head” and “I have pain at the elbow” – in these translations, “mal/e” is translated as neither an adjective nor an adverb, but as the noun “pain.” So the literal translations do not align with the grammatical explanations.
• Furthermore, this explanatory sentence doesn't even make sense in English: “Male “bad” is used here instead of mal “bad” as we are using it as an adverb to describe the general sensation of pain rather than an adjective to describe specific pain.” In English, the adverb would be “badly," not “bad,” and any word that describes pain (whether it's a general sensation of pain or a specific pain) must be an adjective (not an adverb) because “pain” is a noun (not a verb or adjective). The sentence is impossible to understand.
• For me, a grammatical explanation that doesn't make sense is much worse than saying “these are idiomatic differences that just need to be memorized,” a serious impediment to my learning.
• Thanks so much for accepting my feedback! Generally, I enjoy and appreciate the program very much.

Another thought about this lesson: There is a basic concept missing about how to talk about parts of the body. Do you use possessive adjectives with body parts, like in English “I put lotion on my feet”? Or maybe Italian uses reflexive verbs instead of possessive adjectives in these situations, like Spanish does?

Thanks again!

Hi Gwen,

Thank you for your detailed feedback. It’s clear you’ve put a lot of thought into understanding the material, and your input is invaluable for improving the course.

1. Plural Forms: You’re right; it’s essential to explain irregular plurals like “il dito” to “le dita” explicitly. This oversight will be addressed to ensure that learners don’t have to seek clarification from external resources.

2. Use of “mal” and “male”: Your confusion is completely justified. The explanations provided seem to mix grammatical roles, which can indeed be misleading. Here’s a clearer breakdown:

• “Mal” in “Ho mal di testa” (I have a headache) is indeed used idiomatically. Here, “mal” functions more like a noun, shorthand for “male” which means “pain.”

• “Male” in “Ho male al gomito” (My elbow hurts) is an adverb describing the verb “avere” (to have). It describes the condition or the sensation of pain, thus its use as an adverb.

It might be more helpful to think of these expressions as fixed idiomatic phrases rather than trying to fit them into typical grammatical roles. In Italian, many such expressions related to physical sensations and conditions are set phrases that learners often memorize.

3. Talking about Body Parts: Regarding your question about possessive adjectives and body parts, Italian typically does not use possessive adjectives with body parts when the owner of the body part is clear from the context. Instead, the definite article is used along with reflexive verbs to indicate action performed on one’s own body parts. 

For example:

• “Mi lavo le mani” (I wash my hands) instead of “Lavo le mie mani.”

I hope this clarifies your doubts. Please keep your observations and questions coming; they are incredibly helpful for making the course more effective and understandable for everyone.

Best regards,

Enxhi

Thanks for your reply, Enxhi. Very helpful!