Volare – Domenico Modugno – Italian Learning

Lyrics 7 lines

Volare, oh oh

To fly, oh oh

Cantare, oh oh oh oh

To sing, oh oh oh oh

Nel blu dipinto di blu

In the blue painted with blue

felice di stare lassù

happy to be up there

E volavo, volavo felice più in alto del sole ed ancora più su

And I was flying, flying happily higher than the sun and even higher

Mentre il mondo piano piano spariva lontano laggiù

While the world slowly disappeared far away down there

Una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me

A sweet music was playing only for me

Song Summary

A joyful celebration of flight and freedom, this iconic Italian song describes the euphoria of soaring through a beautiful blue sky, leaving the world behind, with music playing only for the singer. The mood is whimsical, optimistic, and romantic, capturing the essence of pure happiness and liberation.

Key Vocabulary

volare to fly
infinitive verb, main theme of the song

cantare to sing
infinitive verb paired with volare

blu blue
color used repeatedly for poetic effect

felice happy
adjective describing emotional state

lassù up there
adverb indicating high position in the sky

spariva was disappearing
imperfect past tense of sparire

dolce sweet
adjective describing the music

suonava was playing
imperfect past tense of suonare

Useful Phrases

Nel blu dipinto di blu

In the blue painted with blue

più in alto del sole

higher than the sun

il mondo piano piano spariva

the world slowly disappeared

Una musica dolce suonava soltanto per me

A sweet music was playing only for me

Colloquial Expressions

volare felice

to fly happily or with joy

laggiù

down there, far below

Grammar Notes

Imperfect Past Tense (Imperfetto)

Used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past. Examples: 'volavo' (I was flying), 'spariva' (it was disappearing), 'suonava' (it was playing)

Infinitive Verbs as Nouns

The infinitives 'volare' and 'cantare' function as both verbs and noun-like subjects, common in Italian song titles and poetic expression

Comparative Construction

The phrase 'più in alto del sole' uses 'più...di/del' to express comparison, meaning 'higher than the sun'

Adverbial Modifiers

Words like 'lassù' (up there), 'laggiù' (down there), and 'piano piano' (slowly, little by little) modify verbs to create vivid imagery

Practice Questions

1. What does the singer describe feeling while flying in this song?

2. According to the lyrics, what happens to the world as the singer flies higher?

3. What two verbs are presented as the main themes at the beginning of the song?

Suggested Flashcards

volare → to fly cantare → to sing nel blu dipinto di blu → in the blue painted with blue felice → happy lassù → up there spariva → was disappearing dolce → sweet