casa a schiera
/ˈka.sa a ˈskjɛ.ra/word by word
The Italian word for townhouse is casa a schiera.
casa a schiera refers to a house located in an urban setting.
Meaning: house in an urban setting (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of casa (house) and the prepositional phrase a schiera (in a row/line).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun casa is a feminine singular noun, so its plural form is case a schiera.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈka.sa a ˈskjɛ.ra/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word schiera shares a prehistoric root with the English word 'shear'. Both come from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to cut' or 'to divide', as a row of houses divides the land into segments.
- The word schiera in casa a schiera originally described a military formation of soldiers standing in a line. This evokes a sense of strict order and discipline in the arrangement of the houses.
- In Italy, case a schiera are often found in the 'centro storico' of smaller towns, where they evolved from ancient agricultural dwellings that shared walls to maximize space within city walls.
Examples in context
- Ho appena acquistato una palazzina nel centro storico.I just bought a townhouse in the historical center.
- Vorrei trovare una bella casa a schiera in questa zona.I would like to find a nice townhouse in this area.
- Sto cercando una nuova villa a schiera nel quartiere più ricco di Milano.I'm looking for a new townhouse in the wealthiest neighborhood of Milan.
- Abbiamo comprato una casa a schiera in periferia.We bought a townhouse on the outskirts of town.
- Quella casa a schiera ha un piccolo giardino.That townhouse has a small garden.
- Cerchiamo una casa a schiera vicino alla stazione.We are looking for a townhouse near the station.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are discussing their new home options.
- LorenzoTi piace questa casa a schiera?Do you like this townhouse?
- ChiaraSì, è molto luminosa e moderna.Yes, it is very bright and modern.
- LorenzoPensi che sia troppo piccola per noi?Do you think it is too small for us?
- ChiaraNo, credo che sia perfetta.No, I think it is perfect.
