Vuoi prendere la tintarella?

Do you want to get a tan?

Pronunciation

VWOH-ee pren-DEH-reh la teen-tah-REL-lah.

When to use it

When asking a friend or companion whether they want to sunbathe. 'La tintarella' is a more colloquial and affectionate word for a tan than 'l'abbronzatura'.

What it means

Vuoi is the informal second-person singular of volere (to want). Prendere la tintarella means to get a tan — la tintarella is a colloquial, affectionate Italian word for a light tan. It implies pleasant leisurely sunbathing rather than aggressive tanning.

Variations

Mi sono abbronzato bene quest'estate.

I got a nice tan this summer.

Describing a good tan from the summer.

Non voglio scottarmi — resto all'ombra.

I don't want to burn — I'll stay in the shade.

Explaining a preference for shade.

Gira te stessa ogni mezz'ora per abbronzarti uniformemente.

Turn over every half hour to tan evenly.

The practical advice for even tanning.

Mini Dialogue

— Vuoi prendere la tintarella? — Sì, ma solo un'oretta — poi mi metto all'ombra. — Io già sono abbastanza abbronzata. — Tu sì — io vengo dal Nord, sono bianchissima. — In tre giorni di questo sole puoi fare miracoli!

— Do you want to get a tan? — Yes, but only for a little hour — then I'll move into the shade. — I am already quite tanned. — You are — I come from the North, I am very pale. — In three days of this sun you can do miracles!

Cultural Note

The Italian obsession with the abbronzatura (tan) peaked in the 1970s and 80s when a tan was a sign of health, attractiveness, and social status. Coco Chanel popularised tanning in Europe in the 1920s. Today, attitudes are shifting with increased awareness of skin cancer, but the cultural love of tanned skin remains strong in Italy.

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Giochiamo a pallone?

Facciamo un aperitivo in spiaggia?

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