Tengo genio ‘e + Infinitive/Noun

3 years ago

Neapolitan Dialect is a Romance Language and, despite what one may think, it has many grammar rules that have been codified by those linguists and dialectologists engaged in the preservation of its purity and culture.

The expression I’m showing you today is used by Neapolitan people to express an intense desire for something.

‘Tengo’ refers to the first person singular of the Neapolitan verb Tené, meaning to have/possess; as for ‘genio’, it might come from the latin word ‘genius’, a kind of protector or creative force.

Grammatically speaking, “tengo genio ‘e” has two possible structures:

- tengo genio ‘e + infinitive verb
Ex = tengo genio ‘e magnà ‘na pizza / I want to eat a pizza
- tengo genio ‘e + noun
Ex = tengo genio ‘e ‘na pizza / I want a pizza 

Have a nice day you all 
Bbona jurnata