Old and ancient are both English words that describe something that is not new. However, they don't always have the same meaning. The key difference is how far back in time something goes. "Old" usually refers to something that is simply not new; it may be from a recent past. "Ancient" describes things from a very, very long time ago—something that dates back to a period before modern history. Think about something centuries old, that is old. But something that has existed for thousands of years is ancient. Let's see some examples.

Examples:

• Old: "This is an old house." - "Questa è una casa vecchia."
• Old: "My grandmother is very old." - "Mia nonna è molto vecchia."
• Ancient: "The pyramids are ancient structures." - "Le piramidi sono antiche strutture."
• Ancient: "The ancient Romans built many roads." - "Gli antichi Romani costruirono molte strade."
• Old: "I bought this old book at a flea market." - "Ho comprato questo vecchio libro ad un mercatino."
• Ancient: "The ancient Greeks created many myths and legends." - "Gli antichi Greci crearono molti miti e leggende." Happy learning!