If you're lucky, one day you'll have the pleasure of dating an Italian.

As an Italian that is often told I do not look like one (because of my extremely pale skin and light hair), it's hard to tell I'm actually Italian until you see/hear me live in action.

If you're wondering whether your girlfriend is Italian, and if you don't feel like asking her, look for these signs.

1. She uses her hands when she talks. A lot.

If you need to make a conscious effort to stand outside of a 2 foot radius from her our of fear that she might accidentally knock you out when she's talking, she's probably Italian.

2. Family is always first.

Family is always first, and that's something that's drilled into every Italian's head as soon as we're born.

3. She'll often eat dinner at home.

Part of "family first" is actually spending time with your family. Family dinners are incredibly important (besides, the food is always delicious).

4. She can be incredibly stubborn.

Luckily for my boyfriend, I'm both a Taurus and an Italian. My stubbornness level is through the roof.

5. She has a huge family.

We can't even begin to name all of my mom's cousins on our fingers and toes, and that's only her first cousins.

6. A lot of her family members are named Gino, Vinny, Maria or Joey.

"Come meet my cousin Vinny! And this is my other cousin, Vinny."

7. She'll eagerly tell you what part of Italy her family is from and which family members came to America first.

"Your family is from Naples? NO WAY so is mine!!!! My grandparents came to America when they were 20!"

8. A lot of her family members can speak both English and Italian fluently.

No family event is complete without parents breaking off and speaking Italian at the table because they don't want the kids to understand what they're saying.

9. When her family talks to each other in Italian, it's using their native dialect.

I could never get any help on my Italian homework because it was in Standard Italian, and not Abruzzese, my family's native dialect.

10. She always talks about how no one can make sauce/meatballs better than her mom/grandma (and don't even try to tell her jarred sauce is good).

Homemade sauce is the norm in Italian households, and many even spend a whole day making a year's worth of sauce for the family.

11. She'll say words like "mozzarella," "ricotta" and "scungille" the "Italian" way.

Please never say "ri-cah-tah" around an Italian unless you want to watch them cringe.

12. She'll tell you she's Italian.

An Italian that doesn't always remind you somehow that she's Italian? Can't relate. Sorry, I can't help it, I'm proud of who I am.