So if Italians want to express something like, “I know what I’m talking about,” or “I know who I’m dealing with,” or “This is right up my alley,” they utter this idiom with an air of quiet confidence. So to be “cornuto” means your partner is cheating on you. “Conosco i miei polli” is said in that same spirit. In short, you’re not mincing any words. Translation: A nail drives out another nail. That way, you’ll be sure to really understand what they mean. You simply say what needs to be heard. Yes, there’s “honor among thieves.” There’s a line that cannot be crossed, there’s a code of conduct that governs even the most sinister of people. Men in pursuit of the woman of their affections know this and won’t be bound by the usual limits of fair play. This Italian idiom means to be straightforward and speak one’s mind, regardless of the possibility of upsetting or insulting someone. But as you may know, sometimes, humans prove different from their canine friends. Use it to express annoyance or irritation at a situation or person. Here are some of the most common Italian idioms concerning food, followed by their English equivalents and their literal translation: Every little bit helps. can take anywhere. Literally: to lemon. If you ever break up with someone and ask for advice from an Italian mamma or nonna (and believe me, Italian moms and grandmas are always the wisest), you will hear a phrase that goes like this: “Chiodo scaccia chiodo!”. A person who acts stupidly, has low intelligence or has poor judgment is said to have a hen’s brain. He’s done, having finished his work. Now that's a 100% personalized experience! So if you hear this said of you, take it as a high compliment. A recent study, however, has revealed that birds’ brains are actually more complex and robust than formerly believed. When you come “at the bean,” you come at a time when food is served. English Equivalent: Its name is Jack and it has to come back! And pristine examples cost over $50k, Hagerty reports. Period. That’s it! This person is not simply as angry as a demon, nor does this person simply have one demon sitting on his shoulder. People “without hair on their tongue” are not afraid to be too honest, even if they run the risk of offending someone; there are no filters between brain and tongue. This is a (strong but) widely-used Italian expression that could be translated as “Dang!” or “Sucks!”. You just read lots of useful idioms. Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and review words and phrases with convenient audio clips under Vocab. “Conosco i miei polli” is said in that same spirit. Idioms are little peeks into the history, beliefs and traditions of the language that they carry. The wolf reference may have come from the mythical twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, who, as the story goes, were suckled and cared for by a she-wolf. This Italian expression isn’t used to describe someone who’s particularly attentive to oral hygiene. Stefano creates a natural environment to speak Italian. Similar to “Kill two birds with one stone.“, This Italian idiom means that a job, task, or other activity is very easy or simple. Colors also create the Italian flag, which is called il tricolore (three-colors) because it’s green, white, and red. Literally: something boils in a saucepan. In the case of this idiom, however, the person hanging up his hat doesn’t have to work at all anymore because he’s just snagged a wealthy wife. He or she is somebody who’s generally known for being kind and generous, generally has the qualities of a good person. (Seems like being close to God does have its perks.). Italian idioms add color to a language and make you sound competent and comfortable. And judging from the size of its head, one can clearly say that a hen (or bird) does have a small brain animating the whole apparatus, and is therefore by this standard not too bright. That kind of situation sucks big time…in any language. They didn’t say names and surnames — the secret of confession was “safe” — but they certainly knew how to make it clear who they were talking about. All Rights Reserved. I know what I’m doing. The best Italian idioms are possibly about food!. 25. There’s really nothing sweeter-smelling than a fresh batch of perfectly baked bread. If so, it’s time to take on Italian culture and unique native speech with Italian idioms. The idiom wouldn’t have the same punch if, say, “Gary” were the name used! So to “lose one’s gourd” is to be crazy or to lose one’s mind. If they think your cooking sucks, you’ll hear about it. This Italian idiom originates from fishermen: while fishing, it can happen that a crab gets hooked by the bait. In short, you’re not mincing any words. So being “in the mouth of the wolf” may not be a bad thing after all. To have too many acts in a comedy means someone is trying to accomplish too many things at once. This phrase is used to indicate someone’s forte (another Italian word, yeah! Translation: (Keep the) water in your mouth! So really, the death of a pope doesn’t come very often, making the idiomatic expression a fitting description. You are never to set foot in her house again!”) Human nature works like magic and the teen found herself mysteriously gravitating towards grandma’s house just to watch TV. To know a situation very well and what to expect from it. Literally: to pay the Roman way. Here’s a list of Italian idioms about life. “Un pezzo grosso” is synonymous to the English idiom “big shot” or “big wig,” usually referring to somebody of high importance or someone who wields strong influence over the whole. You decide to get some much-needed exercise and pursue the offender through the major thoroughfares of a foreign city. This Italian idiom originated in ancient times, when people believed that fish could not fall ill. Because of the natural selection, it is rarer to observe sick fish, and their symptoms might not be as clear as other animals. You might be cutting carbs, but you don’t have to miss out on flavor. to give a sloppy kiss Probably one of the biggest insults you can hurl an Italian man’s way is to say that he’s “cornuto.”. There are much more vulgar alternatives, not to be used around Italian in-laws. Is Italian more complicated than English? (Into the mouth of the wolf!) Translation: To have a demon for each hair. It’s just never the same. Well, you can sit on the fence all day long and never divine the meaning of this idiom by closely inspecting each word in the phrase. Okay, this will be the first of our food-related idioms, and I’m telling you that there will definitely be more on this list. Lit. The offending party may be evil and deserve to wear the “horns,” but in Italian tradition, the one wearing the “horns” is actually the victim, or the party being cheated on. This happens when you’re left with a bad choice alongside another equally horrible option—like a lazy teenager made to choose between cleaning his car or cleaning his room. This can also offer you some precious insight into the language you’re learning. Similar to “Add fuel to the fire.”, This means to do something equally bad to someone who has done something bad to you. The relationship has its ups and downs. Here are a few more idiomatic expressions with colors: When a photo isn’t a colori (in color), it’s in bianco e nero (white and black) in the Italian language, not in black and white as in the English language! than what you can process or handle. English Equivalent: To make no bones about something. Everything contributes something to the whole—whether it be a lone euro tossed into a donation basket, 10 minutes of quality time spent with your young daughter or a simple smile given to the old lady who rings up your groceries…. L’abito non fa il monaco (The dress does … “Ha molto sale in zucca” refers to a person who has a good head—someone not only bright, but one who possesses a lot of good sense. It’s no wonder that the language has reflected this love affair with the bicycle in one of its idioms. In real life, communication can not only be grammatically awkward (like “Long time, no see!”), it can also be a lot more figurative. Lit. There’s an Italian superstition that if you wish somebody good luck, bad things will happen instead. The expression refers to a cheap person who never seems to have the arm length or strength to reach for his wallet. The saying buono come il pane (as good as bread) is indicative of the value assigned to bread and, thus, to food. For example, when someone who’s already insanely rich wins the lottery, or someone who’s very unlucky receives bad news. If even the pope isn’t indispensable, the loss of something or someone shouldn’t stop your world from turning. Prices on BaT hover in the $20k-$30k range for Isetta 300s. English: “You think I should eat more healthily?! Finally, it’s important to note that there’s a story or history to idioms. You know the one. So watch out when you visit Italia. Let’s stay in this humid micro-climate for a little while longer. Similar to “Speak of the devil!”, This means to hope for a good outcome for someone or something. You know the one. FluentU takes real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons, download the app from iTunes or the Google Play store, 4 Easy Ways to Jump In to Italian Immersion Online, Eat Like a Local: 100+ Italian Restaurant Phrases for Ordering and Enjoying Authentic Cuisine, 7 Superb Sites to Practice Italian Online and Click Your Way to Fluency, How to Improve Your Italian Listening Skills and Have Fun Doing It, Let’s Play! This Italian idiom means that one can better judge people’s intentions by what they do rather than what they say. It’s interesting that dogs aren’t acceptable in churches, but before the famous Palio of Siena (a traditional horserace), competing horses are taken into churches to be blessed. Do you want to really sound like an Italian? Literally: That is ugly as hunger. Sign up for free to mark this post as completed. In this post, we’re going to take a look at some of the most popular Italian idioms you might hear as you progress in your language studies. Let’s say you’re peacefully walking the streets of Milan and somebody suddenly snatches your wallet. That’s it! An apology to all the feathered and winged members of the animal kingdom is probably in order. And the person who acts stupidly (like the thief who posts his loot on Facebook), is said to possess a brain the size of a bird. How many? Similar to “Can’t judge a book by its cover.“, This Italian idiom means that being overly inquisitive, or sticking your nose in something can lead you into an unpleasant situation. Similar to “A leopard cannot change its spots.”. is an informal way to say Good luck! The expression doesn’t just apply to romantic partners; it can also be appropriate to describe the bond between friends, business partners, etc. That’s bad. Italy produces some of the world’s finest bicycles. Lit. Doesn’t matter that they have some of the world’s most mouth-watering food, most beautiful art and most scenic spots—they sometimes feel they’re missing out, just like everyone else. I frutti proibiti sono i più dolci. So, even on this list, you may find a lot of similarities with your own native language. Now that we’re talking food, have you ever noticed that no matter what the doctor says, that last piece of cake is practically impossible to resist? What could this possibly mean to someone who’s not a native English speaker? It seems that the more you’re prohibited from having something, the more that something becomes more appealing than ever. This Italian idiom means to be completely taken by surprise, usually from news of something that’s negative in nature. It’s always better to stay safe abroad and keep any valuables in your hotel (or better yet, never bring them on your vacation in the first place). Because it rhymes with “indietro” (back). Literally: to look for hairs in the egg. “Minestra riscaldata” is that state of reviving a relationship gone sour. I feel increasingly confident in my abilities with each new lesson. It means “It is what it is.” The expression gives the sense that a thing is done in a shoddy, slapdash manner. Have a look at two common English idioms and their Italian equivalents: Mark è buono come il pan. You can use it as a blanket description of a good person, when you really don’t have anything else to say about him or her. And Bianchi, the world’s first bicycle company, established in the 1880s, is still churning out two-wheelers today. If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to learn Italian with real-world videos. Imagine making soup. Lit. Literally: Mark is good as bread. It’s no wonder that the language has reflected this love affair with the bicycle in one of its idioms. In fact, in some cases, ideas or thoughts can be expressed more effectively by using Italian idioms or colloquialisms than by using a long, complicated sentence. And the Italian version might have one-upped its English counterpart because of the rhyme in “A mali estremi, estremi rimedi.”. Another Italian idiom in the same vein is “chiudere bottega” (to close up shop), which means to give up. The expression doesn’t just apply to romantic partners; it can also be appropriate to describe the bond between friends, business partners, etc. If you want to read more about the relationship between idioms, culture, and traditions, and about why it is important to learn idioms, keep on reading! Seriously though, it means the dress or whatever it is you’re trying on fits you perfectly. Idioms add so much color and richness to any language. Let’s say you’re peacefully walking the streets of Milan and somebody suddenly snatches your wallet. We are not in a Game of Thrones episode. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe, Sign up for our weekly blog newsletter for a chance to win a free FluentU Plus subscription (value $240), Get regular language learning tips, resources and updates, starting with the "Complete Guide to Foreign Language Immersion" e-book. Common Italian idioms with food. Everyone knows that “clothes don’t make the man.” We shouldn’t judge anybody on looks, we shouldn’t “judge a book by its cover.” But if that man is covered in fine Italian leather and smells like Armani in the morning, we really can’t help but judge away—albeit favorably. Translation: You’re not able to keep a chickpea in your mouth. The relationship has its ups and downs. You don’t want to hear this from the staff of an Italian restaurant, ever. Employing reverse psychology, they say “Don’t,” when they actually are thinking, “Go ahead.”. Stefano is an incredible teacher, whose recorded lessons are perfect to learn on the go, and at my own pace. You are never to set foot in her house again!”) Human nature works like magic and the teen found herself mysteriously gravitating towards grandma’s house just to watch TV. I frutti proibiti sono i più dolci. It means “Get out of my way!” You would then catch the bad man and give him a good scolding for what he did.
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