Part 5 of 5
An idiom is a sentence whose meaning can’t be understood from the meaning of the individual words that are part of it. For example, the English idiom ‘break a leg’ means ‘good luck’; it is not a way to curse someone.
In this article, we will learn the most common Italian idioms.
Enjoy!
Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash
1. Non rimandare a domani quello che puoi fare oggi – don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
A: “L’esame è tra un mese. Perché stai studiando?”
B: “Mia madre mi dice sempre ‘Non rimandare a domani quello che puoi fare oggi’ e a volte seguo i suoi consigli”.
A: “The exam is in a month. Why are you studying?”
B: “My mother always tells me 'Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today' and sometimes I follow her advice.”
2. Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco – you can't win them all/not everything turns out as planned.
Literal translation: not all doughnuts come out with a hole
A: “Ho deciso di dare il bianco perché sono brava a dipingere e pensavo fosse più o meno la stessa cosa, ma il risultato non è stato quello che mi aspettavo…”
B: “Non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco… ma comunque credo che tu abbia fatto un buon lavoro!”
A: “I decided to paint my house because I'm good at painting and I thought it would be more or less the same thing, but the result wasn't what I expected…”
B: “Not everything turns out as planned… but I still think you did a good job!”
3. Occhio non vede, cuore non duole – out of sight, out of mind.
Literal translation: the eye does not see, the heart does not hurt.
A: “Dopo che si sono lasciati e ha saputo che lei si è messa con un altro, lui si è trasferito dall’altra parte del mondo.”
B: “Occhio non vede, cuore non duole.”
A: “After they broke up and he found out she was dating someone else, he moved to the other side of the world.”
B: “Out of sight, out of mind.”
4. O la va o la spacca! – make it or break it.
A: “Vuoi dare l’esame senza aver studiato? Sei pazzo?”
B: “È il mio ultimo esame. O la va o la spacca!”
A: “Do you want to take the exam without having studied? Are you crazy?"
B: “It's my last exam. Make it or brake it!"
5. Qualcosa bolle in pentola – something is up.
Literal translation: something boils in the pot.
A: “Tuo marito ha pulito casa e ti ha preparato la cena? Qualcosa bolle in pentola…”
A: “Your husband cleaned the house and made dinner for you? Something's up..."
6. Parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna – speak of the devil.
Literal translation: speak of the devil and horns emerge.
A: “Mille euro di bolletta? Penso sia ora di parlare con mamma e dirle di smetterla di lavare continuamente!”
B: “Oh mamma! Parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna…”
A: “A thousand-euro bill? I think it's time to talk to mom and tell her to stop washing all the time!”
B: “Oh mom! Speak of the devil…”
7. Ride bene chi ride ultimo! – he who laughs last, laughs longest.
A: “Pensa di avermi sconfitto, ma non sa cosa ho in serbo per lui. Ride bene chi ride ultimo!”
A: “He thinks he has defeated me, but he doesn't know what I have in store for him. He who laughs last, laughs longest!"
8. Rompere il ghiaccio – to break the ice
A: “Quando c’è un incontro di lavoro e ci fanno fare dei giochi per rompere il ghiaccio, vorrei prendere e andarmene. Perché ci fanno sprecare tempo? Non siamo mica all’asilo!”
B: “Dai Luca, non ti arrabbiare, magari sta volta i giochi sono più interessanti!”
A: “Vuoi scommettere?!”
A: “When there's a business meeting and they make us play games to break the ice, I’d like to stand up and leave. Why do they waste our time? We're not in kindergarten anymore!"
B: “Come on Luca, don't get angry, maybe this time the games will be more interesting!”
A: “Do you want to bet?!”
9. Rompere le scatole – to bother someone
Literal translation: to break the boxes.
A: “Sei al secondo Cornetto? Ma non avevi detto che eri a dieta?”
B: “Non mi rompere le scatole. Faccio cosa mi pare.”
A: “Mamma mia come sei acida. Per me puoi mangiarne anche dieci!”
A: “Are you eating your second Cornetto? Didn't you say you were on a diet?"
B: “Don't bother me. I do what I want.”
A: “My goodness, you are so sour. As far as I’m concerned, you can eat ten of them!”
10. Sano come un pesce – to be very healthy, as sound as a bell
Literal translation: as healthy as a fish.
A: “Come sta tuo nonno?”
B: “È sano come un pesce. Aveva solo fatto indigestione dopo aver finito una scatola di cioccolatini”.
A: “How is your grandfather?”
B: “He is as sound as a bell. He just had indigestion after finishing a box of chocolates."
11. Sbarcare il lunario – to make ends meet.
Literal translation: to unload the almanac.
A: “Tra l’aumento dei prezzi e dei tassi di interesse, è sempre più difficile sbarcare il lunario per alcune famiglie.”
A: “Between rising prices and interest rates, it is increasingly difficult for some families to make ends meet.”
12. Senza peli sulla lingua/non avere peli sulla lingua – without mincing words
Literal translation: not to have hairs on your tongue.
A: “Perché non mi hai rinnovato il contratto di affitto?”
B: “Perché non fai altro che lamentarti tutto il tempo e non ti sopporto più!”
A: “Certo che non hai proprio peli sulla lingua!”
A: “Why didn't you renew my rental contract?”
B: “Because all you do is complain all the time and I can't stand you anymore!”
A: “You certainly don't mince your words!”
13. Si chiama Pietro e torna indietro – you must give it back to me.
Literal translation: His name is Pietro and he comes back.
A: “Mi puoi prestare il libro ‘no self, no problem’?”
B: “Sì, ma si chiama Pietro e torna indietro!”
A: “Can you lend me the book 'no self, no problem'?”
B: “Yes, but you must give it back to me”.
14. Sfortunato al gioco, fortunato in amore – unlucky at cards, lucky in love”
A: “Non compro mai I biglietti della lotteria. Tanto perdo sempre!”
B: “Sfortunato al gioco, fortunato in amore!”
A: “I never buy lottery tickets. I always lose anyway!”
B: “Unlucky at cards, lucky in love!”
15. Sputa il rospo – spit it out.
Literal translation: to spit the toad.
A: “Cos’hai? Sei strana.”
B: “No, niente…”
A: “Quando dici ‘no, niente’, c’è qualche problema. Sputa il rospo! Che cos’hai?”
A: “What's wrong with you? You're acting weird"
B: “No, nothing…”
A: “When you say 'no, nothing', there’s something wrong. Spit it out! What's wrong?"
16. Stare/calzare a pennello – to suit to a T, to fit like a glove, to look great.
A: “Come mi sta questo vestito?”
B: “Ti sta a pennello!”
A: “How does this dress look on me?”
B: “It looks great on you!”
17. Stare con le mani in mano – to sit on your hands.
Literal translation: to stay with your hands in your hand.
A: “Wow! Quanta roba da mangiare hai comprato?”
B: “Sì ma non stare con le mani in mano! Aiutami a scaricare la macchina!”
A: “Wow! How much food did you buy?”
B: “Yes but don't sit on your hands! Help me unload the car!”
18. Stare sullo stomaco/sulle palle – to gets on someone’s nerves
Literal translation: to stay on the stomach/on the balls
A: “Perché non ti piace Mario?”
B: “Perché è sempre scortese senza motive. Mi sta proprio sulle palle!”
A: “Why don't you like Mario?”
B: “Because he is always rude for no reason. He really gets on my nerves!”
19. Tale madre, tale figlia/tale padre, tale figlio – like mother, like daughter/like father, like son.
A: “Vera è una famosa attrice di teatro e sua figlia Valentina ha appena recitato in un film con Robert De Niro e Leonardo Di Caprio”.
B: “Tale madre, tale figlia!”
A: “Vera is a famous theatre actress, and her daughter Valentina has just starred in a film with Robert De Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio”.
B: “Like mother, like daughter!”
20. Tanto va la gatta al lardo che ci lascia lo zampino – curiosity killed the cat.
Literal translation: the cat goes to the lard so much that it leaves its paw.
A: “Tanto va la gatta al lardo che ci lascia lo zampino. Poi non dire che non ti avevo avvisato!”
A: “Curiosity killed the cat. Then don't say I didn't warn you!"
21. Tirare un pacco – to stand someone up
22. Dare buca – to stand someone up
Literal translations: to throw a package/to give a hole.
A: “Dovevamo trovarci al Cutre alle 10, ma mi ha tirato pacco”.
B: “Peggio per lui! Non sa cosa si perde!”
A: “We were supposed to meet at Cutre at 10, but he stood me up”.
B: “Too bad for him! He doesn't know what he's missing!”
23. Togliersi dai piedi – to get out of the way
Literal translation: to get out of the feet
A: “Dai Remo, smettila di abbaiare e togliti dai piedi, se no non riesco a darti da mangiare!”
A: “Come on Remo, stop barking and get out of my way, otherwise I won't be able to feed you!”
24. Tra il dire e il fare c’è di mezzo il mare – easier said than done/there is a world of difference between saying and doing.
Literal translation: between saying and doing is the ocean.
A: “Vedrai, entro domenica il giardino sarà perfetto! Taglierò l’erba, poterò gli alberi e pianterò i fiori”.
B: “Tra il dire e il fare c’è di mezzo il mare”.
A: “You'll see, by Sunday the garden will be perfect! I will cut the grass, prune the trees and plant the flowers."
B: “There is a world of difference between saying and doing”.
25. Tra moglie e marito non mettere il dito – never interfere between a husband and wife.
Literal translation: don’t put a finger between wife and husband.
A: “Quando mi ha chiesto consiglio, le ho detto di lasciarlo e adesso non mi parla più!”
B: “Tra moglie e marito non mettere il dito!”
A: “When she asked me for advice, I told her to leave him and now she doesn't talk to me anymore!”
B: “Never interfere between husband and wife!”
26. Tutto fa brodo – every little bit helps, every little thing counts
Literal translation: anything makes broth.
A: “Mi dispiace ma posso donare solo venti dollari. Non so se sarà molto utile.”
B: “Non preoccuparti! Tutto fa brodo”
A: “I'm sorry but I can only donate twenty dollars. I don't know if it will be very useful.”
B: “Don't worry! Every little bit helps."
27. Tutto fumo e niente arrosto – all bark and no bite/all hat and no cattle
Literal translation: all smoke and no roast
A: “Ha detto che avrebbe organizzato una mega festa, ma come sempre non ha fatto nulla!”
B: “Tutto fumo e niente arrosto!”
A: “He said he was going to throw a huge party, but as always he didn't do anything!”
B: “All hat and no cattle!”
28. Vedere i sorci verdi – make someone see stars from pain/cause someone great trouble.
Literal translation: to see green mice.
A: “Quando mi ha disinfettato la ferita, ho visto i sorci verdi!”
A: “When he disinfected my wound, I saw stars from pain!”
29. Vedersela brutta – to experience a narrow escape/to have a rough/hard time
Literal translation: to see it ugly.
A: “Quando ho guidato in mezzo alla tempesta, me la sono vista brutta!”
A: “When I drove through the storm, I had a rough time!”
30. Passare un brutto quarto d'ora – to get really worried
Literal translation: to have a bad quarter of an hour
A: "Quando non trovavo più il portafoglio, ho passato un brutto quarto d'ora."
A: "When I couldn't find my wallet, I got really worried."
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Thanks for reading, I'll see you all next month!
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