Christmas,ilNatale,isallaboutfamily,eatingandchattingtogetherwithfamilyandfriends.

Italianslovetoeat andtheItalianlanguageispackedwithproverbsandidiomsrelatedtofood.LearnthemostfamousoneslistentotheaudioandsurpriseyourfriendswithsomefunnyItaliansentences.

Alcontadinonondevifarsaperequantoèbuonoilformaggioconlepere

Don’ttellthefarmerhowgoodischeesewithpears.Don’ttellpeoplehowgoodareyourideas,someonewilltakeadvantageofit.

Atavolanons’invecchia

Youdon’tgetoldatthetable.Initially,thisproverbmeantthatwhoeatstoomuch,diesyoung.Nowadays,themeaningistotallydifferent.Enjoyinggoodtimeatthetablekeepsyouyoung.

Bacco,tabaccoeVenere,riduconol’uomoincenere

Bacco(Romangodofwine),tabaccoandVenus(women)turnmenintoashes.Liveabalancedlife.

Bisognamangiarepervivere,nonviverepermangiare

Eatforliving,don’tliveforeating.Don’tmesswithfood,it’sdangerous.ThissentencedatesbacktoCicero,thefamousRomanlawyerandphilosopher.

Chimangiadasolosistrozzainsolitudine

Whoeatsalonedieschockingalone.Don’tbegreedy.

…comeilcaciosuimaccheroni

…likecheeseonpasta.Somethinghappensattherighttimeandaddsvaluetoasituation.

Chic’hailpanenonc’haidenti,chic’haidentinonc’hailpane

Thosewhohavebreaddon’thaveteeth,thosewhohaveteethdon’thavebread.Sometimesgoodopportunitiescometopeopleunabletohandlethem.

Chilaseranoncena,tuttalanottesidimena

Whodoesn’teatintheevening,can’tsleepatnight.

Chinonbeveincompagniaoèladroofalaspia

Whodoesn’tdrinksociallyisathieforaspy.Distrustpeoplewhodrinkalone.

C’entracomeicavoliamerenda

It’sappropriatelikeeatingcabbageatteatime.So,it’snotappropriate.

Dopoiconfetti,siscopronoidifetti

Afterthewedding,couplesfindoutflaws.ConfettiinItalianaretypicalweddingcandieswithalmond.WhatpeoplecallconfettiinEnglish,inItalianarecoriandoli.Learnmoreabout falsefriends,wordswiththesameoriginbutdifferentmeaninginItalianandEnglish.

E’megliounuovooggicheunagallinadomani

Betteraneggtodaythanahentomorrow.Don’twasteopportunitiesforemptypromises.

Èinutilepiangeresullatteversato

Don’tcryoverspiltmilk.SameasinEnglish.

Finisce tuttoataralluccievino

Itallendswithtarallucci(Italiansavorybiscuits)andwine.Acomplicateddisputeissolvedfriendly.

Gallinavecchiafabuonbrodo

Oldhenmakesgoodstock.Experiencepaysoff.

Glizuccherininonsonofattiperisomari

Don’tgivesugartodonkeys.Don’twasteenergyandresourceswithpeoplewhocan’tappreciateit.

Ilvinoècomel’amore,scaldalatestaeilcuore

Wineislikelove,warmsupheadandheart.

Ilvinoèillattedeivecchi

Wineisoldpeople’smilk.

L’appetitovienmangiando

Appetitecomeseating.Enthusiasmgrowsonlybydoingthings.

Laprimagallinachecantaèquellachehafattol’uovo

Thefirstsquawkinghenistheonelayinganegg.Thefirstpersonpointingfingersistheguiltyone.

L’ospiteècomeilpesce,dopotregiornipuzza

Aguestislikefish,afterthreedaysitsmells.

Laboccaportalegambe

Mouth(eating)makesyourlegswalking.

L’amicoècomeilvino,seèbuonocoltempomigliora

Afriendislikewine,itbecomesbetterwithtime.

Lafameaguzzal’ingegno

Starvationmakesyousmarter.

Laperaquand’èmaturacadedasola

Whenthepearisripe,itfallsbyitself.Sometimesyoujustneedtowaitforthingstohappen.

Nellabottepiccolac’èilvinobuono

Goodwineisinthesmallbarrel.Shortpeoplearethebest.

Nonc’ètrippapergatti

There’snofood(tripe)forcats.Inthepast,peopleusedtobuymeatforthefamilyandtripeforpets.Thisidiommeansthatadditionalresourcesarefinishedortherearenoalternatives.

Omangilaminestraosaltilafinestra

Eatthesoup(minestra)orjumpoutthewindow.Youdon’thavealternatives.

Panciapienanonpensaaquellavuota

Fullstomachdoesn’tthinkabouttheemptyone

Quellochenonstrozza,ingrassa

Ifyoudon’tchokeit’llmakeyoufat.Whatdoesn’tkillyou…

Sulpiattodovesimangia,noncisisputa

Don’tspitonyourownplate. Don’tbitethehandthatfeedsyou.

Tantofumoenientearrosto

Allsmoke,nomeat.Allhatandnotrousers.

Panealpaneevinoalvino.

Breadtobread,winetowine.To callaspadeaspade