{"id":4364,"date":"2013-09-26T19:56:57","date_gmt":"2013-09-26T17:56:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/?p=4364"},"modified":"2022-11-09T15:07:23","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T06:07:23","slug":"italian-idiomatic-expressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-idiomatic-expressions\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian idiomatic expressions. A to Z Guide."},"content":{"rendered":"

Italian is such a colourful language! There are so many Italian idiomatic expressions. Learn the most common ones with our A to Z list.<\/h1>\n

Italian idiomatic expressions will help you to improve your communication skills and speak more naturally. We added some common expressions with bad words, marked in red<\/span><\/strong>. The literal translations (in italic)<\/em> in many cases don’t make sense in English, We put them just to picture the idea in Italian.<\/p>\n

This list is of course incomplete, so feel free to add your own in the comments.<\/p>\n

ESPRESSIONI IDIOMATICHE ITALIANE IN ORDINE ALFABETICO<\/h2>\n
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  • Acqua in bocca\u00a0<\/strong>– Water in mouth – <\/em>When you ask someone to keep a secret, don’t open your mouth. EXAMPLE: “Ho vinto alla lotteria. Mi raccomando, acqua in bocca!”<\/li>\n
  • Andare a puttane<\/span> <\/strong>–\u00a0To go for a hooker –\u00a0<\/em>When something goes terribly wrong or is broken. EXAMPLE: “La televisione \u00e8 andata a puttane”, the TV set is completely broken.<\/li>\n
  • Attaccare bottone<\/strong> –\u00a0To sew a button – <\/em>When someone talks endlessly and does not let you go. EXAMPLE: “Ho incontrato Michele, ha attaccato bottone, non se ne andava!<\/li>\n
  • Avere culo<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/em>– To have ass –<\/em>\u00a0Being incredibly lucky. Interchangeable with the exclamation Che culo!, What an ass!<\/em>\u00a0 EXAMPLE “Ho trovato 100 euro. Che culo! (ho avuto culo!)”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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    • Ballarci dentro – <\/strong>Dancing inside something –\u00a0<\/em>Wearing too big clothes. EXAMPLE: ” Ho comprato un paio di pantaloni per Luca, ma ci balla dentro”<\/li>\n
    • Battere\u00a0il ferro finch\u00e9 \u00e8 caldo<\/strong> – Strike while the iron’s hot<\/em>\u00a0– <\/em>Act immediately after an event. EXAMPLE “Ho chiesto un aumento di stipendio al mio nuovo capo. Bisogna battere il ferro finch\u00e9 \u00e8 caldo”<\/li>\n
    • Baciami il culo<\/span> – <\/strong>Kiss my ass –\u00a0<\/em>No need to translate this one. EXAMPLE: “Mi ha chiesto mille euro in prestito. Gli ho detto baciami il culo!”<\/em><\/li>\n
    • Bollire in pentola –\u00a0<\/strong>Boiling in the pot – <\/em>There’s something going on here – EXAMPLE: “Stefano \u00e8 molto silenzioso. Qualcosa bolle in pentola.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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      • Cadere in piedi – <\/strong>Falling on your feet<\/em>\u00a0– <\/strong>Being\u00a0very lucky in solving a problem – Cadere<\/em> or Cascare<\/em> are both used in this case. EXAMPLE: “Giorgio \u00e8 fortunato. Casca (Cade) sempre in piedi”
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      • Cascare dal pero –\u00a0<\/strong> Falling from the pear tree<\/em> – To be clueless – Again, Cadere or Cascare<\/em>\u00a0are interchangeble. EXAMPLE: “Oggi mi hanno licenziato ma non me lo aspettavo! Sono cascato dal pero”<\/li>\n
      • Cercare il pelo nell’uovo<\/strong> – Look for a hair inside an egg<\/em> – Nitpicking – EXAMPLE: “Andrea \u00e8 molto preciso, cerca sempre il pelo nell’uovo”<\/li>\n
      • Cagarsi sotto<\/span> – <\/strong>To s<\/em>hit yourself below –<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>Have the shit scared out of you –<\/em>\u00a0EXAMPLE: “Un ladro mi ha rapinato. Mi sono cagato sotto dalla paura”\u00a0<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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        • Dare del filo da torcere <\/b><\/strong>–\u00a0Giving a cord to roll up –<\/em>\u00a0To give a hard time, to make things difficult – EXAMPLE: “Ho giocato a tennis con Giulio. Mi ha dato del filo da torcere”<\/li>\n
        • Dormire sugli allori<\/strong> – Sleeping on a trophy (lit. sleeping on a laurel wreath) – <\/em>To stop fighting or acting after a success. EXAMPLE: “Abbiamo vinto la gara. Adesso \u00e8 importante non dormire sugli allori”<\/li>\n
        • Dare via il culo<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>–\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Giving ass\u00a0<\/em>–\u00a0<\/em>Being submissive. EXAMPLE: “Laura ha dato via il culo per avere il nuovo lavoro”<\/li>\n
        • Dormire tra due guanciali<\/strong>\u00a0– Sleeping between two pillows – Being safe, not worried at all.\u00a0EXAMPLE: “Ho lavorato bene. Stasera dormo tra due guanciali”\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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          • Essere a cavallo\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>– To be on a horse – <\/em>To be all set. Sometimes used ironically. EXAMPLE: “Ho firmato il contratto. Siamo a cavallo!”<\/li>\n
          • Essere in alto mare<\/strong> – To be in high see –\u00a0<\/em>Having a long way to go – EXAMPLE: “Non riesco a risolvere quel problema. Sono ancora in alto mare”<\/li>\n
          • Essere nella merda <\/strong><\/span>–\u00a0<\/strong>To be in shit<\/em> – To be in deep trouble –\u00a0EXAMPLE:\u00a0“Ho finito i soldi. Sono nella merda!”<\/li>\n
          • Essere come il prezzemolo<\/strong> – To be like parsley<\/em> –\u00a0\u00a0To be everywhere or intrusive. EXAMPLE: “Incontro sempre Dario. \u00c8 come il prezzemolo”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n