{"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":"2026-05-18T01:05:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T16:05:54","slug":"italian-idiomatic-expressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-idiomatic-expressions\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Idioms: 35 Expressions Natives Really Use"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\ud83d\udd0d <strong>In short.<\/strong> <em><strong>Italian idioms<\/strong> are fixed expressions whose meaning is not the sum of the words: <em>essere al verde<\/em> (&#8220;to be broke&#8221;, literally &#8220;to be at the green&#8221;), <em>avere la testa fra le nuvole<\/em> (&#8220;to have your head in the clouds&#8221;), <em>in bocca al lupo<\/em> (&#8220;good luck&#8221;, literally &#8220;into the wolf&#8217;s mouth&#8221;). They cluster around a few verbs (<em>essere, avere, fare<\/em>) and a few worlds (animals, the body, food), and most of them freeze without the article. This B1 guide is the hub: the most common italian idioms by group, plus links to the deep-dive guides for each family.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can be grammatically perfect and still sound foreign if you never use italian idioms. A handful, dropped at the right moment, is one of the fastest ways to sound like a person rather than a textbook, as long as you use them the way natives do: sparingly, in the right register, and with the wording kept exactly as it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\" \/>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-toc-id\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"gb-headline gb-headline-toc-h-id gb-headline-text\" style=\"text-align:center;font-size:24px\">Cosa impareremo oggi<\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">\ud83d\udc46\ud83c\udffb Jump to section<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#what\">What an idiom is (and is not)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#essere\">Essere idioms: al verde, in gamba<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#avere\">Avere idioms: la testa fra le nuvole<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#fare\">Fare idioms: farsi in quattro<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#animals\">Animal idioms: in bocca al lupo<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#body\">Body idioms: costare un occhio<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#everyday\">Everyday life idioms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#article-drop\">Why idioms drop the article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#colours\">Colour idioms: notte in bianco<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#families\">The deep-dive idiom families<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#learn\">How to actually learn idioms<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#using\">Using idioms without overdoing it<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#mistakes\">Common mistakes English speakers make<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#dialog\">Dialog: moving day in Modena<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#cheat-sheet\">Cheat sheet: every idiom<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#challenge\">Mini-challenge<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#related\">Related guides<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#quiz\">Quiz<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what\">What an idiom is (and is not)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An idiom is a fixed expression with a frozen wording whose meaning is metaphorical, not the sum of its parts. <em>Essere al verde<\/em> has nothing to do with the colour green; it means to be broke. Change one word and italian idioms break: it is <em>al verde<\/em>, never &#8220;al verdo&#8221;. You learn them whole, like single vocabulary items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep three labels apart. An idiom is a phrase you slot into a sentence (<em>farsi in quattro<\/em>). A proverb is a whole sentence with a moral (<em>chi dorme non piglia pesci<\/em>). A phrasal verb, finally, is a verb plus a place particle (<em>andare via<\/em>). This guide is about italian idioms specifically, with links to the proverb and phrasal-verb guides at the end.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-focus-id-1\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p>\ud83d\udd0d <strong>Learn them whole.<\/strong> <em>Italian idioms are frozen: you cannot change the noun, the number or the verb. Memorise the exact phrase, not the pieces, and never translate them word for word into English.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"essere\">Essere idioms: al verde, in gamba<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest group of italian idioms is built on <em>essere<\/em>, describing a state or a kind of person.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>essere al verde<\/em> = to be broke<br><em>Dopo il trasloco siamo al verde fino al mese prossimo.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>essere in gamba<\/em> = to be sharp, capable<br><em>Il nuovo medico \u00e8 davvero in gamba.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>essere al settimo cielo<\/em> = to be on cloud nine<br><em>Quando l&#8217;ha saputo era al settimo cielo.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>essere un pesce fuor d&#8217;acqua<\/em> = to be a fish out of water<br><em>Alla riunione mi sono sentito un pesce fuor d&#8217;acqua.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>These <em>essere<\/em> italian idioms are everyday register: <em>\u00e8 in gamba<\/em> and <em>sono al verde<\/em> are things you will hear and say within your first weeks in Italy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"avere\">Avere idioms: la testa fra le nuvole<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The second cluster of italian idioms uses <em>avere<\/em>, often about mood or character.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>avere la testa fra le nuvole<\/em> = to have your head in the clouds<br><em>Oggi Lorenzo ha la testa fra le nuvole.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>avere un diavolo per capello<\/em> = to be furious<br><em>Non parlarle adesso, ha un diavolo per capello.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>avere le mani in pasta<\/em> = to have a finger in the pie<br><em>In quel settore ha le mani in pasta da anni.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>avere le mani bucate<\/em> = to spend money like water<br><em>Risparmiare? Ha le mani bucate, \u00e8 impossibile.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>Notice how many <em>avere<\/em> italian idioms use the body (<em>testa, capello, mani<\/em>) as the image. That is a pattern across the whole topic and a useful memory hook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fare\">Fare idioms: farsi in quattro<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A third group of italian idioms is built on <em>fare<\/em>, usually about how someone acts.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>farsi in quattro<\/em> = to bend over backwards<br><em>Si \u00e8 fatta in quattro per aiutarci col trasloco.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>fare orecchie da mercante<\/em> = to turn a deaf ear<br><em>Gliel&#8217;ho detto mille volte ma fa orecchie da mercante.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>fare il finto tonto<\/em> = to play dumb<br><em>Non fare il finto tonto, lo sai benissimo.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>fare le ore piccole<\/em> = to stay up very late<br><em>Abbiamo fatto le ore piccole a sistemare gli scatoloni.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-focus-id-2\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p>\ud83d\udd0d <strong>Three verbs, most idioms.<\/strong> <em>A huge share of italian idioms hang off essere, avere or fare. Learn which verb an idiom takes and half of it is already in place.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"animals\">Animal idioms: in bocca al lupo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Animals carry some of the most vivid italian idioms, and one you will need on day one.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>in bocca al lupo<\/em> = good luck (reply: <em>crepi!<\/em>)<br><em>Domani hai l&#8217;esame? In bocca al lupo! &mdash; Crepi!<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>avere una fame da lupi<\/em> = to be ravenous<br><em>Dopo la camminata avevamo una fame da lupi.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>prendere due piccioni con una fava<\/em> = to kill two birds with one stone<br><em>Cos\u00ec prendiamo due piccioni con una fava.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>quando il gatto non c&#8217;\u00e8 i topi ballano<\/em> = when the cat&#8217;s away the mice will play<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p><em>In bocca al lupo<\/em> is the single most useful of all italian idioms for a student: you will hear it before every exam and interview, and the fixed reply is <em>crepi<\/em> (or <em>crepi il lupo<\/em>), never &#8220;grazie&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"body\">Body idioms: costare un occhio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The body is the richest single source of italian idioms, about money, courage and frankness.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>costare un occhio della testa<\/em> = to cost a fortune<br><em>Quell&#8217;appartamento a Lucca costa un occhio della testa.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>non avere peli sulla lingua<\/em> = to be very blunt<br><em>Caterina non ha peli sulla lingua.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>avere fegato<\/em> = to have guts<br><em>Ci vuole fegato per ricominciare da zero.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>parlare a quattr&#8217;occhi<\/em> = to talk privately, one to one<br><em>Parliamone a quattr&#8217;occhi domani.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>Body italian idioms map only loosely onto English: &#8220;cost an arm and a leg&#8221; becomes <em>costare un occhio della testa<\/em> (an eye), &#8220;have guts&#8221; becomes <em>avere fegato<\/em> (liver). Learn the Italian organ, do not translate the English one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"everyday\">Everyday life idioms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A last mixed group of high-frequency italian idioms you will meet constantly.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>non vedo l&#8217;ora<\/em> = I can&#8217;t wait<br><em>Non vedo l&#8217;ora di rivederti.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>rendere pan per focaccia<\/em> = to give tit for tat<br><em>Gli ha reso pan per focaccia.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>cercare il pelo nell&#8217;uovo<\/em> = to nitpick<br><em>Non cercare il pelo nell&#8217;uovo, \u00e8 un buon lavoro.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>togliersi un sassolino dalla scarpa<\/em> = to get something off your chest<br><em>Voglio togliermi un sassolino dalla scarpa.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p><em>Non vedo l&#8217;ora<\/em> is probably the everyday italian idiom you will use most: it simply means &#8220;I can&#8217;t wait&#8221;, and it takes <em>di<\/em> + infinitive or <em>che<\/em> + subjunctive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"article-drop\">Why idioms drop the article<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A grammar note that helps you spot italian idioms: like proverbs, many freeze without the article that normal grammar would want.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Frozen, no article: <em>avere fegato<\/em>, <em>fare orecchie da mercante<\/em>, <em>perdere tempo<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Compare full grammar: <em>il fegato \u00e8 un organo<\/em> (the liver, literal, with article).<\/li>\n<li>Proverb parallel: <em>Gallina vecchia fa buon brodo<\/em>, also article-free.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>So a missing article where you expect one is a clue you are looking at one of the italian idioms, not a normal phrase. Do not &#8220;correct&#8221; it by adding the article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"colours\">Colour idioms: notte in bianco<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Colours run through a whole sub-family of italian idioms, from money to moods to the news.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>passare una notte in bianco<\/em> = to have a sleepless night<br><em>Prima del colloquio ho passato una notte in bianco.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>di punto in bianco<\/em> = out of the blue, suddenly<br><em>Di punto in bianco ha deciso di trasferirsi a Lucca.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>vedere tutto nero<\/em> = to be pessimistic about everything<br><em>Non vedere tutto nero, andr\u00e0 bene.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>essere al verde<\/em> = to be broke (the colour-money link again)<br><em>A fine mese siamo sempre al verde.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>il principe azzurro<\/em> = Prince Charming<br><em>Non aspetta il principe azzurro, si organizza da sola.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>Italian assigns feelings to colours differently from English: a sleepless night is <em>in bianco<\/em> (white), gloom is <em>nero<\/em> (black), being broke is <em>al verde<\/em> (green). These colour italian idioms are fixed, so keep the exact colour: <em>notte in bianco<\/em>, never &#8220;notte in nero&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"families\">The deep-dive idiom families<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some groups of italian idioms are big enough to deserve their own guide. Once the hub is solid, go deeper into each family.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>La idioms<\/strong>: <em>smetterla, farcela, cavarsela<\/em>, where <em>la<\/em> stands for nothing in particular.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Per idioms<\/strong>: <em>stare per, per poco non, una volta per tutte<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Clothing idioms<\/strong>: <em>nato con la camicia, attaccare bottone, nei panni di<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proverbs<\/strong>: full-sentence folk wisdom, a related but separate category.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>Each of these families of italian idioms has a dedicated guide, linked at the end. Treat this page as the map and the others as the territory: come here to see the whole landscape and remind yourself which categories exist, then click into a family when you want depth, more examples, the grammar behind it and a focused quiz. The hub-and-spoke split is deliberate, it keeps each idiom in a context where it actually makes sense rather than drowning in one endless alphabetical list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"learn\">How to actually learn idioms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rote lists do not work for italian idioms, because the meaning is not in the words. A few methods that do.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>By verb or theme<\/strong>: learn the <em>essere<\/em> set together, then the body set, then the animal set. The grouping in this hub is the memory structure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Attach a scene<\/strong>: tie each idiom to a real moment, the day you were genuinely <em>al verde<\/em>, the colleague who always has <em>la testa fra le nuvole<\/em>. A phrase glued to a memory sticks.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Recognise before you produce<\/strong>: collect idioms you hear in films and conversation first; only start using one once you have heard it land naturally a few times.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keep a small notebook<\/strong>: not hundreds, just the twenty italian idioms you actually want, with one real sentence each.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>The aim is not encyclopaedic coverage. Twenty italian idioms you can use at the right second beat two hundred you only half remember. This hub gives you the map; pick your twenty and make them yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"using\">Using idioms without overdoing it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Italian idioms are seasoning. One, well placed, makes you sound native; five in a paragraph make you sound like a phrasebook reading itself out loud.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Neutral, safe anywhere: <em>essere in gamba<\/em>, <em>non vedo l&#8217;ora<\/em>, <em>in bocca al lupo<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Informal, friends only: <em>fare il finto tonto<\/em>, <em>alzare il gomito<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Recognise before you produce: hear an idiom used naturally a few times before you try it yourself.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p>Pick three or four italian idioms that match situations you actually meet and use those. Breadth comes later; the goal is to deploy a few at the right second, not to recite a list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mistakes\">Common mistakes English speakers make<\/h2>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Translating literally: <em>essere al verde<\/em> is &#8220;to be broke&#8221;, not anything about green.<\/li>\n<li>Changing a word: it is <em>prendere due piccioni con una fava<\/em>, the animals and the bean are fixed.<\/li>\n<li>Answering <em>in bocca al lupo<\/em> with <em>grazie<\/em>: the reply is <em>crepi<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Adding the article: it is <em>avere fegato<\/em>, not <em>avere il fegato<\/em> in the idiom.<\/li>\n<li>Over-using: stacking several italian idioms in one breath sounds unnatural.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"dialog\">Dialog: moving day in Modena<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Caterina and Lorenzo are finishing a move into a flat in Modena. Listen for the italian idioms and how lightly they land.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-dialog-id\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Ti sei fatto in quattro oggi. Grazie davvero.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb0 <strong>Lorenzo:<\/strong> Figurati. Per\u00f2 ho una fame da lupi, non vedo l&#8217;ora di cenare.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Anch&#8217;io. Dopo questo trasloco siamo proprio al verde, per\u00f2.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb0 <strong>Lorenzo:<\/strong> Per un mese s\u00ec. Ma non cerchiamo il pelo nell&#8217;uovo: la casa \u00e8 bellissima.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Vero. Domani per\u00f2 ho il colloquio e ho la testa fra le nuvole.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc68\ud83c\udffc\u200d\ud83e\uddb0 <strong>Lorenzo:<\/strong> Andr\u00e0 benissimo, sei in gamba. In bocca al lupo!<\/p>\n\n\n<p>\ud83d\udc69\ud83c\udffd\u200d\ud83e\uddb1 <strong>Caterina:<\/strong> Crepi! Adesso ordiniamo qualcosa, me lo sono meritato.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>One tired evening runs through seven italian idioms (<em>farsi in quattro, fame da lupi, non vedo l&#8217;ora, al verde, cercare il pelo nell&#8217;uovo, testa fra le nuvole, in gamba, in bocca al lupo<\/em>) without a single one sounding forced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cheat-sheet\">Cheat sheet: every idiom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One table for the italian idioms in this hub. Keep it open while you do the quiz.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-cheat-id\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Idiom<\/th><th>Meaning<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>essere al verde<\/td><td>to be broke<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>essere in gamba<\/td><td>to be sharp \/ capable<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>avere la testa fra le nuvole<\/td><td>to have your head in the clouds<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>avere un diavolo per capello<\/td><td>to be furious<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>farsi in quattro<\/td><td>to bend over backwards<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>fare orecchie da mercante<\/td><td>to turn a deaf ear<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>in bocca al lupo (reply: crepi)<\/td><td>good luck<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>avere una fame da lupi<\/td><td>to be ravenous<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>costare un occhio della testa<\/td><td>to cost a fortune<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>non avere peli sulla lingua<\/td><td>to be very blunt<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>non vedo l&#8217;ora<\/td><td>I can&#8217;t wait<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>cercare il pelo nell&#8217;uovo<\/td><td>to nitpick<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"challenge\">Mini-challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-task-id\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p>\ud83c\udfaf <strong>Mini-challenge.<\/strong> Complete each idiom, then read it aloud.<\/p>\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dopo il trasloco siamo al _____. (broke)<\/li>\n<li>Domani ho l&#8217;esame. In bocca al _____! &mdash; _____!<\/li>\n<li>Oggi ho la testa fra le _____. (distracted)<\/li>\n<li>Si \u00e8 fatta in _____ per aiutarci. (bent over backwards)<\/li>\n<li>Non ha peli sulla _____. (blunt)<\/li>\n<li>Quell&#8217;auto costa un _____ della testa. (a fortune)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<details><summary><strong>\ud83d\udc49 Show answers<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>1. <strong>verde<\/strong> \u00b7 2. <strong>lupo<\/strong> \/ <strong>Crepi<\/strong> \u00b7 3. <strong>nuvole<\/strong> \u00b7 4. <strong>quattro<\/strong> \u00b7 5. <strong>lingua<\/strong> \u00b7 6. <strong>occhio<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"quiz\">Test your understanding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The quiz below drills the italian idioms from this hub: meaning, completion and register. Take it after the cheat sheet.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-quiz-id\"><div class=\"gb-inside-container\">\n\n<p style=\"text-align:center;padding:30px;background:#f4f5f6;border-radius:10px;color:#888\"><em>(Quiz coming soon)<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:36px;color:#ab2227;margin-top:50px;margin-bottom:10px;letter-spacing:0.3em;font-family:Georgia,serif\">\u00a7<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faq\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Seven questions about italian idioms come up in every B1 class. The answers below draw on classroom usage and on the Treccani entry <a href=\"https:\/\/www.treccani.it\/vocabolario\/idiomatico\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">idiomatico<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-id-q1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is an Italian idiom?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>A fixed expression whose meaning is metaphorical, not the sum of the words. Essere al verde has nothing to do with green; it means to be broke. The wording is frozen: change a word and the idiom breaks. You learn idioms whole, like single vocabulary items, and you never translate them word for word.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-id-q2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the difference between an idiom, a proverb and a phrasal verb?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>An idiom is a phrase you slot into a sentence (farsi in quattro). A proverb is a full sentence with a moral (chi dorme non piglia pesci). A phrasal verb is a verb plus a particle (andare via). They overlap in everyday speech but the structures are different, and each has its own guide.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-id-q3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What does in bocca al lupo mean and how do I reply?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>It means good luck, literally into the wolf&#8217;s mouth, said before an exam, interview or anything daunting. The fixed reply is crepi or crepi il lupo, not grazie. It is the single most useful idiom for a student in Italy.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-id-q4\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Why do many idioms have no article?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Like proverbs, many idioms freeze without the article that normal grammar would require: avere fegato, fare orecchie da mercante, perdere tempo. The bare form is the idiom; with the literal meaning the article comes back (il fegato e un organo). A missing article is a clue you are looking at an idiom.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-id-q5\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Which verbs do most Italian idioms use?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>A large share hang off essere (essere al verde, essere in gamba), avere (avere la testa fra le nuvole, avere fegato) or fare (farsi in quattro, fare orecchie da mercante). Spotting which of the three an idiom uses puts half of it in place.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-id-q6\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Are Italian idioms the same as English ones?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>The idea often matches but the image changes. Cost an arm and a leg becomes costare un occhio della testa (an eye); have guts becomes avere fegato (liver); kill two birds with one stone becomes prendere due piccioni con una fava. Learn the Italian image, do not translate the English one.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-id-q7\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">How many idioms should I learn at once?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Few, and well. One idiom used at the right moment sounds native; several stacked together sound rehearsed. Pick three or four that fit situations you actually meet, recognise them in speech first, then start producing them. Breadth comes naturally with exposure.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related\">Related guides<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The deep-dive idiom families this hub points to, plus the institutional reference.<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-la-idioms\/\">Italian La Idioms<\/a>: smetterla, farcela, cavarsela and the la-verbs.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-per-idioms\/\">Italian PER Idioms<\/a>: stare per, per poco non, una volta per tutte.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/nato-con-la-camicia-born-with-the-shirt-on-italian-idioms-webcast\/\">Italian Clothing Idioms<\/a>: nato con la camicia, attaccare bottone, nei panni di.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.treccani.it\/vocabolario\/idiomatico\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Treccani: idiomatico<\/a>: institutional reference.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ud83d\udd0d In short. Italian idioms are fixed expressions whose meaning is not the sum of the words: essere al verde (&#8220;to be broke&#8221;, literally &#8220;to be at the green&#8221;), avere la testa fra le nuvole (&#8220;to have your head in the clouds&#8221;), in bocca al lupo (&#8220;good luck&#8221;, literally &#8220;into the wolf&#8217;s mouth&#8221;). They cluster &#8230; <a title=\"Italian Idioms: 35 Expressions Natives Really Use\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/italian-idiomatic-expressions\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Italian Idioms: 35 Expressions Natives Really Use\">Read more \u226b<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10020,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1865],"tags":[421,420],"class_list":["post-4364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-b1","tag-idioms","tag-italian-idiomatic-expressions","no-featured-image-padding","pmpro-has-access"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10020"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4364"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60247,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4364\/revisions\/60247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dante-learning.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}