Italian idioms

Picture a pristine sheet freshly pressed by a skilled professional, free of any wrinkles. There are few things as immaculate. This concept gives rise to the Italian idiom non fare una piega, literally meaning “to not make a wrinkle” or “to not make a crease.” It describes an argument or way of thinking that is ... Read more

Imagine a workplace scenario where there’s a looming deadline, and everyone is scrambling to finish a critical project. However, one employee – let’s call him Marco – is sitting at his desk, meticulously organising paperclips by colour. In Italian, you could metaphorically describe Marco’s engagement in a pointless and trivial activity as pettinare le bambole, ... Read more

This blog post is all about the Italian verb ESSERE! It has notes for its use, Italian expressions and idioms with ESSERE, and a free Italian verb conjugation chart that you can download and use as a reference sheet. -- AVERE and DIRE free printable also available! #happymaplelanguageco #teachersofinstagram #learnitalian #italianverbs #italianverbconjugation #languagelearning #studygram #freebies #freestuff #italianlanguage #learnitalianonline #printables #education #teacher #iteach

Italian idiom: Tutto sale e pepe (literal meaning: all salt and pepper) - Fun to be around and happy Example: Gianni, ti amo anche se tu non è sempre tutto sale e pepe. - Gianni, I love you even though you are not always fun to be around Learn more Italian idioms. Follow Talk in Italian for more. #ItalianVocabulary #ItalianWords #LearnItalian #ItalianIdioms"

All knots come to the comb. Sooner or later, all problems become evident.

An Italian idiom I learned from my husband early on in our relationship is arrampicarsi sugli specchi, which literally translates to climbing on mirrors. (And yes, before you ask, this is something of which I am guilty at times!) arrampicarsi sugli specchi to make desperate excuses to justify oneself or a situation Figuratively, it refers ... Read more

Italian Idiom of the Day!: Fare la gatta morta The post Italian Idiom of the Day! – Fare la gatta morta first appeared on Learn Italian in Singapore at the Italian Language School.

If you live in a region with unpredictable weather patterns, you likely understand the importance of layering your clothing. In Italian, this practice of donning multiple layers is aptly described as vestirsi a cipolla. vestirsi a cipolla to dress in layers The phrase vestirsi a cipolla literally means “to dress like an onion.” This expression ... Read more

You’re chatting with your friend about someone when suddenly and unexpectedly, that person appears around the corner. There’s a perfect Italian idiom to describe this kind of encounter: “Parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna” which translates to “Speak of the devil and the horns appear.“ This well-known idiomatic expression serves as a playful means ... Read more

In idiomatic expressions, it’s common for Italians to use the word zucca, which means pumpkin, gourd, or squash, to draw comparisons to human heads and brains. An example of such an idiom is “avere sale in zucca,” which translates literally to “to have salt in one’s gourd.” It is used to describe someone who is ... Read more

This classic idiom was suggested to me by my mother-in-law, who uses more idiomatic expressions in her everyday speech than most Italians! mettere una pulce nell’orecchio (di qualcuno) to plant an idea in someone’s head In Italian culture, the act of slipping a flea into someone’s ear isn’t about bugs; it’s a metaphor for introducing ... Read more

If you try something new and find yourself enjoying it more and more despite initially thinking you wouldn’t, you might say that you’ve “developed a taste” or “taken a liking” to it in English. In Italian, there’s a similar expression: prenderci gusto. prenderci gusto to develop a taste / take a liking Prendere is an ... Read more

Have you ever been so thrilled about something that it was hard to keep your excitement in check? If so, today’s idiom is just right for you! non stare più nella pelle to be excited / can’t wait The literal translation of non stare più nella pelle from Italian is “not to stay in one’s ... Read more

Italians love their food idioms, so much so that even the humble broth (brodo) has made its way into an everyday expression! Tutto fa brodo literally translates to “everything makes broth“. Just as any kind of vegetable or meat can become broth when boiled, any contribution to a goal or cause, no matter how small, ... Read more The post Italian Idiom: Tutto fa brodo (Every little bit helps) appeared first on Daily Italian Words.