💡 Idiomatic Expressions in Italian
48 useful Italian words about Idiomatic Expressions. Tap the speaker to hear each word.
Common Italian Idioms| Italian | Meaning |
|---|
| Prendere in giro | To tease / To pull someone's leg |
| Essere al verde | To be broke (flat out of money) |
| Avere un chiodo fisso | To be obsessed with something / To have a fixed idea |
| Alzarsi con il piede sbagliato | To get up on the wrong side of the bed |
| Non avere peli sulla lingua | To be straightforward / To speak one's mind |
| Tenere d'occhio | To keep an eye on |
| Darsela a gambe | To run away / To bolt |
| Avere le mani bucate | To be a spendthrift (lit: To have holes in your hands) |
| In quattro e quattr'otto | In a heartbeat / Very quickly |
| Tirare la corda | To push one's luck / To push too far |
| Cadere dalle nuvole | To be completely taken by surprise / To be clueless |
| Fare un buco nell'acqua | To fail miserably / To complete a useless task |
Proverbs & Sayings| Italian | Meaning |
|---|
| Il Proverbio | Proverb |
| L'abito non fa il monaco | Clothes don't make the man / Don't judge a book by its cover |
| Meglio tardi che mai | Better late than never |
| Chi dorme non piglia pesci | The early bird catches the worm (lit: He who sleeps doesn't catch fish) |
| Tutto è bene quel che finisce bene | All's well that ends well |
| Non tutto il male vien per nuocere | Every cloud has a silver lining |
| L'unione fa la forza | Unity is strength |
| Il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio | A leopard can't change its spots (lit: The wolf loses his fur but not his vice) |
| Ride bene chi ride ultimo | He who laughs last, laughs best |
| In bocca al lupo | Good luck! (lit: Into the wolf's mouth) |
| A caval donato non si guarda in bocca | Don't look a gift horse in the mouth |
| Paese che vai, usanza che trovi | When in Rome, do as the Romans do |
Figurative Language| Italian | Meaning |
|---|
| La Metafora | Metaphor |
| La Similitudine | Simile |
| Il Senso figurato | Figurative sense |
| Rompere il ghiaccio | To break the ice |
| Mettere troppa carne al fuoco | To bite off more than one can chew / To do too much at once |
| Un mare di... (es. problemi) | A sea of... / A ton of... |
| Arrampicarsi sugli specchi | To clutch at straws / To make flimsy excuses |
| Essere al settimo cielo | To be on cloud nine / over the moon |
| Toccata e fuga | Hit and run / A very short visit |
| Costare un occhio della testa | To cost an arm and a leg |
| L'Eufemismo | Euphemism |
| L'Iperbole | Hyperbole |
Colloquial Expressions| Italian | Meaning |
|---|
| Boh! | I don't know / No idea (shorthand) |
| Beccarsi | To meet up / To catch each other |
| Meno male! | Thank goodness! / At least... |
| Fare un salto (da qualche parte) | To drop by / To pop in |
| Un sacco / Un botto | A lot / A ton |
| Magari! | I wish! / If only! |
| Figurati! / Di niente! | Don't mention it! / No worries! |
| Che cavolo! | What the heck! / Dammit! (soft version) |
| Dai! | Come on! / Stop it! |
| Non mi va | I don't feel like it |
| Scordatelo! | Forget about it! / No way! |
| Tantissimo | A huge amount / So much |