Perhaps you only see your bestie once in a blue moon. You’ve been friends through thick and thin, but it’s usually your fault that plans go down in flames. Her upcoming debut performance is at hand, so you plan to arrive by the skin of your teeth, just in time to tell her to break a leg.
To a non-native English speaker, that entire paragraph might have been so confusing since it’s filled with idioms. An idiom is an expression that has meaning beyond the literal definition of the basic words making up the phrase. Every language has them, including Italian. They can be tricky to learn without some help, which is why the live lessons from Rosetta Stone are so helpful since you can practice speaking with a native Italian!
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What is an idiom?
An idiom or idiomatic expression, is a set phrase or expression that can’t be understood literally or word for word. Idioms sometimes translate fairly closely between languages but not always.
The English language is full of them, but all languages use idioms as a shorthand way to express a more complex idea. Consider these idioms in English:
- Is it expensive? Don’t worry, the company will foot the bill.
- You look exhausted! You should hit the hay (or hit the sack)!
- I’d be so stressed, but she’s cool as a cucumber.
Learning idioms can be a lot of fun and help you to
- avoid confusion
- avoid embarrassing situations
- catch on to humor and tone of a conversation
- learn some folklore
- understand cultural beliefs
- be familiar with historical events
- fit in with a group of native speakers
Once you have a good understanding of what an idiom means and when it’s appropriate to use, you can impress native speakers with your use of Italian idioms. They may even tell you the story of how this idiom evolved in their language!
Fun Italian idioms and expressions for any conversation
Cane non mangia cane
The literal translation of cane non mangia cane is “dog doesn’t eat dog.” The Italian expression is how you might say that loyalty is important, especially among those in a particular group who would not seek to harm one another. Perhaps a similar expression in English might be that there is honor among thieves.
You can also say the opposite in Italian, just like in English: Cane mangia cane would mean dog eat dog. In other words, someone you expected to show loyalty because of your similarities or common goals betrays you instead.
Stare da cani
In general, any idiom that uses da cani has a negative connotation. Perhaps there were so many neglected street dogs in the past that they got a reputation for having a miserable life. That’s why stare da cani means to feel miserable or sickly with a translation of “to feel like a dog.” English speakers will often use “dog tired” or “sick as a dog” with the same intent.
| Italian Idiom | Literal English Translation | English Idiom or Concept |
| fa un freddo cane | it is dog cold | “a three-dog night” which indicates that it’s very cold |
| un cane in chiesa | a dog in church | an unwelcome guest |
| fare una vita da cani | to lead a dog’s life | to have a terrible life |
| essere come cane e gatto | to be like cats and dogs | to be enemies; to fight incessantly |
| can che abbaia non morde | a dog that barks doesn’t bite | “His bark is worse than his bite.” When someone is all talk or show but doesn’t take action. |
| non svegliare il cane che dorme | don’t wake up a dog who is sleeping | “Let sleeping dogs lie.” Don’t create a problem where there isn’t one. |
| menare il can per l’aia | to beat the dog around the barnyard | “to beat around the bush” which means to take too long to get to the point |
| non c’è un cane | there is not even a dog | a place is very empty |
If you’re a beginning language learner still learning basic Italian sayings, you might feel that some of these idioms are over your head, but it’s still valuable to see them in context. You might have noticed some repeated words such as:
- un cane = a dog
- un can = a dog (literary form)
- il cane = the dog
- i cani = the dogs
Perhaps you’ve started noticing Italian articles (un, una, il, lo, la, l’, le, i, gli) everywhere and started using them in context to solidify your knowledge. As you work through the list, try to notice groups of similar words and the ways that verbs are formed. If you’re studying Italian already, it’s a great way to support your knowledge of conjugation and other patterns you might be memorizing. It’s also helpful to immerse you in the cultural background.
Quando il gatto non c’è i topi ballano
The literal translation of quando il gatto non c’è i topi ballano is “when the cat isn’t there the mice dance.” The idea expressed here is that when someone isn’t supervised, they will take advantage of the freedom.
We express the same idea in English: “When the cat’s away, the mice do play.” This sounds rather playful, but the origins might well be literal. It would have been important to keep cats on your property to control the rodent population.
Avere sette vite come un gatto
Sette vite means “seven lives,” so avere sette vite come un gatto would mean “to have seven lives like a cat.” It may surprise you to know that many cultures differ on the number of lives attributed to our feline friends. While English speakers are familiar with nine lives, Italians lean towards just seven.
| Italian Idiom | Literal English Translation | English Idiom or Concept |
| giocare come il gatto col topo | to play like a cat with the mouse | “to play cat and mouse” |
| essere in quattro gatti | to be in (a group of) four cats | just a handful of people are present |
| qui gatta ci cova | here the female cat broods | “something fishy is going on here” which means something is suspicious and feels untrue |
| avere una gatta da pelare | to have a cat to skin | “to have a tough nut to crack” or to have a very difficult task ahead |
Animals are used in sayings and expressions in most languages. Let’s take a look at some of the most fun and colorful ones in Italian!
Essere un lupo solitario
Just like English, un lupo solitario means a lone wolf. The idea indicates someone who lives in a solitary and independent way, whether they’re more introverted or someone who prefers to live in their own way. It could have a positive or negative connotation depending on the context.
In bocca al lupo
Another wolf expression is in bocca al lupo or in the mouth of the wolf. While this might seem like a decidedly unlucky situation to be in, this idiom expresses just the opposite: You say it to wish someone good luck! And there’s a particular response that’s best with this idiom! Instead of using grazie, the best reply would be crepi, or crepi il lupo, meaning “may the wolf die.” The roots of this expression go way back to the superstition that wishing someone buona fortuna (good luck), would ultimately jinx the person and bring misfortune.
Prendere due piccioni con una fava
This is a very similar expression to our “kill two birds with one stone,” which means to accomplish two goals with one effort. Instead of stones, the Italian idiom refers to a hunting technique. You could prendere due piccioni con una fava. It means to take two pigeons with one fava bean by luring a group of them with the fava beans in order to get more than one with a single shot.
| Italian Idiom | Literal English Translation | English Idiom or Concept |
| essere una vipera / essere una serpe | to be a viper / to be a snake | said to someone who is vicious or sly and unreliable |
| fare l’uccello del malaugurio | to be the bird of bad omen | to be a “Debbie downer” or someone who is especially pessimistic |
| essere sano come un pesce | to be healthy like a fish | “to be as healthy as a horse,” “to be as fit as a fiddle,” or to be in good physical shape |
| non vola una mosca | not a single fly is flying | “You could hear a pin drop.” It’s extremely quiet in what could be a noisy place. |
| versare lacrime di coccodrillo | to pour crocodile’s tears | “to cry crocodile tears” or to display insincere sorrow |
| il cavallo di battaglia | the horse of the battle | the most impressive piece or strongest asset |
| a caval donato non si guarda in bocca | Don’t look into the mouth of a horse given to you. | “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” If you receive an unexpected good fortune, don’t question it. |
| andare a letto con le galline | to go to bed with the chickens | to go to bed early |
| la gallina dalle uova d’oro | The hen gives him/her golden eggs. | said of a person who is generally lucky or creates fortunate opportunities |
| chi dorme non piglia pesci | They who sleep don’t catch fish. | “The early bird gets the worm.” People who rise early and are productive reap the benefits. |
| una rondine non fa primavera | one swallow doesn’t make spring | Just because one good thing has happened doesn’t mean that the whole situation will improve. |
| sputare il rospo | to spit out the toad | “to spit it out” or “to get it off your chest” which means to say the uncomfortable thing |
| conosco i miei polli | I know my own chickens | I know what I’m talking about. |
We can guess that the meaning of many of these barnyard idioms originated with the realities of country life. People could understand the behavior of their chickens, the arrival of the first birds of springtime, and even the reality of picking a few nits once in a while. At least some of these experiences might be greatly reduced in modern life but the expressions remain!
Esse buono come il pane
This idiom expresses truth in both the literal and the figurative sense. Esse buono come il pane means “good as bread” and can refer to the qualities of a kind or generous person. We can assume the origin of this expression is simply the fact that Italian bread (and pasta!) has always been the standard of what is good in this life.
Rendere pan per focaccia
Speaking of bread, this is an idiom that started off as a neighborly gesture: to rendere pan per focaccia or give bread for focaccia. It indicates you’ll pay someone’s generosity back in kind—that’s what it used to mean in the Middle Ages. The meaning has shifted to something far more insidious, more akin to getting even with someone or returning a malicious deed with something equally unkind.
Prendere a pesci in faccia
“Getting fish in the face” or prendere a pesci in faccia is clearly an unpleasant thought. The expression is derived from a literal event as fishmongers were known to throw or slap a fish across the face of someone they didn’t like. Now it refers to being treated very poorly or humiliated.
La minestra riscaldata
You can use minestra riscaldata (reheated soup) to refer to a situation that is overly familiar with a predictable, possibly negative outcome—the same old story. One common example could be a relationship that ends but is mended to try again. However, like reheated soup, it’s never the same.
Tutto fa brodo
If you’re a business owner or marketer, you may feel that you’re always trying new strategies for success. You might say, tutto fa brodo which means “everything makes broth” or “it’s all grist for the mill.” Any little component might be useful, serve a purpose, or support a point of view. When you think about broth, it’s made of a little of this, a pinch of that, and almost anything can go in the broth to give it flavor, so why not throw it in?
| Italian Idiom | Literal English Translation | English Idiom or Concept |
| dire pane al pane e vino al vino | to call bread bread and wine wine | “call a spade a spade” which means to say it like it is |
| avere poco / molto sale in zucca | to have little / a lot of salt in one’s gourd | to have a little / a lot of common sense. When it’s a lot (or molto) you could use “to have a good head on one’s shoulders.” |
| essere tutto pepe | to be all pepper | This compliments someone who is full of life and personality. |
| essere alla frutta | to be at the fruit | to be at the bottom of the barrel; to hit rock bottom |
| qualcosa bolle in pentola | Something is boiling in the pot | “Something is brewing.” This is usually said with suspicion. |
| nella botte piccola, c’è il vino buono | in the small cask is the good wine | “Good things come in small packages.” |
| avere le mani in pasta | to have your hands in the dough | This can be used to say that you’re involved in a lot of things, often referring to illegal activities |
| (un piatto) da leccarsi i baffi | (a meal) to lick your mustache | “finger-licking good” to indicate a delicious meal |
| essere pieno come un uovo | to be full like an egg | to be stuffed or full of food |
| piangere sul latte versato | to cry over spilled milk | Same expression in English: to be disproportionately upset about a small matter. |
| liscio come l’olio | smooth as oil | “without a hitch” or “smooth sailing” which means, when something happens as planned without problems |
We’ve barely scratched the surface of the depth of food-related idioms in Italian. As each region holds dearly to their beloved culinary heritage, there is no limit to using food to express relatable life experiences. Some are easy to recognize by the imagery alone, like the smoothness of the oil, or the bite of pepper, but others might take some imagination, like the inside of an egg.
It’s also interesting to consider the cultural context in which these expressions originated since many were real experiences. While we might use a phrase like piangere sui latte versato (to cry over spilled milk) merely as an expression today, spilling milk on a farm centuries ago may have actually meant that the family went without milk that day.
Costa un occhio della testa
Inflation and high prices have always brought complaints. In English we say that something costs an arm and a leg, but in Italian, expensive things are those that costa un occhio della testa (cost an eye from the head).
Stare con le mani in mano
Learners and observers of Italians often note the way the language is enhanced with the gesticulating hands. Non-verbal gestures and hand signals can spice up a conversation and signal all sorts of emotion. Ask an Italian speaker to stop moving their hands and see how long they last!
Bearing that in mind, the expression stare con le mani in mano means to stay with the hands in hand or to not be moving at all. To accuse someone of having their hands in hand is to say they are not being useful, not lifting a finger, or to be twiddling their thumbs.
Non avere peli sulla lingua
Non avere peli sulla linga is an odd idiom that means to not have hair on one’s tongue. If you think about it, hairs in our nose and ears help filter out unwanted particles, but we would not expect them on our tongue. Perhaps the opposite intent is intended: to catch those unwanted thoughts or words before they leave our mouths. This may be why we say in English that someone doesn’t have a filter if they speak what’s on their mind without regard to polite manners or if they are particularly prone to gossip.
Non sei capace di tenerti un cece in bocca
Non sei capace di tenerti un cece in bocca translates to “you are not able to hold a chickpea in your mouth.” You’d describe a very gossipy person who can’t keep a secret with this Italian idiom.
Acqua in bocca
If you have a secret to share and don’t want it spread around, you’d remind your confidante to keep acqua in bocca (water in the mouth). It seems that if you have water in your mouth, you’d have to keep your lips sealed, in order not to spill the information! Another way to say this is “mum’s the word.”
| Italian Idiom | Literal English Translation | English Idiom or Concept |
| avere il braccio corto | to have a short arm | “to be a cheapskate” which refers to someone who doesn’t like to spend money |
| avere un diavolo per capello | to have a devil for each hair | “to see red” or “to fume” with anger |
| stare sullo stomaco | to get on one’s stomach | “to get on one’s nerves” which means, to annoy someone or be bothersome |
| ridotto all’osso | to be reduced to the bone | to be cut to the bare minimum |
| avere il cuore in gola | to have the heart in the throat | to be very nervous |
Italian idioms might not always have a deep historical context. Sometimes it’s just imagery, like a person who is running so fast it appears their legs are levitating. Or it might simply be descriptive of a physical sensation, like the feeling of having your heart in your throat.
L’abito non fa il monaco
You’ve likely heard the English equivalent of l’abito non fa il monaco (the clothes don’t make the monk). It is similar to the sage advice: don’t judge a book by its cover. This is a common saying in many languages since it originated in Latin, with the Italian version appearing in literature as far back as 1847 with “I promessi sposi” (The Betrothed) by Alessandro Manzoni.
How to expand your knowledge of Italian idioms
You could say that idioms are like today’s memes—little bits of cultural knowledge passed down from speaker to speaker until they evolve and are used in a different way. You don’t need a special class to learn idioms though. Some of the best ways to learn to use idioms correctly is to speak with native speakers! You could explore and experiment your knowledge of idioms by:
- joining online forums of language learners
- finding a language exchange partner
- watching tv shows in Italian
- watching lyric videos of popular songs
- reading childrens’ books and graphic novels
- looking up expressions that you don’t recognize
- comparing English idioms to similar Italian ones
- and reading stories and blog posts online!
No matter how long you study, you may never be finished learning idioms. Usage varies among dialects and regions, across generations, and in different social contexts. The good news is learning idioms can be really fun and helpful when you need more than just common Italian phrases for travel. When you find a language partner you can trust, try using some idioms to get feedback. Even if you use an idiom in a way that doesn’t quite fit, you’ll be able to adjust for the next time it’s appropriate.
Learn Italian idioms through Dynamic Immersion
You can become a lifelong learner of idioms, adding fun and personality to your language knowledge every time you see an expression in use! You’ll never be done learning idioms, since they exist in every dialect, generation, region, and situation.
Rosetta Stone can help you comprehend and see idioms in context using the Dynamic Immersion method. Rather than memorizing long lists of single vocabulary words, you’ll use natural context and speech to comprehend and use vocabulary, phrases, and even fun Italian idioms.
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