21 Italian Expressions You Want to Know

Ad ogni pentola il suo coperchio.

Literal translation: To each pot its lid.

Figurative meaning: Each pot, its lid.

Esempio: Ad ogni pentola il suo coperchio! Sono una bella coppia!

Example: There's a lid for every pot! They are a beautiful couple!

Avere l’acquolina in bocca.

Literal translation: To have a small drool in your mouth.

Figurative meaning: To desire an appetising dish.

Esempio: Ho visto quella torta in pasticcieria, avevo l'acquolina in bocca!

Example: I saw that cake in the confectionery, I drooled!

Avere le mani di pasta frolla.

Literal translation: To have pastry dough hands.

Figurative meaning: To be a butterfingers. To be clumsy.

Esempio: È qua da soli due minuti ed ha gia fatto cadere due bicchieri e tre piatti per terra.

Example: He has been here only for two minutes but he already has dropped two glasses and three plates.

Avere una faccia da pesce lesso.

Literal translation: To have a face of a boiled fish.

Figurative meaning: To have a slack-jaw. To look uninteresting and uninterested.

Esempio: Non dice una parola, parlare con lui è come parlare a un muro, ha una faccia da pesce lesso!

Example: He doesn't say a word, talking to him is like talking with a wall, he is so dull and uninteresting!

Avere sale in zucca.

Literal translation: To have salt on your pumpkin.

Figurative meaning: To be smart as a whip, to have your head screwed on.

Origin: Zucca colloquially mean head. Squashes have a natural sweetness to it. In the past, a wise Italian lightly drizzled salt on the squash food in order to balance the sweetness with a more neutral taste. This act was considered to be very smart by the Italians, we crowned the discovery with an idiom.

Esempio: Quel'uomo ha sale in zucca, è riuscito a capovolgere la situazione a suo vantaggio, ha sconfitto gli opponenti con estrema maestria e intelligenza risparmiando molte fatiche.

Example: This man is clever, he managed to turn the situation to his advantage, he defeated opponents with extreme skill and intelligence avoiding extra labour.

Buono come il pane.

Literal translation: Good like bread.

Figurative meaning: To be a very gentle person, kind, and caring.

Esempio: È buono come il pane, dovreste sempre rimanere amici!

Example: He is genuinely a nice person, you should have him as your friend evermore!

Cavolo!

Literal translation: Cabbage!

Figurative meaning: Wow! Heck! Damn! Hell yeah!

Depending on the context, it can be positive or negative, however, often used in positive sense.

Esempio: Cavolo, che giornata! Il sole splende e sto avendo una colazione con succo d'arancia sul balcone!

Example: Wow, what a day! The sun is shining and I am having a breakfast with orange juice on the balcony!

C’entra come i cavoli a merenda.

Literal translation: It's like eating cabbages for a snack.

Figurative meaning: It has nothing to do with it, it is out of place. You use this expression to tell someone that is talking is off the subject completely.

Esempio: Ma c'entra come i cavoli a merenda, I think you are drunk!

Example: Well, that's neither here nor there, credo che sei bevuto!

Cercare il pelo nell'uovo.

Literal translation: To look for a hair on the egg.

Figurative meaning: To nitpick. To fuss about fault-finding.

Esempio: Ma dai! Sono stanco di te! Cerchi il pelo nell'uovo tutto il tempo, impara ad accettare le cose come sono!

Example: But enough! I am tired of you! You always nitpick on every single thing, learn to accept things as they are!

Che pizza!

Literal translation: What a pizza!

Figurative meaning: What a bore!

Just imagine how much Italians are tired of having to hear that we are from the country of pizza. Also, pizza is a staple food in Italy. It's nothing new to us, therefore, it is considered to be boring.

Esempio: Che pizza! Quanto parli!

Example: What a bore! How much you talk!

Conosco i miei polli.

Literal translation: I know my chickens.

Figurative meaning: I know who I'm dealing with, I know what I'm talking about.

The idiom is more frequently used in the Southern regions of Italy.

Esempio: Conosco i miei polli, so di cosa sto parlando, è il mio lavoro!

Example: I know what I am doing and what I am talking about, it's my business!

Essere come pane e formaggio.

Literal translation: To be like bread and cheese.

Figurative meaning: To get along pretty well, to be in full accordance.

Esempio: Quei due sono come pane e formaggio!

Example: This couple is made for each other!

Essere un pezzo di pane.

Literal translation: To be a piece of bread.

Figurative meaning: To be a good person.

Esempio: Non sei un pezzo di pane!

Example: You are not a good person!

Non è pane per i tuoi denti.

Literal translation: It is bread for your teeth.

Figurative meaning: It's not something that you are capable of doing!

Esempio: Lascia stare quel lavoro, non è pane per i tuoi denti!

Example: Forget about that job, you are not up to it!

Non fare il salame!

Literal translation: Don’t make salami! Don't act like a salami!

Figurative meaning: Don’t be an idiot!

Esempio: Non essere stupido! Non fare una stupidaggine del genere! Non perdonarla più, ti ha gia tradito tre volte, non fare il salame!

Example: Don't be stupid! Don't do something stupid like that! Don't forgive her again, she has already betrayed you three times, don't be stupid!

Prendere due piccioni con una fava.

Literal translation: To take down two birds with a bean.

Figurative meaning: To kill two birds with one stone.

Esempio: Ho bisogno di andare in banca, e se lascio i libri alla biblioteca sul modo in cui sarò prendere due piccioni con una fava.

Example: I need to go to the bank, and if I drop the books off at the library on the way I'll be killing two birds with one stone.

Rendere pan per focaccia.

Literal translation: To give back bread in return of a flat bread.

Figurative meaning: To retaliate, reciprocate a rudeness, a bad deed with other worse.

Esempio: Leonardo ha rotto la macchinina giocattolo a Pietro che poi a sua volta ha rotto il suo trenino.

Example: Leonardo broke Luigi's toy car so Luigi broke his little train as a revenge.

Rompere i maroni.

Literal translation: To break chestnuts.

Figurative meaning: To annoy someone.

Esempio: Non mi rompere i maroni!

Example: Don't get on my nerves!

Se non è zuppa è pan bagnato.

Literal translation: If it’s not soup, it’s wet bread.

Figurative meaning: There is practically no difference.

Esempio: Se non è zuppa è pan bagnato.

Example: There is practically no difference.

Una mela al giorno toglie il medico di torno.

Literal translation: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Figurative meaning: Eating fruits and vegetables are good for your health.

Esempio: Ho messo una mela nel tuo zaino, non dimenticare che una mela al giorno toglie il medico di torno.

Example: I've put an apple in your backpack, don't forget that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.