Happy Spring, everyone! The earth is coming out of its winter slumber and we thought some laughter would be a good way to wake up our senses for the new season.
Two years ago, we posted our first article of this sort, entitled “Funny Ways of Saying Things in Italian”. This edition is a sequel long overdue.
Although the country of Italy has only been unified as a nation since 1861, it has been inhabited for thousands of years. With such a long history, idiomatic language has had ample time to sprout up and flower into a unique cultural shape. As we know, Italians are very expressive and talk a lot with their hands, even being able to hold entire conversations through mere gestures without uttering a word. But Italians do have an amazing way with words.
Italian proverbs and figurative expressions are often hilarious and sometimes bizarre. Some of these expressions you’ll hear all across the country, reflecting a collective sense of humour; many are regional, occasionally esoteric, and frequently in dialect. In any case, Italian modi di dire capture something wonderful about Italy’s people and its culture.
We hope this edition puts a smile on your face... but it may very well make you laugh out loud. Divertitevi!
Ten Italian Sayings, Proverbs, and Idioms to Make You Laugh Out Loud
Fare d’una mosca un elefante.
To make an elephant out of a fly.
In English, this expression would be “To make a mountain out of a molehill”; in other words, to turn something trivial into a problem or to give importance to something beyond what is merited.
Capire Roma per Toma.
To mistake Rome for cheese.
This is something you say when a person hasn’t understood something in the least. “Hai capito Roma per Toma” means you thought The Eternal City and Toma cheese were the same thing. So... you didn’t understand squat.
Morte un papa se ne fa un altro.
A pope dies and we make another one.
Of course, no list of Italian proverbs would be complete without something involving the Pope. This one, which might seem a bit irreverent, conceals a noble message: no matter what sad, lousy, or disastrous things may happen, we find a way to go on. It can also be delivered with a slightly different tone to mean “Nothing is irreplaceable.”
La madre degli imbecilli è sempre incinta.
The mother of imbeciles is always pregnant.
This great little bit of social commentary (a personal favourite of the author) would be akin to “There’s one born every minute” — the world is full of foolish people, and foolishness tends to spawn more foolishness.
Sputa il rospo!
Spit out the toad!
Whereas in English we would say “Don’t beat around the bush”, Italians use a far more vivid (and entertaining) visual. “Spit out the toad” frankly paints a far clearer picture of your frustration when your conversational partner just won’t come out and say what they want to say.
Essere fuori come un balcone.
To be outside like a balcony.
In Italian, fuori literally means “outside”, but when we say someone is di fuori, it means they are out of touch with reality or simply loopy. So to say that someone is fuori come un balcone — “outside like a balcony” — means they’re totally off the deep end.
Se mia nonna avesse le ruote sarebbe un carretto.
If my grandmother had wheels, she’d be a wagon.
This hypothetical construct has lots of amusing variations featuring different relatives and modes of transportation but the intention is clearly a sarcastic one. When an Italian finds something absurd, implausible, or glaringly untrue, this is the response of choice. A brilliant example can be seen in this excerpt from a British cooking show with Italian guest chef Gino D’Acampo.
Chi ha denti non ha pane e chi ha pane non ha denti.
Who has teeth doesn’t have bread, and who has bread doesn’t have teeth.
It’s pretty easy to figure out that this poetic little phrase is something you say when things are unjust or senseless.
Fare un passo più lungo delle gambe.
To take a step longer than your legs.
If you’ve guessed that the English equivalent is “To bite off more than you can chew”, you’re right! This is one instance where the English idiom wins the prize for greater creativity, but the Italian version renders the idea nevertheless.
‘Un si frigge mi’a coll’aqua!
We don’t fry with water!
This is a saying that comes from Tuscany (where there is a whole world of colourful expressions unique to the region, as well as the driest sense of humour in all of Italy). In proper Italian, this phrase would be “Non si frigge mica con l’acqua”. In either case, it means “We know what we’re doing and we do things right" (because we’re not so dimwitted as to try to fry things with water). Or, “No half-baked ideas or half-way efforts here!"
To fully appreciate the cultural bounty bound up in Italian ways of saying things, you have to come and visit! And when you do, DriverInRome would be pleased to show you around. Please contact us regarding classic or custom itineraries.
