Everyday Italian idioms and what they really mean

Italian is rich in idioms, many of them drawn from animals, the body and daily life. They rarely mean what the words say, and they are one of the quickest ways to sound natural. Each entry gives the literal translation, the meaning you will actually hear, and an example. Some have close English cousins, and those are noted.

In bocca al lupo

• Literal: "Into the mouth of the wolf."
• Meaning: Good luck! It is said before an exam, an interview or a performance.
• Reply: Crepi! ("May it die!"). Do not answer grazie, because that is believed to bring bad luck.
• Example: Domani hai l'esame? In bocca al lupo! (You have your exam tomorrow? Good luck!)

Avere le mani in pasta

• Literal: "To have your hands in the dough."
• Meaning: To be involved in something, often in several things at once.
• Example: Giorgio ha le mani in pasta in tutti i progetti del paese. (Giorgio has a hand in every project in town.)

Non vedere l'ora

• Literal: "Not to see the hour."
• Meaning: To be looking forward to something, or to be unable to wait.
• Example: Non vedo l'ora di partire per le vacanze. (I cannot wait to leave on holiday.)

Essere al verde

• Literal: "To be at the green."
• Meaning: To be broke, with no money left. The phrase probably refers to the green bottom of a candle, or an old pawn token.
• Example: Questo mese sono al verde. (This month I am broke.)

Costare un occhio della testa

• Literal: "To cost an eye of the head."
• Meaning: To be very expensive. It is close to the English "to cost an arm and a leg".
• Example: Quella borsa costa un occhio della testa. (That bag costs a fortune.)

Prendere due piccioni con una fava

• Literal: "To catch two pigeons with one bean."
• Meaning: To kill two birds with one stone.
• Example: Faccio la spesa mentre vado al lavoro, così prendo due piccioni con una fava. (I shop on my way to work, so I kill two birds with one stone.)

Avere un diavolo per capello

• Literal: "To have a devil for every hair."
• Meaning: To be furious.
• Example: Dopo la lite, aveva un diavolo per capello. (After the argument, he was furious.)

Chi dorme non piglia pesci

• Literal: "Whoever sleeps does not catch fish."
• Meaning: You will not succeed if you are lazy. It is the Italian version of "the early bird catches the worm".
• Example: Alzati, che chi dorme non piglia pesci! (Get up, because the early bird catches the worm!)

Using idioms well

• Idioms are fixed, so you cannot swap one word. Avere un diavolo per ogni capello is not the same thing.
• Many contain a verb you must conjugate: ho le mani in pasta, non vedevo l'ora, era al verde.
• Use them in informal speech first. Two or three in a conversation sound natural, and more can sound forced.
• Do not translate English idioms word for word. Piove a catinelle ("it rains in basins") is the Italian way to say it is pouring, not "it rains cats and dogs".

Practice

For idioms about eating and drinking, see Italian food idioms.