Italian sayings Archives

Italian sayings: the word "dai!"

12 April, 2020

We have a quick look today at the word, or rather onomatopoeic expression, of “dai”. It’s a subtle word and its meaning changes depending entirely on inflection, tone and volume. A quick list below.“Dai” said with an irritated tone can…

Italian word of the day: limonare

12 April, 2020

Strange but true: in Italian the word “limonare” (to lemon), means to kiss. The etymology is mysterious, but according to some sources the verb derives from “lemon”, used as a synonym for tongue. The use would be something as follows,…

Learn Italian and Italian traditions: the mozzarella and cheesy insults

8 April, 2020

After our mini course on cappuccino, espresso, lemons and pizza, today we look at more food. These three cheeses are the golden boys of the Campania region: the three most famous Italian buffalo milk cheeses. Before modern times, a cheese…

Italian expressions: in Rome, living on clogs or prostitute street?

5 April, 2020

One of the more unusual streets in Rome for its name, is that of the Via delle Zoccolette. The name appears to have originally derived from the fact that on this street there was an institution for orphans, commonly called…

Learn Italian online: course in Italian sayings, word of the day "pizza"

3 April, 2020

In 1889, Raffaele Esposito (husband to the daughter of Enrico Brandi) was considered the best “pizzaiolo” or pizza chef of those times. As such, he was invited to the Reggia di Capodimonte in Naples, to make pizza for the King…

Miss Mamma beauty contest for mothers

1 April, 2020

Italians (especially Italian men) and their mums are famous the world over, in a stereotype that characterises the country as much as pizza, pasta and the mafia. We’ve already looked at Italian sayings regarding the word mother, including “mammone” and…

Learning Italian from Mozart: "Così fan tutte" translated "all women are like that"

30 March, 2020

Recently we spoke about Geri Halliwell’s and Fabrizio Politi’s split, and I mentioned the phrase “Così fan tutte“. The words are the title of Mozart’s famous opera set in Venice, which takes up the theme of “fiancée swapping”.In a complicated…

Italian sayings: translation of "braccine corte" when you can't reach your money

25 March, 2020

After our piece on “al bacio” as an Italian saying meaning perfection, I thought we’d look at one that might be helpful when in Italy, particularly if you find yourself in Liguria where people are known to be a little…

Ciao bello! Elisabetta Canalis and George Clooney the real thing according to Matt Damon

25 March, 2020

Elisabetta Canalis and George Clooney have got it going on according to Clooney’s mate, Matt Damon. Italian show girl Canalis is on a winning ticket if you accept that when a man’s friends approve of the lady in question, you’ve…

Italian sayings: being "al bacio" with Perugina and the San Remo festival

18 March, 2020

In Italy, the kiss, or bacio, is very important. One of Italy’s sayings talks about the kiss, meaning perfection.When a recipe has been perfectly prepared, you can say it’s “al bacio”. You did some great spaghetti and knocked the socks…

Italian men: expressions "mammone" and "La mammasantissima"

18 March, 2020

The figure of the mother in Italy is almost a religion, venerated to the point where a man, as long as he has a mother in his life, has no need of other women. A “mammone” in Italy is a…