Language/Italian/Vocabulary/Idiomatic-Expressions

Italian Vocabulary - Idiomatic expressions

Hi Italian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn some of the most common idiomatic expressions in Italian. Idiomatic expressions are phrases that have a figurative meaning and are not taken literally. They are used in everyday conversations and can be very useful to express yourself in Italian.

Introduction

Idiomatic expressions are an important part of any language. They are used to express feelings, ideas, and opinions in a more creative way. In Italian, there are many idiomatic expressions that are used in everyday conversations. Knowing these expressions can help you understand the language better and communicate more effectively.

To improve your Italian Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

Common Idiomatic Expressions

Here are some of the most common idiomatic expressions in Italian.

Italian	Pronunciation	English Translation
Avere una coda di paglia	ah-veh-reh oo-nah koh-dah dee pahl-yah	To be scared
Avere la mosca al naso	ah-veh-reh lah moh-skah ahl nah-zoh	To be suspicious
Avere le mani in pasta	ah-veh-reh leh mah-nee een pahs-tah	To be involved in something
Avere una marcia in più	ah-veh-reh oo-nah mahr-chah een pyou	To have an advantage
Avere una pezza addosso	ah-veh-reh oo-nah peht-tsah ahd-dohs-soh	To be embarrassed
Avere una vita facile	ah-veh-reh oo-nah vee-tah fah-chee-leh	To have an easy life
Avere una zampa di gallina	ah-veh-reh oo-nah dzahm-pah dee gahl-lee-nah	To be clumsy
Buttare giù qualcosa	boo-tah-reh joo kwahl-koh-sah	To throw something away
Fare una brutta figura	fah-reh oo-nah broot-tah fee-goo-rah	To make a bad impression
Fare una bella figura	fah-reh oo-nah bell-ah fee-goo-rah	To make a good impression
Fare una sorpresa	fah-reh oo-nah sohr-preh-zah	To surprise someone
Fare una scappata	fah-reh oo-nah skahp-pah-tah	To make a quick escape
Fare una telefonata	fah-reh oo-nah teh-leh-foh-nah-tah	To make a phone call
Fare una passeggiata	fah-reh oo-nah pahs-seh-jee-ah-tah	To take a walk
Fare una capatina	fah-reh oo-nah kah-pah-tee-nah	To make a quick visit
Fare una corsa	fah-reh oo-nah kohr-sah	To make a quick trip
Fare una gita	fah-reh oo-nah jee-tah	To go on a trip
Fare una fatica	fah-reh oo-nah fah-tee-kah	To make an effort
Fare una furbata	fah-reh oo-nah foohr-bah-tah	To do something sneaky
Fare una pazzia	fah-reh oo-nah paht-tsyah	To do something crazy

Dialogue

Let's look at how these expressions are used in a conversation.

• Person 1: Cosa stai facendo? (What are you doing?)
• Person 2: Sto facendo una capatina al negozio. (I'm making a quick visit to the store.)
• Person 1: Ah, ok. Fai attenzione! (Oh, okay. Be careful!)
• Person 2: Non preoccuparti, non farò nessuna pazzia. (Don't worry, I won't do anything crazy.)

Conclusion

Now you know some of the most common idiomatic expressions in Italian. Knowing these expressions can help you understand the language better and communicate more effectively.

Remember, practice makes perfect! So, try to use these expressions in your conversations with native Italian speakers.

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➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎

Related Lessons

• Adjectives in İtalian
• How to say Good Bye?
• Body parts
• Family
• Countries and Continents
• Problems in Italian
• Greetings
• Numbers
• Asking Directions
• Travel