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Milan

Translator and language lover since 1992. Italian native, speaker of English, Russian, and Spanish. I love языки muchísimo!

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ety

Italian | Milanese Lombardy, Italy

schiscetta

Name USED On Occasion BY Some People

(little squash) • Word used in the Milanese dialect to refer to a lunchbox carrying food for school/university/work.

"Vieni a mangiare la pizza con noi?" "Andate voi, io mi sono portata la schiscetta".

"We are going out to eat pizza, are you coming with us?" "You guys go, I brought my schiscetta today".

Confirmed by 2 people



syn

æ

Italian Italy

come un elefante in una cristalleria

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Some People

(like an elephant in a crystalware) • Used to refer to somebody that behaves in a clumsy or tactless way; used to describe someone who often bumps into things.

"Ogni volta che Giacomo entra in una stanza sbatte contro qualcosa, è come un elefante in una cristalleria".

"Each time Giacomo enters a room he bumps into something, he's like an elephant in a crystalware".



æ

Italian Italy

matusa

Slang USED In the past BY People Over 50

(adj.) • (fogey) • Used to refer to an old person having a conservative mindset; short for Matusalem.

"Com'è possibile che tu sia contrario al divorzio? Sei proprio un matusa."

"How come you are against divorce? You're such a fogey."



Italian | Roman dialect Lazio, Italy

non c'è trippa per gatti

Expression USED Frequently BY Most People

(there's no tripe for cats) • Used to say that you should accept things as they are because no options/alternatives are available; used to say that something is unattainable (both temporarily or permanently).

"Sto facendo fatica a trovare lavoro. Purtroppo con questa crisi non c'è trippa per gatti".

"I am struggling to find a job. Unfortunately, during this crisis, there is no tripe for cats."



Italian Italy

datti all'ippica

Expression USED On Occasion BY Older Generations

(give yourself to horse-riding) • An expression used to invite someone to engage in a brand new craft or job, as they're thought not good at what they do.

"E tu vorresti insegnare a me come si cucina? Ma datti all'ippica!"

"And you want to teach me how to cook? Give yourself to horse-riding!"



ety

æ

Italian Italy

fantozziano

Neologism USED On Occasion BY Some People

(adj.) • Used to describe a person or situation which reminds the fictional character Fantozzi, that embodies the average employee, constantly subdued by his employer and center of ludicrous (and often unfortunate) situations.

Il suo comportamento ossequioso è a dir poco fantozziano.

His obsequious behaviour is kind of Fantozziano.



æ

Italian Italy

manzo

Slang USED Frequently BY mostly women

(n.) • (steer) • A slang used mostly by women to say that a man is attractive or handsome.

"Devi assolutamente vedere l'ultimo film di Thor, c'è quel manzo di Chris Hemsworth!"

"You should see the last Thor movie, there's that steer of Chris Hemsworth!"



æ

Italian Italy

vattelappesca

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(gotofishit) • It's an expression used for situations in which there's uncertainty about something. It means "who knows"

"Ma dove sono finiti i miei occhiali? Vattelapesca!"

"Where the hell are my glasses? Gotofishit!"



Italian Italy

ho il Mar Rosso

Slang USED In the past BY Women

(I got the Red Sea) • Used by women as en euphemism to say that they were on their period.

Non posso fare il bagno oggi, ho il Mar Rosso.

I can't swim today, I'm on my period.



Italian Italy

fuori come un balcone

Slang USED Frequently BY Teens

(out like a balcony) • Used to say that someone is out of their mind. It can refer both to something said or done by that person.

"Marco ama solo gli sport estremi, è fuori come un balcone."

"Marco only loves extreme sports, he's out like a balcony."

Confirmed by 4 people



Italian Italy

Sputa il rospo

Idiom USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

(spit the toad) • To urge someone to speak their mind or tell about something with no restraints; to spill the beans.

"Non hai mai espresso il tuo parere sulla loro unione. Forza, sputa il rospo."

"You have never expressed your opinion on their engagement. Come on, spit the toad."

Confirmed by 4 people



Italian Italy

sviolinata

Word USED Frequently BY Some People

(noun) • (violin refrain) • Flattery; adulatory compliment.

"Luca sta esagerando con i complimenti. Mi sembrano solo delle sviolinate per ottenere qualcosa."

"Luca is praising me a bit too much. His compliments are mere violin refrains to get something from me."

Confirmed by 3 people



alt

Italian Italy

Sei scemo o mangi i sassi?

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(Are you stupid or do you eat stones?) • Rhetorical question that implies someone is really stupid. After all, eating stones is not the smartest thing to do, is it?

"Sara mi ha detto che vuoi andare in Antartide da solo. Sei scemo o mangi i sassi?"

"Sara told me you want to go to the Antarctic alone. Are you stupid or do you eat stones?"

Confirmed by 5 people



Italian Italy

avere le pezze al culo

Expression USED On Occasion BY Some People

(to have patches on your ass) • To be so poor that you don't have any money to buy new clothes, so you wear your old and worn-out clothes; to be dirt poor.

"Andare in vacanza non è la mia priorità in questo momento. Ho perso il lavoro e quindi adesso ho le pezze al culo."

"Going on holiday is not my top priority right now. I have lost my job and so now I have patches on my ass."

Confirmed by 6 people



Italian Italy

avere un piede nella fossa

Idiom USED On Occasion BY Everyone

(to have a foot in the grave) • To kick the bucket; used to say that someone has little time left to live.

"Il mio vicino ha 85 anni, ha praticamente un piede nella fossa."

"My neighbor is 85, he basically has a foot in the grave."

Confirmed by 3 people



Italian Italy

né carne né pesce

Idiom USED Frequently BY Everyone

(neither meat nor fish) • Used to say that someone has no personality.

"Marco non prende mai posizione, non è né carne né pesce."

"Marco never takes sides, he is neither meat nor fish."

Confirmed by 3 people



Italian Italy

fuori di melone

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(out of melon) • To be out of your mind; the melon here is used as a reference to a person's head.

"Lisa, perché vai in giro da sola di notte, sei fuori di melone?"

"Lisa, why are you walking alone at night, are you out of melon?"

Confirmed by 3 people



Italian Italy

fare il passo più lungo della gamba

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

(to take a step longer than your leg) • Used to say that someone should take it slow instead of doing things that are out of their league.

"Ci vuole tempo per raggiungere quell'obiettivo: non fare il passo più lungo della gamba."

"It takes time to achieve that goal - don't take a step longer than your leg."

Confirmed by 3 people



Italian Italy

voltagabbana

Word USED On Occasion BY People Over 40

(noun) • A turncoat, someone who changes opinion/position/ideas in order to gain some benefit.

"Quel tizio ha completamente cambiato idea pur di non perdere il posto, è proprio un voltagabbana."

"That guy completely changed his mind to avoid being fired, he's a real turncoat."

Confirmed by 2 people



Italian Italy

provolone

Slang USED Very frequently BY People Over 20

(n.) • The first meaning is a type of cheese typically produced in Southern Italy. It's also a term used to address a guy keen on flirting with any woman around him.

"Marco è un provolone, ci prova con tutte."

"Marco is a provolone, he flirts with every single woman."

Confirmed by 7 people