oca*
* goose
Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone
Said of a girl who acts silly, speaks with a high pitch of voice, laughs too much and talks about frivolous topics.
Note: It can be reinforced using "oca giuliva" (joyful goose) or "oca giuliva e padovana" (joyful goose from Padua).
"Hai visto Anna com'è cambiata? È diventata un'oca."
"Have you seen how Anna's changed? She's become a goose."
Submitted December 2020 by iltozzo
* to flip the omelette
Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone
Used when who is guilty of something tries to push accusations back on who is accusing them.
"Mi hai tradito!" "Solo perché tu non mi davi attenzioni!" "Non rigirare la frittata, è colpa tua!"
"You cheated on me!" "Just because you weren't giving me attention!" "Don't flip the omelette, it's your fault!"
Submitted December 2020 by iltozzo
* Let the eye dance
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
It's a way to push someone to "move his eyes", to be very careful about something.
"Quella strada è molto trafficata, fa' ballà l'oeucc quando attraversi!"
"There's a lot of traffic on that road, let the eye dance when you cross it!"
Submitted November 2020 by iltozzo
* in the ass of the wolves
Slang USED Frequently BY Young People
Used to describe a place that's very far or hard to reach.
"Andiamo alla festa di Manuel stasera?" "Oh no, abita in culo ai lupi!"
"Shall we go to Manuel's party tonight?" "Oh no, he lives in the ass of the wolves!"
Submitted November 2020 by iltozzo
* Go to Baggio to play the organ
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
Baggio was a small town close to Milan. The legend says that the parish was so poor that they couldn't even afford an organ for the church, and so had one painted on the wall. So, inviting someone to go to Baggio to play the organ, is like asking to go waste their time somewhere else.
"Non so cosa fare!" "Va' a Bagg a sonà l'orghen!"
"I don't know what to do!" "Go to Baggio to play the organ!"
Submitted November 2020 by iltozzo
Word USED Frequently BY Everyone
Since the end of World War II, it's used by Northern Italians to call immigrants from the South. It derives from the world "terra" (land), because while the North was industrialised, the Southern economy was still based on agriculture and landowning.
"Sono nato a Palermo, vivo a Milano solo da un paio d'anni." "Oh, allora sei un terrone!"
"I was born in Palermo, I've been living in Milan just for a couple years." "Oh, so you're a terrone!"
Submitted November 2020 by iltozzo
Dopo sette fette, ha capito che era polenta*
* After seven slices, s/he realized it was polenta
Italian
Lombardy and Tessin,
Italy and Switzerland
Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Mostly old people
Used to describe someone who realizes something obvious, especially after doing the same thing in a more long or difficult way for a long time.
Note: In the past, polenta was the main meal for people living in the Northern Italian countryside, so everyone knew how it tasted and it was impossibile not to recognize that you were eating it. The number of slices of polenta may vary basing on the area.
"Ieri mio fratello ha scoperto che può sbloccare il suo telefono con l'impronta digitale." "Beh, dopo sette fette ha capito che era polenta!"
"Yesterday my brother discovered he can unlock his phone with his fingerprint." "Well, after seven slices he realized it was polenta!"
Submitted November 2020 by iltozzo
