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."
Chi ha i denti non ha il pane e chi ha il pane non ha i denti
Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Everyone
(Who has teeth has no bread and who has bread has no teeth) • It means that some people have talents and ambitions but no opportunity to realise them and some others have means (usually financial resources) but no aspirations to realise. It is used both to feel sorry for a talented person who can't afford what they want and to criticise a person who has occasions that they don't deserve.
"Maria parla benissimo l'inglese ma non più permettersi il viaggio a Londra, quindi il suo posto verrà preso da Marco, che non parla una parola di inglese. È proprio vero che chi ha i denti non ha il pane e chi ha il pane non ha i denti!"
"Maria speaks English very well, but she can't afford the trip to London, so her place will be taken by Marco, who doesn't speak a word of English. It is true that who has teeth has no bread and who has bread has no teeth!"
Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(as good as bread) • Literally "as good as bread", translates into "as good as gold".
"Quel ragazzo è buono come il pane!"
"That guy is as good as bread!"
Reference USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(big pumpkin) • This is what adults say to children when they don't to understand something.
"Un'altra insufficienza! Sei proprio uno zuccone a scuola eh!"
"Another failing mark! You really are a big pumpkin at school huh!"
Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone
(to be with hands in hand) • It corresponds to the English “to sit on someone’s hands”. It’s used to refer to someone who isn’t doing anything, especially at the moment of speaking.
"Non posso starmene con le mani in mano mentre i cittadini protestano per le strade."
"I can’t stand with my hands in hand while the citizens are protesting in the streets,"
Slang USED Frequently BY Young People
(in the ass of the wolves) • 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!"
Word USED Frequently BY Everyone
(noun) • 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!"
Italian
Lombardy and Tessin,
Italy and Switzerland
Dopo sette fette, ha capito che era polenta
Proverb USED On Rare Occasion BY Mostly old people
(After seven slices, s/he realized it was polenta) • 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.
"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!"
Il bue che chiama cornuto l'asino
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(The ox calling the donkey horned) • It can be said to someone who accuses someone else when they're not innocent in the first place. For example - not being able to keep a secret and accusing someone else of being untrustworthy.
"Non sai mantenere un segreto!" "Io?! Tu hai rivelato i miei segreti a tutti. Addirittura, il bue che chiama cornuto l'asino."
"You cannot keep a secret!" "Me?! You told my secrets to everyone. The ox calling the donkey horned."
Slang USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone
(fennel) • The word literally means "fennel" but, if directed to men, it's an homophobic insult like "faggot".
"Luca è molto attraente, peccato che sia un finocchio."
"Luca is really good looking, too bad he's a fennel."
Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Everyone
(noun) • (broccoli ) • "Broccolo" is what you would call someone who is good for nothing and doesn't have any skills. Also someone who is stupid and dumb.
"Non ho parole... Sei un broccolo!"
"I'm speechless... You are a broccoli!"
Word USED On Rare Occasion BY Some People
(noun) • (salted codfish) • It's an insult used to address an incompetent and stupid person.
"È un baccalà, non è buono a niente!"
"He is a salted codfish, a good-for-nothing!"
Italian
| Sicilian
Sicily,
Italy
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(footed arancino) • You can say this to someone very fat or who eats a lot, because an arancino is a very big fried food.
"Hai mangiato tutto ciò che avevo cucinato! Sei proprio un arancino coi piedi!"
"You ate everything I cooked! You are really a footed arancino!"
Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone
It means something like "idiot" or "stupid" and it's used when someone doesn't understand something.
"Hai sbagliato tutto, sei una testa di rapa!"
"You did everything wrong, you turnip head!"
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."
Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(turnip head) • A mild way of telling someone they are not very bright, intelligent, or otherwise capable of understanding or doing. Similar to calling someone an idiot, just less offensive.
"Andrea è proprio una testa di rapa, si è di nuovo dimenticato i compiti!"
"Andrea really is a turnip head, he forgot his homework again!"
Word USED On Occasion BY Everyone
(noun) • The sudden drowsiness and tiredness one feels soon after lunch.
"Ho mangiato troppo e mi viene da dormire perché ho l'abbiocco."
"I've eaten too much and now I'm feeling like sleeping because I'm having abbiocco."
Italian
| Veneto
Veneto,
Italy
Slang USED On Occasion BY Older Generations
(weighing pears) • It is a dialectal form to describe when you are sleepy, with half-closed eyelids and cheeks hanging like pears.
"Come sta andando la conferenza? È interessante?" "No, è veramente noiosa, sono qui a pesare i peri!"
"How's the conference going? Is it interesting?" "No, it's really boring, I'm here weighing pears!"
Submitted November 2020 by anonymous
Italian
| Salentino
Apulia,
Italy
Word USED Very frequently BY Everyone
(noun) • That sleepy feeling that you get after eating a good and abundant meal. The origin of the word comes from a infuse made of poppy, the flower, that gives you this sensation.
"Mamma mia che mangiata!" "Sì, me sta cala la papagna!"
"What a meal!" "Yeah, I can feel the papagna!"
Submitted November 2020 by anonymous
Idiom USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone
(to put the hand on the fire) • It's used when you are absolutely certain of what you are saying. On the contrary, when you are not that sure, you can use it in the negative form.
"Sei sicuro che sia la strada giusta?" (+)"Certo, ci metterei la mano sul fuoco" (-) "Credo di si, ma non ci metterei la mano sul fuoco"
"Are you sure this is the right way to go?" (+)"Sure, I would put my hand on the fire" (-) "I think so, but I wouldn't put my hand on the fire"