Italian | Sicilian Sicily, Italy

cu’ si fa pecura, u lupu su mancia

Idiom USED Frequently BY Sicilian

(who becomes sheep, wolf eat) • It is an exhortation to be strong and decisive. If in life you appear weak or not very decisive, you risk finding someone who wants to bully or hurt you. The metaphor of the wolf eating the sheep represents someone who takes advantage of another's weakness.

"Picchì ghianci?" "Mi hanno rubato il pranzo oggi" "Ah, e nun'na ghianciri, viri ca cu’ si fa pecura, u lupu su mancia"

"Why are you crying?" "Today someone took my lunch" "Oh, don't cry, who becomes sheep, the wolf eat"

Italian | Sicilian Sicily, Italy

arancino coi piedi

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!"

Sicilian Sicily, Italy

bedda

Word USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(n.) • (beautiful) • It literally means beautiful, so don't be surprised if Sicilian grannies call you that.

“Ciao, bedda!”

“Hello, beautiful”

Sicilian Sicily, Italy

Comu semu?

Standard Phrase USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(How are we (doing)?) • This is what you say when you meet someone you haven’t seen in a while and you want to know what’s new and how they're doing.

"We Carmelo, comu semu?"

"Hey Carmelo, what’s up?"

Sicilian Sicily, Italy

paparedda

Name USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

(duckling) • Used to refer to a pretty girl you see on the street. Especially used in the province of Catania.

“Oh paparedda, che si dice?”

''Hey duckling, how are you doing?''

Sicilian Sicily, Italy

petri petri

Expression USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

(n.) • (stones stones) • It’s used when you’re in a bad situation.

"Ma vitti petri petri!"

"I saw it stones stones!"

Sicilian Sicily, Italy

mbare

Slang USED Very frequently BY Mostly guys

(n.) • Used to refer to a friend in his presence, like "buddy".

"Comu semu, mbare, tutt'a posto?"

"How are you, buddy, you all right?"