Italian Expressions used in everyday life

In this post, we will show you some basic Italian expressions that are commonly used in everyday life in Italy.

Because it is culturally appropriate to use certain phrases or words in some situations, Italian expressions enhance every conversation. If you understand Italian culture, you are already halfway to fluency.

Are you ready to surprise all your friends and deceive them into believing that you speak Italian fluently? Choose your favourite Italian idiom and incorporate it into your daily life.

talian Expressions used in everyday life

Battere la fiacca

loaf about, lay around, slack off – to run out of energy, lit. to beat the drowsiness

Oggi batto la fiacca, sono molto stanco (Today I am slack off, I am very tired)

Ricco sfondato

to be filthy rich, obscenely rich, lit. to be bottomless rich

Mario ha 5 appartamenti in centro, è ricco sfondato! (Mario has 5 apartments in the center, he is filthy rich!)

Morto di fame

penniless, dying of hunger, lit. dead of hunger

Roberto non lavora e non ha una casa, è un morto di fame! (Roberto does not work and has no home, he is penniless!)

Poveraccio

poor thing, poor soul ; from povero, poor with the -accio suffix

Ha avuto un brutto incidente il mese scorso…poveraccio! (He had a bad accident last month … poor soul!)

Senza una lira

not have a dime, penniless, lit. without a lira, a former Italian currency

Carlo ha perso il lavoro e ora è senza una lira. (Carlo has lost his job and is now penniless.)

Avere le mani bucate

be a spendthrift, to have holes in one’s pockets, lit. to have holes in hand/pockets with holes

La moglie del mio amico spende tutti i suoi soldi in borse e scarpe nuove, ha le mani bucate! (My friend’s wife spends all her money on new bags and shoes, she is a spendthrift!)

Costare un occhio della testa/costare l’ira di dio

to cost an arm and a leg, lit. to cost one eye

Quell’anello con il diamante è bellissimo ma costa un’occhio della testa. (That diamond ring is beautiful but it costs an arm and a leg.)

Sbarcare il lunario

to make ends meet, lit. to disembark the lunar calendar

Il mio amico Luca non guadagna molto con il suo lavoro ma sbarca il lunario. (My friend Luca doesn’t make a lot of money with his job but he makes ends meet.)

Affarone

bargain, good deal, lit. big bargain

Ho acquistato queste scarpe al 50% di sconto…ho fatto un affarone! (I bought these shoes at a 50% discount … I made a bargain!)

Fare soldi a palate

to be raking it in, to make a lot of money

Ho comprato un libro che spiega come fare soldi a palate. (I bought a book that explains how to make a lot of money.)

Ficcarsi nei guai

to get oneself into trouble/in hot water, lit. to put oneself inside problems

Quel bambino è molto vivace, si ficca sempre nei guai. (That child is very lively, he always gets into trouble.)

Esserci dentro fino al collo

to be up shit’s creek, lit. to be inside it/in shit up to the neck

Tagliare la corda

Non so come uscire da questa situazione, ci sono dentro fino al collo. (I don’t know how to get out of this situation, I’m up shit’s creek.)

to run away, lit. to cut the rope

Sono stufa di questo paese, non vedo l’ora di tagliare la corda (I’m sick of this country, I can not wait to run away)

Darsela a gambe (levate)

to run away, lit. to give it to oneself to legs (in the air)

Questa festa non mi piace per niente, me la do’ a gambe levate (I do not like this party at all, I run away)

Stanco morto

dead tired/exhausted/dog tired

Oggi ho lavorato molto, sono stanco morto (Today I worked a lot, I’m dog tired)

Avere una brutta cera

to look terrible, lit. to have a bad wax

Forse non ti senti bene, hai una brutta cera. (Maybe you don’t feel well, you look terrible.)

Correre un rischio

to take the risk

Vorrei provare questo affare, non ne sono sicuro ma correrò il rischio (I would like to try this deal, I’m not sure but I’ll take the risk)

Giocare con il fuoco

to play with fire/something dangerous or risky

Guidare a velocità così elevata significa scherzare col fuoco. (Driving at such high speeds is playing with fire.)

Cercare rogna

to look/ask for trouble

Dario non vuole smettere di litigare, sicuramente cerca rogna (Dario doesn’t want to stop arguing, he is definitely looking for trouble)

Chiudere il becco

to shut up, lit. to close the beak

E’ meglio se non mi dici niente! Chiudi il becco! (It’s better if you don’t tell me anything! Shut up!)

Cazzotto

punch

Se non la finisci ti do’ un cazzotto (If you don’t stop, I’ll punch you)

Passare la notte in bianco

to pull an all-nighter/sleepless night, lit. to pass the night in white

Per finire di scrivere il mio articolo, ho passato la notte in bianco. (To finish writing my article, I spent a sleepless night.)

Fare una levataccia

to get up early/getting up at an ungodly hour; from levare, to take off and the suffix -accia

Questa mattina sono partita molto presto, ho fatto una levataccia (This morning I left very early, I made an early rising)

Fare baldoria

partying, revelry, lit. to make festivities

Domani sera vado a fare baldoria con i miei amici in un locale in centro (Tomorrow night I’m going to party with my friends in a club in the centre)

Stare allo scherzo/al gioco

take a joke, play the game, have a sense of humour, lit. to stay at the joke

E’ una persona spiritosa, sta sempre al gioco (He is a witty person, he always plays the game)

Prendere in giro qualcuno

to make fun of someone, to take someone for a ride

Marco si è arrabbiato perché i suoi amici lo hanno preso in giro.(Marco got angry because his friends made fun of him.)

Dare una mano

to give a hand

Devo dare una mano a Luigi per il suo trasloco (I have to give a hand to Louis for his move)

Darsi arie

to be full of yourself, lit to put on airs

Maria è molto vanitosa, si da’ sempre della arie! (Maria is very vain, she is always full of herself!)

Avere/prendersi una cotta per qualcuno

to have a crush on someone, lit. to have/take oneself cooking for someone

Ho conosciuto un uomo molto interessante, credo di essermi presa una cotta per lui. (I met a very interesting man, I think I have a crush on him.)

Innamorato perso di qualcuno

madly in love, huge crush., lit. lost in love with someone

Da quando l’ho conosciuto non faccio altro che pensare a lui, sono innamorata persa di Davide. (Since I met him I have been thinking about him, I am madly in love with Davide.)