21 ITALIAN PROVERBS AND HOW TO USE THEM

SAYINGS TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH LIFE.

Every language is a tapestry woven with its own unique idioms, colorful expressions, and rich sayings, but Italian—oh, Italian!—is a feast for the soul! These idioms are not just mere groupings of words; they are the heartbeat of cultural wisdom, pulsing with life and tradition. Let’s dive heart-first into the vivid and expressive world of Italian sayings. Embrace the spirit of Italy and feel the passion of its language as we proclaim, “Come un Italiano!” with every fiber of our being!

Since ancient times, Italian popular tradition has always found expression in proverbs and sayings that continue to resonate with us, conveying the nuances of everyday life. Proverbs are ingrained in our culture and way of thinking, often slipping off our tongues unconsciously. They are an integral part of who we are. Despite their ancient origins, these capsules of folk wisdom retain a timeless significance that withstands the test of time, preserving their meanings over centuries.

“Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.”
— Leonardo da Vinci

Italians are known for being incredibly expressive and passionate, for example, take Roberto Benigni’s Oscar acceptance speech. From beginning to end, he can’t stop gesturing with his entire body. That’s the Italian way! And if you want to learn Italian – but really learn it—as Olivia Newton John sang, ‘You gotta get physical’. So learning Italian expressions, gestures, and specific phrases are an absolute must if you want to add substance and humour to your conversations.

(Also check out my post ITALIAN WAYS to discover all the curious things about Italian superstitions, beliefs, and peculiarities.).

“I am still learning.”
— Michelangelo-aged 87

“Mama mia!” Before we dive into the some complex and amusing Italian proverbs, let’s also check-out some of the most used sayings and expressions to get you in the mood.

Allora! (“So, then, well!”) Is one of those filler words that’s highly useful whilst considering a topic in company. Using this word tells the listener you’re thinking things over before responding. Though used by itself, it can express impatience.

Boh! (“Don’t know!”) Boh is the most informal way to say “I don’t know” in Italian.

Ma dai! (“Come on!”) If you want to express absolute disbelief in Italian, an exclamation you simply cannot afford not to learn is Ma dai! – Oh, come on!

Porca miseria! (“Cursed misery!”) In response to something terrible, hurtful or shameful.

Sei fuori! If you do something crazy, weird or stupid, Italians won’t tell you that you are crazy, they will tell you that “You are out” (of your head or mind). In the same fashion, they can tell you “Tu non stai bene con la testa” – Literally meaning “you are not good with the head”.

Che pizza! While the literal translation of this funny Italian expression is “What a pizza!”, What the phrase actually means to an Italian is “How boring!”. Didn’t expect that, did you? I‌ mean… no matter the size, shape or ingredients, pizza is fabulous! “Che pizza” Is also synonymous with “What a bore“ and it can describe something or even someone.

Figo! Che figata! Mostly used by younger people, this Italian expression is the equivalent of the English “Cool”. If you want to say that something is extraordinary, fantastic or cool, in Italian you say “figo!” or “che figata!”. Additionally, “figo” (or “figa” for women) can also be used to say that someone is very attractive.

Sei pazzo! (“You are nuts!” ) To question someone’s sanity, you just need to touch your temple with your forefinger and tap on it a few times (or turn the finger clockwise).

Mannaggia! (“darnit!”) A curse that expresses disappointment or opposition. In fact, although it is a curse, it is a mild curse – which is used as an expletive, good for venting and giving feeling to an expression. A true figure of Italianness. 

Magari! (“let’s hope or I wish!”) Used for multiple occasions its a very useful expressions to know. 

Calmati! (“Calm Down!”) This one is fairly self explanatory.

Basta! (“enough\stop!”) Another multi use interjection, especially good for overacting children and adults.

Me ne frego! (“Who cares?”) This angry expression shows absolute indifference to situations.

Tutto a posto! (Everything’s ok!, Or, Are you finished?”) You will hear this saying multiple times a day. This little phase can be used for almost every situation from shopping to dining or simply replying to a person who enquires how you are.

In bocca al Lupo! (“In the mouth of the wolf”) Is certainly a much-used expression, and its meaning is actually ‘Good luck’. And equivalent to the english expression “break a leg”.

Acqua in bocca! When an Italian says to you “Ma, ricorda… acqua in bocca”, he’s not actually asking you to “Keep the water in the mouth”. He’s asking you “To keep a secret”.

“Learning never exhausts the mind.”
― Leonardo da Vinci

Now let’s dive into 21 Italian expressions and phrases that will make you sound really Italian. Andiamo!

Anyone who has an Italian friend knows this: Italians love to eat, and sayings about food pepper practically every conversation. And according to a recent survey, 51% of them discuss food every day.

It is normal for Italians to gather around a table at least once a day and it is not only important what you eat, but also with whom you eat. That’s why the Italian language is full of sayings and proverbs about food that are also related to the family. Below you’ll find just some of them.

Food and Family 

1. Parla come mangi. “Speak the way you eat!” Is said almost as a rebuke to those who use difficult terms or difficult words when it is not necessary.

2. Non tutte le ciambelle escono col buco. Literally means “Not all doughnuts come out with a hole” It is used when a result is not quite as expected. It’s a request for things to be kept in perspective and for the chance to try again – and perhaps be luckier.

3. Essere come il prezzemolo. “Being like parsley.” Parsley is used extensively in different recipes. And this is said of a person who is found everywhere and in any place, perhaps even intrusively.

4. Tutto fa brodo. Literally means “Everything makes broth”. Meaning everything has a use. The ingredients of broths are varied and they can also be made with left-over scraps. Yet broth is the key ingredient to success for many tasty dishes. A reminder that often even what seems left-over or unusable can be important to make something perfect and delicious.

5. Cosa bolle in pentola. “What’s boiling in the pot”. Is another metaphor linked to broth and is said to refer to something that is secretly being prepared. In the Middle Ages, the foundation of the peasant diet was a soup cooked in a pot that always remained on the fire. Vegetables, roots, meat scraps and legumes were added depending on what was available making it difficult for the diner to identify the exact ingredients. From this custom, the expression indicates a complex preparation or a mysterious plan.

Bread, oil and wine.

6. Liscio come l’olio. “Smooth as oil”. – Is a saying used to indicate a situation that takes place without complications. Smooth and without ripples like the surface of the oil.

7. Buono come il pane. “Good as bread”. The humble and noble food present on every table is a metaphor to indicate a good, meek and altruistic person.

8. Nella botte piccola, c’è il vino buono. “In small barrels, there is good wine”. Deriving from the tendency of winemakers to keep the part of the wine considered best in smaller barrels to enhance its aromas and flavours. The saying is used to emphasize that apparently insignificant objects, or people of short stature, may have valuable qualities that are revealed with more careful observation or knowledge.

9. Rendere pan per focaccia. “Give back bread for dough”. Today this Italian saying has a negative meaning, (Like tit for tat in English). Although this saying derives from a custom of good neighbourliness when bread was made at home. If there was no flour, you could borrow focaccia, that is the raw dough, from the neighbours. The favour often being repaid in the form of freshly baked bread.

10. Non si può avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca. “You can’t have a barrel full of wine and a drunk wife at the same time“. This Italian saying is good for those who struggle to make decisions. Sometimes to get something, you need to give up on something else. ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it too‘.

Eggs, fish and ham.

10. Pieno come un uovo. “Full as an egg”. Can be referred to either a person to indicate a sense of exaggerated satiety or, to a place filled to the limit. As the egg is perfectly filled with yolk and albumen.

11. Avere il prosciutto sugli occhi. “having ham on your eyes”. Is an Italian saying that probably dates back to the second half of the 19th century and originates in Emilia Romagna or Tuscany, areas famous for the production of cured meats. It is usually used to point out someone’s carelessness, Or to refer to a situation that is so obvious that it is impossible not to notice, Eg: “Didn’t you see that it rains?. Hai il prosciutto sugli occhi? “.

12. Il pesce puzza sempre dalla testa. “The fish always stinks from the head”. Is a way of saying that if something is wrong, whoever has the responsibility or is in charge should have set the example to follow. So, as we’d say in English, ‘The rot starts at the top’.

13. L’ospite è come il pesce dopo tre giorni puzza. “A guest is like a fish that after three days stinks”. I think that speaks for itself.

“A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.”
— Mark Twain

Life ,love and loss.

14. Findarsi è bene ma non fidarsi è meglio. ‘Trusting is good, but not trusting is better’. Means that while trust is important, you don’t have to be gung-ho; A little extra due diligence won’t hurt anyone. 

15. Finché ćè vita, ćè sperenza. ‘As long as there is life there is hope’. Means that one should never despair, even in difficult circumstances. In Italy this expression is sometimes used ironically with those who continue to hope despite the fact that it is useless.

16. Cane che abbaia non morde. ‘The dog that barks doesn’t bite or, His bark is worse than his bite’. Means that those who make a lot of threats don’t always follow through.

17. Le bugie hanno le gambe corte. ‘Lies have short legs‘.  Means that lying won’t get you anywhere because their ‘short legs’ mean they can’t get you far.

18. Piove sempre sul bagnato. ‘It always rains on the wet‘. ‘When it rains, it pours’ is the closest English translation. But this sentence is only negative in the English language as it implies things are continuing to go wrong for someone who is already unlucky. But ‘Piove sul bagnato‘, has a positive connotation and means that those who have already had good fortune will continue to have it.

20. Occhio non vede, cuore non duole. ‘The eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t hurt‘. Means if you don’t see something bad your heart won’t grieve.

21. Ogni lasciata e persa. ‘Everything left is lost’. This proverb points out that if you haven’t been able to seize an opportunity when it arose, you will most likely miss it forever. It’s then used as an exhortation to take the chances when they arise, without pondering and postponing too much.

Ah, Che bello! I trust you’ll try to incorporate these awesome Italian expressions, phrases and proverbs into your next conversation with Italiani veri (real Italians). Let me know how it goes.