If you committed something wrong or a little transgression and fear that someone uncovers it, in Italian we would use a popular idiomatic expression and say that “hai la coda di paglia“! Avere la coda di paglia is an Italian way to say used when someone has a guilty conscience, but in a friendly way. […]
When someone makes a decision or acts without considering possible problems and consenquences, in Italian we can say that “ha fatto i conti senza l’oste” (he reckoned without his host) using a famous Italian idiomatic expression. The oste is the owner of an osteria, a typical Italian inn where people can drink a good glass […]
Have you ever heard someone saying in Italian “Non sia mai!” with a disappointed facial expression? Well, this idiomatic expression is very common and often used to express the strong hope not to do or go through something. Literally, we can translate it as “May it will never happen“. In some cases it can be […]
Do you enjoy learning Italian expressions? Italian expressions come from the popular wisdom. Just these combinations of a few words can sum up whole stories, legends and centuries of folk belief. That is why they are so important, as heritage of our own culture, and that is why they are so popular and used so […]
Do you enjoy some colorful Italian expressions? Italians are very proud of the city they are from and sometimes they joke at other cities using some typical Italian expressions. For example, people from Genova are considered stingy or people from Milan snobbish. There are also expressions used in the everyday language that refer to different cities and have a specific […]
Languages can be very different, but there are some common elements that show how similar people are, in spite of the differences between their languages. Idioms, for instance, are one of these common elements. Every language has idioms and, above all, every language has idioms about parts of the body; also, some of them are used in […]
How many times a day do we use idiomatic expressions while talking? It’s very common to use them since they are quite colourful and help us to be better understood. We use them to express a thought, briefly but vividly. Every language has its own idiomatic expressions according to the characteristics and the habits of […]
