Italian idioms are packed with body parts. We use them to describe everything, from a nosy behaviour like ficcare il naso (to stick one’s nose in) to questionable choices like darsi la zappa sui piedi (to shoot oneself in the foot).
Of all our body parts, la testa (the head) appears quite frequently. A line often attributed to Rita Levi Montalcini, the Italian scientist who won the Nobel Prize in 1986, sums it perfectly:
La testa. C’è chi l’abbassa, chi la nasconde, e chi la perde. Io preferisco chi la usa.
The head. Some people lower it, some hide it, and some lose it. I prefer those who use it.
Wise words, right?
So, here are the most common Italian expressions with testa, complete with examples you can start using them.
When the head does what it’s supposed to do
These first expressions are all about being sensible and doing things the right way.
1. Usare la testa
Literally: to use the head
If you spend any time around Italian parents, you’ll hear this one on repeat. It’s their favourite way of inviting their kids to engage their brain before doing something stupid.
Non puoi uscire con questo freddo senza giacca. Insomma, usa la testa!
You can’t go out in this cold without a jacket. Come on, use your head!
2. Avere la testa sulle spalle
Literally: to have the head on the shoulders
For someone whose head is exactly where it should be, firmly attached and fully functional. You know the type, mature and responsible – unlike some other heads we’ll meet later!
Mi piace quel ragazzo, è giovane ma ha la testa sulle spalle.
I like that guy, he’s young but he’s got her head screwed on.
3. Avere la testa a posto
Literally: to have the head in the right place
Similar vibes here, but the focus is more on having everything ticking along nicely up there: no bizarre behaviours nor unnecessary drama.
Non chiedo la luna: vorrei solo un ragazzo serio, uno che abbia la testa a posto.
I’m not asking for the moon: I just want a serious guy, one who has his head on straight.
4. Mettere la testa a posto
Literally: to put the head in right place
We say this when someone finally gets their act together and leaves their wilder days behind. Basically, if avere la testa a posto means having your head straight, mettere la testa a posto is about getting there.
Pensi solo a uscire e divertirti, quando metterai la testa a posto?
All you think about is going out and having fun. When are you going to get your act together?
5. Avere una bella testa
Literally: to have a nice head
Nothing to do with your looks, nope! This one is all about being intelligent and sharp, and we use it as a compliment for someone who’s got brain and knows how to use it, like:
Vostra figlia ha davvero una bella testa, sono sicuro che farà grandi cose.
Your daughter is really smart, I’m sure she’ll do great things.
6. Pensare con la propria testa
Literally: to think with your own head
Going with the flow is easy, while forming our own opinions and not letting others or the internet do the thinking for us is the real skill (and the one Rita Levi Montalcini would approve of most!).
Non credere a tutto quello che ti dicono, pensa con la tua testa!
Don’t believe everything they tell you, think for yourself!
7. Fare le cose senza testa
Literally: to do things without the head
The complete opposite of everything we’ve just seen, perfect for when someone acts without involving their brain.
Se fate le cose senza testa, poi non lamentatevi del risultato!
If you do things without thinking, don’t complain about the result afterwards.
Thinking, overthinking and panicking
Every day we make decisions, big and small. Pizza o insalata? (pizza or salad? A false dilemma, obviously…). Mi licenzio e apro un chiringuito ai Caraibi? (Shall I quit my job and open a beach bar in the Caribbean?). The expressions below cover the whole process, from flipping a coin to panicking.
8. Fare testa o croce
Literally: to do head or cross
Out of arguments? Can’t be bothered to choose? We let a coin decide! The expression comes from old Italian coins, which once featured the head of the king on one side and a cross on the other.
Io preferisco il mare, lui la montagna e alla fine abbiamo fatto testa o croce per decidere dove andare.
I prefer the beach, he prefers the mountains, so we ended up flipping a coin to decide where to go.
9. Tagliare la testa al toro
Literally: to cut off the bull’s head
This expression means putting an end to a debate or dilemma by making a decisive move. Why the poor bull? Well, according to historical accounts, in the 12th century, a bull was beheaded in St Mark’s Square during Carnival to mark the end of a political dispute between Venice and Aquileia.
È inutile continuare a pensarci, tagliamo la testa al toro e prenotiamo i voli.
There’s no point overthinking it. Let’s just make a decision and book the flights.
10. Fasciarsi la testa prima di essersela rotta
Literally: to bandage your head before you’ve broken it
If you’ve ever stressed about something that hasn’t happened yet, and might never happen (a classic for many of us!), then you know exactly what this one means.
Dai, non fasciarti la testa prima di essertela rotta, magari andrà anche meglio del previsto.
Come on, don’t borrow trouble. Who knows, it might even go better than expected.
11. Passare per la testa
Literally: to pass through the head
We use this expression to talk about a thought or idea crossing our mind — either something we briefly considered or something we would never dream of doing.
Non mi passerebbe mai per la testa di uscire di casa conciato così!
It would never cross my mind to leave the house dressed like that!
(Conciato is a very informal word we use to describe someone who looks messy or dressed in a chaotic way.)
This is especially common when we want to ask someone about their questionable choices, like:
Si può sapere cosa ti passava per la testa quando hai accettato di fare questa cosa?
What on earth were you thinking when you agreed to do this?
12. Non sapere dove sbattere la testa
Literally: to not know where to bang your head
This phrase captures that mix of stress and frustration when life hits us with a problem and we have no idea what to do, so much so that we’re ready to physically test our skull against the nearest solid object out of pure desperation.
Gli affitti sono alle stelle, gli appartamenti fanno schifo e quelli decenti spariscono in cinque minuti. Non so più dove sbattere la testa!
Rents are through the roof, the apartments are awful, and the decent ones disappear in five minutes. I’m at a loss!
13. Avere la testa nel pallone
Literally: to have the head in the ball
Too much information can create a bit of chaos in our head. To express that feeling in Italian, think of a balloon floating around aimlessly… that’s your brain in that moment!
Tra poco ho l’esame di storia e ho la testa nel pallone… non mi ricordo più niente!
I have my history exam soon and my head is all over the place… I can’t remember anything anymore!
You’ll also hear the shorter version essere nel pallone (lit. to be in the ball), which means the same thing.
14. Nascondere la testa sotto la sabbia
Literally: to hide the head under the sand
Some of us deal with problems and stressful situations by pretending they don’t exist (the unopened bills drawer, anyone?), and nascondere la testa sotto la sabbia is the perfect image for that. English has exactly the same one, “to bury your head in the sand”, so it will be easy to remember.
Non puoi continuare a nascondere la testa sotto la sabbia, prima o poi devi affrontare la situazione.
You can’t keep burying your head in the sand, sooner or later you’ll have to face the situation.
In Italian, we also casually say fare lo struzzo (to act like an ostrich), which is based on an old belief that ostriches bury their heads in the sand to protect themselves (nope, they don’t!).
Hello? Is anybody home?
Now some expressions for those moments when we’re physically in the room but our mind is somewhere else, whether we’re mentally sunbathing on a tropical beach or just being a little… not quite ourselves!
15. Avere la testa tra le nuvole
Literally: to have your head among the clouds
This one is for the dreamers whose minds are often miles above the ground, lost in their own little world. And the good news is, English has the same image.
Da quando ti sei innamorato, hai sempre la testa tra le nuvole!
Ever since you fell in love, your head has been in the clouds!
16. Avere la testa altrove
Literally: to have your head elsewhere
This is a similar expression, but here our mind is elsewhere not necessarily because we are daydreaming. Perhaps it’s because we’re dealing with a problem or worrying about something personal.
Scusami, oggi ho la testa altrove: aspetto una risposta importante.
Sorry, I’m distracted today: I’m waiting for an important answer.
17. Non esserci con la testa
Literally: to not be there with your head
This phrase describes being mentally absent. We often use it when we’re stressed and a bit brain-fogged, like:
Oddio, ho dimenticato la torta in forno! Uffa, non ci sono proprio con la testa…
Oh God, I left the cake in the oven! Ugh, I’m so out of it today…
But the meaning can also be more serious, especially when talking about a change in someone’s mental state after an accident or illness, for example:
Ultimamente è un po’ confuso, sembra non esserci più con la testa.
Lately, he’s been a little confused, he doesn’t seem to be all there anymore.
Just keep in mind that this expression is quite informal, and when we use it for someone’s mental state or cognitive difficulties, it can sound blunt or even judgmental, so better to skip it with strangers or in delicate situations.
18. Non entrare in testa
Literally: to not enter the head
When our brain just isn’t cooperating and something simply won’t sink in, we say it non entra in testa (lit. doesn’t enter the head). We use it with the person as an indirect object pronoun to show whose head it’s not entering, as in non mi entra in testa.
Ho ripetuto questi verbi irregolari mille volte, ma non mi entrano in testa!
I’ve repeated these irregular verbs a thousand times, but I can’t get them into my head!
19. Dove hai la testa?
Literally: Where do you have the head?
When someone is clearly on another planet, this is the question we throw at them to bring them back to Earth. It’s informal and very natural in everyday Italian, especially when we know the person well.
Dovevi scendere alla fermata prima! Ma dove hai la testa?
You were supposed to get off at the previous stop! Where’s your head?
When something goes to our head
Love, alcohol, anger, success: all things that can go straight to our head. And when they do, good judgment tends to disappear, and we’re not always the best version of ourselves. Here are some expressions to capture this feeling in Italian.
20. Dare alla testa
Literally: to give to the head
If something has such a strong effect on us that it starts to change the way we feel or behave, that’s when we use dare alla testa. This expression works for anything from a glass of wine on an empty stomach making us feel dizzy or a sudden success making us a little too full of ourselves.
Il successo le ha dato alla testa: da quando ha ottenuto quella promozione non saluta più nessuno.
Success has gone to her head: ever since she got that promotion, she doesn’t say hello to anyone anymore!
21. Perdere la testa
Literally: to lose the head
This is what happens when our emotions take full control. We might fall so madly in love that we forget our brain even exists, or get so angry that we say things we’ll end up regretting.
Quando l’ha saputo, ha perso la testa e ha cominciato a urlare.
When she found out, she lost it and started screaming.
22. Montarsi la testa
Literally: to whip up the head (yep, like egg whites!)
You know how egg whites puff up when we whip them? Well, the same thing happens to our ego when ci montiamo la testa. It means getting carried away by things like a little success, a few compliments… anything that makes us feel so special that we start acting like superstars.
Da quando gli hanno detto che canta bene, si è montato la testa e pensa di essere pronto per Sanremo!
Ever since they told him he can sing, he’s gotten a big head and thinks he’s ready for the Sanremo music festival!
23. Far girare la testa
Literally: to make the head spin
This is an expression we use when someone or something makes us dizzy. It can be physical, like when a rollercoaster literally makes our head spin and we’re left reaching for a chair. Or it can be figurative, like when someone is so charming and attractive that, well, we forget how to put two sentences together!
Da giovane il nonno faceva girare la testa a tutte le ragazze!
When he was young, Grandpa turned every girl’s head!
24. Andare fuori di testa
Literally: to go out of the head
Colourful and very common, this is how we say we’re losing it. Sometimes in a good way, like going wild over our dream holiday. Other times, not so much, like when someone keeps doing something super annoying.
Come si fa a dimenticare sempre le luci accese? Questa cosa mi fa andare fuori di testa!
How is it possible to constantly forget to turn off the lights? That drives me crazy!
25. Fare salire il sangue alla testa
Literally: to make blood raise to the head
This is for when a person or a situation is so annoying that we can feel the anger rising inside and we’re getting closer and closer to explode.
It’s a fairly strong expression, a softer alternative would be arrabbiarsi, which simply means to get angry. It’s also a very visual one: when we get angry, our heart rate goes up and more blood “raises to the head.”
Quelli che guardano i video senza cuffie in treno mi fanno salire il sangue alla testa!
People who watch videos without headphones on the train make me super angry!
Standing our ground
Here are some expressions for those of us who tend to dig our heels in.
26. Avere la testa dura
Literally: to have a hard head
We say this playfully or with a little frustration, depending on the situation, but the idea is the same: someone with la testa dura is as stubborn as they come, and their mind might as well be made of reinforced concrete — facts and numbers won’t make it change one bit!
Paolo non ascolta mai nessuno, ha proprio la testa dura!
Paolo never listens to anyone, he’s so stubborn!
27. Fare di testa propria
Literally: to do with your own head
Fare di testa propria is when we do things our own way, totally ignoring other people’s advice and opinions.
To use this phrase, just swap propria depending on who’s being the rebel: di testa mia (my own way), di testa tua (your own way), di testa loro (their own way), and so on.
Fanno sempre di testa loro, e poi quando le cose vanno male vengono a chiedere aiuto a me!
They always do things their own way, and when something goes wrong, they come to me for help!
28. Mettersi in testa qualcosa
Literally: to put something in your head
Ci mettiamo in testa qualcosa when we get an idea stuck in our mind and are determined to do it, no matter what. It can be positive (like a goal) or less so (like some crazy plan). Either way, nobody can talk us out of it.
Si è messa in testa di fare la maratona di New York.
She’s set her mind on doing the New York marathon.
29. Sbattere la testa contro il muro
Literally: to bang your head against the wall
This is what happens when we are so stubborn about something that we ignore everyone’s advice and insist on doing it our way, only to end up with an epic fail.
Puoi dirgli quello che vuoi, ma tanto è inutile: non lo capirà fino a quando non sbatterà la testa contro il muro.
You can tell him whatever you want, but it’s pointless: he won’t get it until he learns the hard way.
However, it’s not always about stubbornness and failure. We also use it when we are dealing with something impossible or someone completely uncooperative, such as:
È da tre giorni che chiamo il servizio clienti, ma non riesco a venirne a capo. È come sbattere la testa contro il muro.
I’ve been calling customer service for three days, but I just can’t get this sorted. I feel like I’m banging my head against a brick wall.
30. Tenere testa a qualcuno
Literally: to hold the head up against someone
Imagine a tiny chihuahua refusing to be intimidated by a massive Great Dane (on a leash, of course!). That’s tenere testa a qualcuno: standing up to someone and refusing to back down, no matter how “big” they are.
Giulia è stata bravissima, ha tenuto testa al capo per tutta la riunione.
Giulia was great, she stood her ground against the boss for the entire meeting.
31. Alzare la testa
Literally: to raise the head
We use this expression figuratively when we decide to rebel, so we lift our head and finally say or do what we really think. Its opposite is abbassare la testa (lit. to lower the head), meaning we accept something without protesting.
Abbassi la testa una, due, tre volte, ma poi arriva il giorno in cui la alzi e dici basta.
You bow your head once, twice, three times, but eventually, the day comes when you raise your head and say enough is enough.
32. Camminare a testa alta
Literally: to walk with your head high
Nothing to be ashamed of? Then you can camminare a testa alta, walk with your head held high!
Lasciali parlare! Tu hai la coscienza a posto e puoi camminare a testa alta.
Let them talk! You have a clean conscience, and you can hold your head high.
Ouch! Scoldings, headaches and hefty bills
Next, a few expressions for those “ugh” moments, like getting told off or being charged a fortune.
33. Fare una lavata di testa
Literally: to give someone a head wash
If you’ve made a mistake, get ready for a head wash — except, no water or shampoo involved, just someone giving you a serious telling-off.
Il capo mi ha fatto una lavata di testa perché ho sbagliato il report del cliente.
My boss gave me a real dressing-down because I got the client report wrong.
34. Fare una testa tanta / così
Literally: to make a head this big / like this
You know when we bump into someone who just won’t stop talking? They go on and on until our head feels twice its normal size! That’s the idea behind this expression.
Claudio mi ha fatto una testa così tutta la sera parlando della sua ex. Non ne potevo più!
Claudio talked my ear off all night about his ex. I couldn’t take it anymore!
35. Farsi mettere i piedi in testa
Literally: to let people put their feet on your head
This is the opposite of tenere testa a qualcuno we saw earlier: that one means standing up to someone, while this one is about letting others walk all over us.
Se non dici mai nulla, continueranno a metterti i piedi in testa.
If you never stand up for yourself, they’ll keep walking all over you.
36. Costare un occhio della testa
Literally: to cost an eye of the head
When something is so expensive that we feel we have to say goodbye to a body part, we say it costs “an eye of the head.” English prefers “an arm and a leg,” but for us an eye is enough!
I vestiti qui costano un occhio della testa, cambiamo negozio.
Clothes here cost an arm and a leg, let’s go somewhere else.
37. Cos’hai nella testa?
Literally: what do you have in the head?
This is the classic question we ask when someone does something so silly that we can’t help wondering what’s going on inside their skull. You might also hear Cos’hai nel cervello? (lit. What do you have in your brain?). Both sound like a question, but they’re really a scolding (the tone is everything!): we don’t actually want an answer, we just can’t believe they thought it was a good idea.
Sei andato in motorino senza casco? Ma cos’hai nella testa, vuoi farti male?!
You rode the scooter without a helmet? What were you thinking? Are you trying to get yourself hurt?!
Hot heads and turnip heads
And finally, we get to the fun part: some expressions with testa to tease people or tell them exactly what we think of them.
38. Essere una testa calda
Literally: to be a hot head
Just like in English, a testa calda (hothead) is someone who acts impulsively and is always ready to pick a fight. It’s not really an insult, more a label we use to warn others about what to expect.
Tuo cugino Andrea è proprio una testa calda, finisce sempre per litigare con qualcuno.
Your cousin Andrea is such a hothead, he always ends up arguing with someone.
39. Essere una testa di rapa
Literally: to be a turnip head
It’s a way to call someone silly or not particularly bright, and it’s usually more playful than offensive, especially among friends or family. To be honest, I think it’s a bit old-fashioned and you probably won’t hear it that often these days, but it’s still a good one to know.
Dai, te l’ho spiegato mille volte… sei proprio una testa di rapa!
Come on, I’ve explained it to you a thousand times… you’re such a knucklehead!
40. Essere una testa di cazzo
Literally: to be a dickhead
You’ll hear this one among close friends joking around, or in a heated argument, where it becomes a real insult. So, it’s good to know what it means, but think twice before using it!
Ma che testa di cazzo! Ha lasciato la macchina davanti al cancello e adesso non possiamo entrare.
What a dickhead! He left the car in front of the gate and now we can’t get in.
41. Essere una testa di cavolo
Literally: to be a cabbage head
Do you want to say the same thing without cursing? Testa di cavolo is the milder, family-friendly option! Again, it’s all in the tone: it can be affectionate teasing for a friend or real annoyance.
Sei proprio una testa di cavolo! Come fai a dimenticare sempre tutto?!
You’re such an idiot! How do you manage to forget everything all the time?!
Valentina Nicastro is a travel writer in love with her home country, Italy. Having travelled widely around the globe, she realised there was more to explore closer to home and decided to put the passport aside for a while. When she is not immersed in documenting Italy, you’ll find her donning her communication consultant hat, weaving words as a content writer and bridging linguistic divides as a translator.
