If you’ve ever been faced with a difficult or seemingly unresolvable problem, you could define it in Italian as una bella gatta da pelare, or literally, a beautiful female cat to skin. avere una bella gatta da pelare to have a difficult problem to resolve So, where does this expression come from? Though its exact …
Since I began learning languages over 20 years ago, one thing that has always struck me is how often different languages have idioms or proverbs that convey the same idea, yet express it in completely different ways. A good example is today’s proverb, Il mattino ha l’oro in bocca, which roughly corresponds to the English …
Today’s idiomatic expression has a direct equivalent in English, yet, as we’re about to see, the two expressions couldn’t be more different in imagery. In English, when we attempt something beyond our true abilities without considering the possible consequences, we’re often warned not to “bite off more than we can chew.“ Italian offers an expression …
Before or after uttering a common saying or proverb, Italians often like to drop in the idiomatic expression come si suol dire, much in the same way English speakers might make use of the expressions as they say or as the old saying goes. This idiom allows the speaker to prepare the listener or reader …
Have you ever found yourself with so many great options that you can’t decide which one to choose? If so, this idiomatic phrase will come in handy! Avere l’imbarazzo della scelta To be spoilt for choice Avere l’imbarazzo della scelta is the equivalent of the English idiom “to be spoilt for choice”. Both expressions mean …
I’ve never been much of a drinker, but many of my friends – especially at university – would spend their weekends knocking back cocktails and wine, dancing the night away as they tried to forget the results of the previous week’s exam. If you ever find yourself having indulged a bit too much, here’s a …