As you were crossing the street, your keys fell down the storm drain. Then, to add to your frustration, you missed the last train home. In English, we often say “When it rains, it pours” (or “It never rains but it pours“) to convey the idea that when one bad thing happens, other bad things …
Is there someone in your life whom you know so well that you can almost anticipate their every action? Then today’s Italian idiom will put a smile on your face! Conosco i miei polli literally translates to “I know my chickens,” and although I’m sad to say that we don’t have a matching idiom in …
Can you think of anything more delicious and soul-satisfying than a freshly baked loaf of homemade pane (bread), still warm from the oven? I certainly can’t! In the Italian idiomatic expression essere buono come il pane (literally “as good as bread”), the goodness of bread extends beyond its taste to represent someone’s kind, loving and …
Today, we want to discuss the meaning of a very common Italian idiom: Cercare il pelo nell’uovo (literally “to search for a hair in the egg”). This expression, which is very familiar to most Italians, signifies being overly meticulous and seeking out faults and flaws in others, even when they are imperceptible or non-existent. In …
Now that we’re well into the depths of winter (inverno), we thought we’d share an idiomatic phrase that is widely used in spoken Italian on freezing cold days. Fa un freddo cane! It’s freezing cold!(Literal translation: It’s dog cold! or It makes a cold dog!) It is made up of the following components: So, why …
In bocca al lupo, which literally translates to into the wolf’s mouth, is a very common greeting in Italian addressed to those in need of buona fortuna (good luck) such as, for example, someone about to embark on a risky endeavour or a student about to take an important exam. In bocca al lupo! Good …