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 that you have the possibility to choose from a wide range of equally valid options.
The biggest difference between the two expressions is that, in English, we use “to be spoilt” which in Italian literally translates as essere viziato, whereas Italian uses avere l’imbarazzo. The word imbarazzo refers to any obstacle, nuisance, embarrassment, or hindrance that impedes the normal performance of an operation. So, avere l’imbarazzo della scelta can be literally translated as to have the obstacle/embarrassment of choice.
Al supermercato c’erano così tanti tipi di cioccolato che avevo davvero l’imbarazzo della scelta.
At the supermarket, there were so many kinds of chocolate that I was truly spoiled for choice.
Con tutti quei gelati deliziosi, avevo proprio l’imbarazzo della scelta.
With all those delicious ice creams, I was really spoilt for choice.
It’s important to note here that imbarazzo doesn’t mean social embarrassment, but rather a sense of difficulty or awkwardness caused by having so many options to choose between.
You might be surprised to learn that English also has the phrase to have an embarrassment of choice, and, more commonly, an embarrassment of riches. While it’s much less frequent than spoilt for choice, it does exist!
Linguistically, this idiom is related to a French expression with the same structure: embarras du choix (“embarrassment of choice”).
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
