If you’re waiting impatiently for something to happen, such as a visit from a friend or the brand new season of your favourite TV show, the best phrase you can use is non vedo l’ora in Italian.
The literal translation is I can’t see the hour (I’m too impatient to envision the moment) but it translates to I can’t wait in English.
La settimana prossima esce la nuova stagione di Westworld. – Lo so, non vedo l’ora!
Next week the new season of Westworld comes out. – I know, I can’t wait!
As in English, you can use non vedo l’ora at the beginning of a sentence to express your excitement about something.
Non vedo l’ora di cominciare il corso di danza domani, mi divertirò un sacco!
I can’t wait to start my dance class tomorrow, I’ll have lots of fun!
You can also use it in a negative context.
Che noia ‘sta conferenza, non finisce più. Non vedo l’ora di tornare a casa.
What a boring conference, it’s never ending. I can’t wait to go back home.
It is normally used on its own as an exclamation, or paired with the two prepositions di (to) and che (that) to introduce a clause.
- Non vedo l’ora di andare in vacanza. = I can’t wait to go on vacation.
- Non vedo l’ora che inizi il film. = I can’t wait for the film to start. (lit: I can’t wait that the film starts.)
There are other expressions you can use to express excitement about something to come:
- Non sto più nella pelle = lit. I don’t fit my skin anymore
- Brucio dalla voglia = I’m dying to (lit. I’m burning of longing)
- Muoio dalla voglia = I’m dying to (lit. I’m dying of longing)
Non vedo l’ora can also be used as a translation of I look forward to.
Non vedo l’ora di rivedere Paola questa sera.
I’m looking forward to seeing Paola again tonight.
Another expression you may sometimes come across is non mi sembra vero which means I can’t believe it (literally “it doesn’t seem real to me”). Although it is more correct to use this phrase when your excitement is combined with amazement, it can play a similar role to non vedo l’ora when responding to a question.
Domani ricominciano le partite. Contento? – Sì, non mi sembra vero!
Tomorrow the games start again. Happy? – Yes, I can’t believe it!
If we translate I can’t wait into Italian word for word, we get non posso aspettare. All this phrase means is that you literally don’t have time to wait. Non posso più aspettare or non posso (più) aspettare oltre means I can’t wait any longer.
Mathieu Gasquet was born and raised in Turin in the north of Italy to an Italian mother and a French father. He provides the audio pronunciation for Daily Italian Words.
