Italians are the direct heirs of the ancient Roman empire and also one of the oldest cultures of the old world. They are a people well known for their temperament and extroverted character.
The way Italians are makes them loved or hated depending on where they are, but what we can undoubtedly appreciate about them is the innate ease they have to relate to everyone. What are the most popular Italian phrases? relevant?
Phrases and expressions in Italian (and translation)
Italian has hundreds of great phrases possessing great wisdom that we should all know, but in this case we wanted to make a selection with the 120 great phrases in Italian and their translation more interesting from our point of view. We hope you enjoy them!
1. Cui niente sa, di niente doubta.
He who knows nothing, doubts nothing.
2. Chi la dura la vince.
He who perseveres wins.
3. Hope my life.
Hope gives me life.
4. È meglio star solo che mal accompagnato.
Better to be alone than in bad company.
5. Non v’è rosa senza spina.
There are not roses without spines.
6. Chi non fa, non falla.
He who does not do, does not fail.
7. Bad company is the one who has nothing to do with each other.
Bad company leads men to the gallows.
8. Finché c’è vita c’è hope.
Where there’s life there’s hope.
9. È meglio aver poco che niente.
Better to have little than nothing.
10. Dimmi with chi vai, and I will tell you chi sei.
Tell me who you’re going with and I’ll tell you who you are.
11. A nemico che fugge, fa un ponte d’oro.
Make a golden bridge for a fleeing enemy.
12. Odi, veti et tace, se voi vivir in pace.
Keep your mouth closed and your ears open.
13. La pigrizia è la chiave della povertà.
Laziness is the key to poverty.
14. Amor tutti fa uguali.
Love makes all men equal.
15. Quel ch’è fatto, è fatto.
What’s done is done.
16. Belle parole non pascon i gatti.
Good words do not feed cats.
17. Ad ogni uccello il proprio nido è bello.
The bird loves its own nest.
18. Dai nemici mi guardo io, dagli amici mi guardi Iddio.
I will protect myself from my enemies, may God protect me from my friends.
19. Guarda innanzi che tu salti.
Look before you leap.
20. E la sua volontate è nostra pace.
In doing our will we find our peace.
21. Soccorso doesn’t come late.
Help never comes too late.
22. Can che abbaia non morde.
Barking dog, little biting.
23. Val meglio essere matti in compagnia che savi da sol.
Better crazy in company than wise alone.
24. Oggi a me, domani a te.
Today for me, tomorrow for you.
25. Amor does not know travaglio.
Love never gets tired.
26. Running horse has not seen sproni.
A running horse does not need spurs.
27. Say good will this pieno l’inferno.
Hell is full of good will.
28. A caval donato does not guard in mouth.
A gift horse does not look at the tooth.
29. Like the father, tell the son.
Like father, like son.
30. Love is blind.
Love is blind.
31. Danari fanno danari.
Money makes money.
32. Ad ogni santo vien sua festa.
Every saint has his own festival.
33. Ride bene chi ride last.
He who laughs last, laughs best.
34. Calm is the virtù dei forti.
Calmness is the virtue of the strong.
35. Love regge senza legge.
Love rules without rules.
36. Batti il ferro finché è broth
Strike while the iron is hot.
37. I great pains are muti.
The great pains are silent.
38. Dove l’oro parla, ogni lingua tace.
Where gold speaks, every tongue is silent.
39. Capo d’opera.
Masterpiece.
40. Necessità non ha legge.
Necessity knows no law.
41. Che’l lose tempo a chi più sa più spiace.
The loss of time grieves more for those who know more.
42. Say again.
Again.
43. Non fa case.
It’s not important.
44. Chive d’oro apre ogni porta.
Golden key opens all doors.
45. Chi ha fatto il male, faccia la penitenza.
He who does evil, does penance.
46. Chi vuol arricchire in un anno, è impiccato en sei mesi.
Whoever wants to get rich in a year is hanged in six months.
47. Tra il dire e il fare c’è di mezzo il mare.
Between saying and doing there is a sea.
48. I was first last seen.
The first will be the last.
49. La notte is the mother of thoughts.
The night is the mother of thoughts.
50. Gold is what gold is worth.
Gold, gold is worth it.
51. Non c’è problema.
No problem.
52. Prudenza is the mother of safety.
Prudence is the mother of security.
53. Ogni thing ha cagione.
Everything has a cause.
54. La miglior difesa è l’attacco.
The best defense is attack.
55. I have fruits that are soo i più dolci.
The forbidden fruit is the sweetest.
56. With peace s’acquista scienza.
With patience you acquire science.
57. Chi non si lascia consigliare, no si può aiutare.
He who cannot be advised cannot be helped.
58. Chi ama me, ama il mio cane.
He who loves me, loves my dog.
59. La mala errba non muore mai.
Weed never dies.
60. Beautiful thing far niente.
Idleness is a beautiful thing.
61. Chè per vendetta mai non sanò piaga.
Revenge never healed a wound.
62. At first sight.
At first sight.
63. Da chi mi fido, mi guardi Dio, da chi non mi fido guarderò io.
A man’s worst enemies are often those in his own household.
64. Anno di neve, anno di bene.
Snow year, rich year.
65. Noi non potemo avere perfetta vita senza amici.
We can’t have a perfect life without friends.
66. Run lontano chi non torna mai.
He who runs away never returns.
67. Chi ha l’amor nel petto, ha lo sprone a’fianchi.
He who has love in his chest has spurs on his sides
68. A chi dai il dito si prende anche il braccio.
Give them the finger and they will take your arm.
69. Scusa non richiesta, accusa manifesta.
A guilty conscience needs no accuser.
70. Bene placito.
At your pleasure.
71. Badate a’ fatti vostri.
Mind your own business.
72. Capo d’anno.
New Year.
73. Meglio tardi che mai.
Better late than never.
74. Niente più tosto si secca che lacrime.
Nothing dries faster than tears.
75. L’abito non fa il monaco.
The habit do not do the monk.
76. Meglio tardi che mai.
Better late than never.
77. To your comfort.
At your pleasure, at your convenience.
78. The bugiardo must have good memory.
The liar must have a good memory.
79. È un gran pacier la morte.
Death is a great peacemaker.
80. A chi fa male, mai mancano scuse.
He who does evil is never short of excuses.
81. Meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani.
Better an egg today than a chicken tomorrow.
82. Andare KO
Being out of combat or “Knock Out”.
83. Cavalcare the tiger.
Literally “Ride the tiger”, it applies to the will to dominate a dangerous situation.
84. A quattr’occhi.
“With four eyes”, an expression that designates an activity or project that must be carried out by two people.
85. Ad ogni morte di Papa.
“Every death of Pope”, that is, a very unlikely situation or event.
86. A good market.
“At a good market”, that is, at a good price.
87. Raise the gum.
“Raise your elbow.” Our “stretching the elbow”, that is, drinking.
88. A denti stretti.
“With teeth united.” Its equivalent in Spanish would be “Reluctantly”, doing something against our will.
89. Bestemmiare eats a Turk.
“Cussing like a Turk”, speaking rudely or with many insults.
90. Brutto come i sette peccati capitali.
“Ugly as the seven deadly sins.”
91. Horse of race.
“Race horse”, said of someone virtuous or with very adequate skills and suitable for carrying out any activity.
92. Say male in peggio.
From bad to worse.
93. Be a Pigmalione.
“Being a Pygmalion”, said of those people whose task is to improve someone’s manners, performance or way of being.
94. To vicenda.
Expression that means “Reciprocally”.
95. Piove sul bagnato.
“Rains, it pours”. Designates a situation in which past events are repeated again in the same way.
96. Non avere peli sulla lingua.
“Not mincing words.” A person who has no qualms about giving his opinion or talking about anything openly.
97. Aspettare la manna dal cielo.
“Wait for Manna from heaven.” Trusting that things will be solved without acting or taking any effective action.
98. Have any saint in Paradise.
“To have some saint in Paradise”, to be very lucky.
99. A long walk.
“In the long run” or “Over time.”
100. Camminare eats a lumac.
“Walking like a snail” is used to designate someone who does things slowly.
101. Lascia quel specchio, non essere peacock.
Leave that mirror, don’t be a peacock. Designates someone very vain.
102. In punta di piedi.
On the balls of your feet or on tiptoe.
103. In fretta.
Hurry.
104. Bequeath it to the dito.
Tie it to your finger. Remembering a grievance to take revenge later.
105. Non puo essere soldato, si è un coniglio!
He can’t be a soldier if he’s a rabbit! Designates someone who is cowardly or fearful.
106. Azure Prince.
The prince charming of fairy tales.
107. Mettere alle corde.
Put someone on the ropes.
108. Tenere gli occhi aperti.
Keep your eyes open, be attentive to something.
109. Lavarsene le mani.
Wash your hands, forget about something.
110. In mouth to the lupo.
In the den of the wolf, that is, in a place where there is some latent danger.
111. Fumare eats a Turk.
Heavy smoking.
112. Le bugie hanno le gambe corte.
Lies have short legs.
113. I secrete di Pulcinella.
The secret of polichinella. An open secret that everyone knows.
114. Siamo tutti figli d’Adamo.
We are all children of Adam.
115. Ogni pazzo vuol dar consiglio.
Every crazy person wants to give advice.
116. Il troppo stroppia.
It is very tiring.
117. The love that moves the sun and the other star.
The love that moves the sun and the stars.
118. Eat the cacio sui maccheroni.
Like cheese in macaroni. It is used figuratively to designate an event that arrives at the right time.
119. Detto fatto.
No sooner said than done.
120. Chi goes piano goes healthy and goes lontano.
He who goes slow, goes safe and goes far. Our “Slowly and with good lyrics”.
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