{"id":16995,"date":"2018-08-31T09:00:47","date_gmt":"2018-08-31T07:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=16995"},"modified":"2018-08-30T12:04:37","modified_gmt":"2018-08-30T10:04:37","slug":"italian-popular-sayings-a-quiz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/italian-popular-sayings-a-quiz\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Popular Sayings – A Quiz"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s a fun little quiz about detti popolari<\/strong> (popular sayings).<\/span><\/p>\n

In Italy we have many weird and wonderful detti popolari<\/strong>, some of which have a similar equivalent in English, and others which need a bit of explanation in order to be understood. In the list of detti below, we’ve given their literal translation rather than their meaning. What we’d like you to do is briefly explain what each of them means, or give the English equivalent.
\nAnd just to make things extra interesting, we’ve thrown in a few ‘fake’ sayings invented by us … so watch out for those!<\/p>\n

Here’s an example to get you started:<\/span><\/p>\n

cadere dalla padella nella brace<\/strong>
\nliteral translation<\/em> = to fall from the pan into the embers
\nmeaning<\/em> = out of the frying pan into the fire<\/p>\n

Now it’s your turn:<\/span><\/p>\n

avere la luna storta\/di traverso<\/strong>
\nliteral translation<\/em> = to have the moon sideways
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

avere la luna sul gomito
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = to have the moon on your elbow
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

avere un diavolo per capello
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = to have a devil on each hair
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

il diavolo fa le pentole ma non i coperchi<\/strong>
\nliteral translation<\/em> = the devil makes the pans but not the lids
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

alzare il gomito
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = to lift the elbow
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

piovere a gatti e cani<\/strong>
\nliteral translation<\/em> = to rain like cats and dogs
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = to have your barrel full and your wife drunk
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

capitare a fagiolo
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = to arrive like a bean
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

chi fa per s\u00e9 fa per tre<\/strong>
\nliteral translation<\/em> = who does for themselves does for three
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

nella botte piccola c’\u00e8 il vino buono
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = the best wine is in the small barrel
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

… c’\u00e8 di mezzo il mare.
<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

tra il dire e il fare c\u2019\u00e8 di mezzo il mare
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = between the saying and the doing there’s the sea in the middle
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = the wolf looses its pelt but not its vice
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

la gallina che canta ha fatto l\u2019uovo
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = the chicken that sings laid the egg
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

buttare via la gallina con le uova marce<\/strong>
\nliteral translation<\/em> = to throw away the chicken with the rotten eggs
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

essere come il prezzemolo<\/strong>
\nliteral translation<\/em> = to be like parsley
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

entrarci come i cavoli a merenda
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = to fit in like cabbages at snack time
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

Bacco, Tabacco e Venere, riducono l\u2019uomo in cenere
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = Bacchus, Tobacco, and Venus, reduce man to ashes
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

prendere due topi con un gatto solo<\/strong>
\nliteral translation<\/em> = to get two mice with just one cat
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

chi non risica non rosica
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = who doesn’t risk doesn’t gnaw
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

campa cavallo che l\u2019erba cresce
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = live horse that the grass grows
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

l\u2019erba voglio non cresce neanche nel giardino del re
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = the grass ‘I want’ doesn’t even grow in the king’s garden
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

la lingua batte dove il dente duole
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = the tongue hits where the tooth hurts
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

non \u00e8 bello ci\u00f2 che \u00e8 bello, ma \u00e8 bello ci\u00f2 che piace
\n<\/strong>literal translation<\/em> = it’s not beautiful that which is beautiful, but it’s beautiful that which pleases
\nmeaning<\/em> = ?<\/p>\n

Have fun, and leave your answers in the comments section. <\/span><\/p>\n

A presto!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Here’s a fun little quiz about detti popolari (popular sayings). In Italy we have many weird and wonderful detti popolari, some of which have a similar equivalent in English, and others which need a bit of explanation in order to be understood. In the list of detti below, we’ve given their literal translation rather than…<\/p>\n

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