Funny Italian Phrases

Literally "At eye and cross", meaning more or less, or roughly. Casual, estimating tone.

Literally "At four eyes", meaning to speak face-to-face privately. Casual, serious tone.

Literally "Water in the mouth", meaning keep it a secret. A casual, conspiratorial phrase among friends.

Literally "Past water", meaning water under the bridge. Casual, forgiving or dismissive tone.

Literally "To raise the elbow", meaning to drink too much alcohol. Casual, humorous or warning tone.

Literally "To go get blessed", meaning to go to hell or for a plan to fail completely. Casual, frustrated exclamation.

Literally "To go get yourself fried", meaning to go to hell or for plans to be ruined. Casual, frustrated exclamation.

Literally "To go with swollen sails", meaning everything is going wonderfully. Casual, highly positive.

Literally "To go to bed with the chickens", meaning to go to sleep extremely early. Casual, teasing tone.

Literally "To go to the mountain", meaning for plans to fall through or get canceled. Casual, disappointed.

Literally "To go to a dead branch", meaning to go to ruin or fall apart entirely. Casual, exasperated tone.

Literally "To go to steal", meaning to sell like hotcakes. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To go smooth as oil", meaning everything went perfectly without a hitch. Casual, relieved tone.

Literally "To go on all the furies", meaning to fly into a blind rage. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To climb on mirrors", meaning to make flimsy excuses or grasp at straws. Casual, highly critical tone.

Literally "To have the knife by the handle", meaning to have the upper hand or be in control. Neutral, strategic tone.

Literally "To have the heart in the throat", meaning to be terrified or extremely anxious. Casual, dramatic.

Literally "To have a poisoned tooth", meaning to hold a bitter grudge. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To have hair on the stomach", meaning to be ruthless or devoid of scruples. Casual, derogatory.

Literally "To have ham on the eyes", meaning to be blind to the truth. Casual, humorous insult.

Literally "To have quicksilver on oneself", meaning to be extremely restless or hyperactive. Casual, usually said of children.

Literally "To have the full barrel and the drunk wife", meaning to have your cake and eat it too. Casual, humorous.

Literally "To have a straw tail", meaning to be defensive because of a guilty conscience. Casual, critical.

Literally "To have a bronze face", meaning to be shameless or brazen. Casual, critical.

Literally "To have the crooked moon", meaning to be in a bad mood. Casual, observational.

Literally "To have the head in the clouds", meaning to be daydreaming or distracted. Casual, gentle criticism.

Literally "To have short little arms", meaning to be cheap or stingy because you can't reach your wallet. Casual, mocking tone.

Literally "To have pierced hands", meaning to spend money like water. Casual, mildly critical.

Literally "To have hands in dough", meaning to be involved in many things or well-connected. Casual, can carry a slightly suspicious tone.

Literally "To have ears lined with ham", meaning to stubbornly refuse to listen. Casual, annoyed.

Literally "To have full boxes", meaning to be completely fed up. Casual, frustrated (polite alternative to having full balls).

Literally "To have a fixed nail", meaning to be obsessed with something. Casual, slightly critical.

Literally "To have a devil for each hair", meaning to be furious or highly stressed. Casual, expressive.

Literally "To have a dog cold", meaning to be freezing cold. Very casual, highly expressive.

Literally "To have a toad in the throat", meaning to have a frog in your throat. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To beat the tiredness", meaning to slack off or be lazy. Casual, scolding.

Literally "Ugly as hunger", meaning exceptionally ugly. Casual, insulting.

Literally "Good as bread", meaning to be a fundamentally good, kind person. Casual, affectionate.

Literally "To throw the pasta", meaning to drop pasta in boiling water. Very casual, a domestic phrase often yelled when someone is almost home.

Literally "To throw money from the window", meaning to squander money pointlessly. Casual, critical.

Literally "To fall into it with all the shoes", meaning to be completely fooled or fall for a trick hook, line, and sinker. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To fall to the bean", meaning to happen at the most perfect time. Casual, pleased tone.

Literally "To fall from the pan into the embers", meaning out of the frying pan into the fire. Casual, commiserating.

Literally "To fall from the clouds", meaning to be completely surprised or clueless. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To fall on one's feet", meaning to emerge unscathed from a bad situation. Casual, admiring tone.

Literally "To fit to a paintbrush", meaning to fit perfectly or suit the occasion exactly. Casual, satisfied tone.

Literally "To understand whistles for flasks", meaning to completely misunderstand. Casual, slightly mocking.

Literally "To happen at shot", meaning to come within range or show up right when needed (or not needed). Casual, opportunistic.

Literally "To get away through the tear in the bonnet", meaning to manage by the skin of your teeth. Casual, relieved tone.

Literally "To look for the hair in the egg", meaning to be overly pedantic or nitpicky. Casual, mildly annoyed tone.

Literally "To look for Maria in Rome", meaning a nearly impossible search due to the name's popularity. Casual, regional flavor.

Literally "To look for a needle in a haystack", meaning an impossible search. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "What a pizza!", meaning how boring or annoying. Very casual, everyday complaint.

Literally "Nail drives out nail", meaning one thing replaces another. Often used casually as comforting advice after a breakup.

Literally "To close in beauty", meaning to finish on a high note. Casual, celebratory.

Literally "To close an eye", meaning to turn a blind eye or be lenient. Casual, permissive.

Literally "To know one's own chickens", meaning to know perfectly who you are dealing with. Casual, confident.

Literally "To cost an eye of the head", meaning to be incredibly expensive. Casual, expressive.

Literally "May the wolf die", meaning thank you. A standard, casual reply to being wished good luck.

Literally "From what pulpit the sermon comes", meaning look who's talking! Casual, sarcastic.

Literally "To give to drink", meaning to make someone believe a lie or be gullible. Casual, skeptical tone.

Literally "To give wire to twist", meaning to give someone a hard time or be a tough opponent. Neutral, respectful.

Literally "To give the numbers", meaning to go crazy or talk nonsense (derived from lottery numbers). Casual, humorous.

Literally "To give the well served", meaning to fire or dump someone abruptly. Casual, harsh tone.

Literally "To give in the eye", meaning to attract attention or stand out flashily. Casual, often used in the negative to suggest keeping a low profile.

Literally "To give a hit to the hoop and one to the barrel", meaning to try to please both sides in an argument. Casual, slightly cynical.

Literally "To give it to one's legs", meaning to run away quickly or make a run for it. Casual, action-oriented.

Literally "To give oneself the hoe on the feet", meaning to shoot oneself in the foot. Casual, mocking or self-deprecating.

Literally "To say bread to bread and wine to wine", meaning to call a spade a spade. Casual, blunt tone.

Literally "To sleep like a dormouse", meaning to sleep like a log. Casual, affectionate or descriptive.

Literally "To sleep on the laurels", meaning to rest on one's laurels or become complacent. Neutral, slightly critical.

Literally "To fit like cabbage at a snack", meaning to be completely out of place or irrelevant. Casual, humorous.

Literally "To be at the seventh heaven", meaning to be on cloud nine or overjoyed. Casual, ecstatic tone.

Literally "To be at the green", meaning to be completely broke. Very common, casual.

Literally "To be at the fruit", meaning to be at the end of your rope, exhausted, or out of energy. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To be like parsley", meaning to be everywhere or turn up everywhere. Casual, sometimes annoyed.

Literally "To be of wide sleeve", meaning to be highly lenient or generous. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To be outside like a balcony", meaning to be crazy or out of one's mind. Very casual, humorous slang.

Literally "To be in leg", meaning to be smart, capable, or on top of things. A very common, highly complimentary phrase.

Literally "To be in vein", meaning to be in the mood or feeling inspired. Casual, expressive.

Literally "To be the last wheel of the wagon", meaning to be considered unimportant. Casual, self-deprecating or sympathetic.

Literally "To be born with a shirt", meaning to be incredibly lucky. Casual, envious or admiring.

Literally "To be an untied dog", meaning to be a loose cannon or fiercely independent. Casual, observational.

Literally "To be an artichoke", meaning to be a bit stupid, naive, or awkward. Casual, mild insult.

Literally "To be a fish out of water", meaning to feel completely out of place. Casual, uncomfortable tone.

Literally "To be a 90-piece", meaning to be a big shot, boss, or VIP. Casual, respectful but sometimes sarcastic.

Literally "To be a piece of bread", meaning to be a very kind, good-hearted person. Affectionate, casual.

Literally "To be a big pumpkin", meaning to be a blockhead or terribly stubborn. Casual, affectionate insult.

Literally "To make virtue of necessity", meaning to make the best of a bad situation. Neutral, philosophical.

Literally "To make the fly jump at the nose", meaning to irritate or provoke someone. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To make the shivers come", meaning to give someone the creeps or literal chills. Casual, expressive.

Literally "To make water from all parts", meaning to be full of holes or a complete disaster (referring to an argument or plan). Casual, highly critical.

Literally "To make a bundle of every grass", meaning to generalize or lump everything together unfairly. Casual, cautionary.

Literally "To make an elephant out of a fly", meaning to make a mountain out of a molehill. Casual, critical.

Literally "To make pretend of nothing", meaning to act like nothing happened. Casual, evasive tone.

Literally "To do the devil at four", meaning to make a huge fuss or throw a massive tantrum. Casual, exasperated tone.

Literally "To make the thread", meaning to relentlessly flirt with or court someone. Casual, teasing tone.

Literally "To play the fake dummy", meaning to play dumb. Casual, accusatory tone.

Literally "To play the little smart one", meaning to be a smart aleck or try to game the system. Casual, mildly scolding.

Literally "To play the rooster in the henhouse", meaning to act bossy or show off among women. Casual, mocking.

Literally "To play the dirty game", meaning to fight dirty or cheat. Casual, accusatory.

Literally "To do the washing of the brain", meaning to brainwash someone. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To play the parrot", meaning to persistently hit on someone on the street. Casual, slightly derogatory.

Literally "To take a step longer than the leg", meaning to bite off more than you can chew. Casual, cautionary.

Literally "To play the Portuguese", meaning to sneak into an event without paying. Casual, historical idiom.

Literally "To do the quail's jump", meaning to abruptly switch allegiances or sides. Casual, critical.

Literally "To do the typhus", meaning to cheer for or support a team enthusiastically. Casual, everyday usage.

Literally "To play the Indian", meaning to play dumb or pretend not to understand. Casual, mildly accusatory.

Literally "To play the owl", meaning to be a tease or act coquettish. Casual, mildly derogatory.

Literally "To make the end of the mouse", meaning to be trapped with no way out. Casual, dramatic.

Literally "To play the dead cat", meaning to act innocent or coy while actually being manipulative. Casual, derogatory tone.

Literally "To make the little shoe", meaning to mop up the remaining pasta sauce with a piece of bread. Casual, cultural and affectionate.

Literally "To make shoes for someone", meaning to backstab someone to steal their job. Casual, malicious tone.

Literally "To make merchant's ears", meaning to turn a blind eye or pretend not to hear. Casual, mildly critical.

Literally "To make a tavern", meaning to make a loud racket or act unrefined. Casual, scolding tone.

Literally "To do little shoulders", meaning to shrug indifferently. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To make a hole in the water", meaning to try something in vain or fail completely. Casual, disappointed tone.

Literally "To make a meatloaf", meaning to make a mess or deliver a convoluted, boring presentation. Casual, mildly negative.

Literally "To make an ugly figure", meaning to make a fool of yourself. Casual, embarrassed tone.

Literally "To make an omelet", meaning to mess things up completely. Casual, slightly disappointed.

Literally "Outside of head", meaning crazy or acting irrationally. Casual, slang.

Literally "To throw to the wind", meaning to carelessly squander money or a chance. Casual, scolding tone.

Literally "To throw gasoline on the fire", meaning to make a bad situation worse. Casual, critical.

Literally "To throw the sponge", meaning to give up or throw in the towel. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To turn the boxes", meaning to get annoyed. Casual, polite alternative to "turning the balls."

Literally "In the mouth of the wolf", meaning good luck. Used casually to wish someone well before a challenge.

Literally "At the end of the accounts", meaning ultimately or all things considered. Neutral, conversational filler.

Literally "In four and four eight", meaning to do something in a flash. Casual, emphatic.

Literally "To swallow the toad", meaning to put up with something unpleasant without complaining. Casual, sympathetic.

Literally "To wash the donkey's head", meaning to waste your time and effort trying to teach a fool. Casual, critical.

Literally "To wash one's hands of it", meaning to refuse taking responsibility. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To work like a mule", meaning to work incredibly hard. Casual, exhausted or admiring tone.

Literally "Lies have short legs", meaning the truth always catches up with you. Casual, proverbial warning.

Literally "To tie it to the finger", meaning to never forget an offense and wait for revenge. Casual, vindictive tone.

Literally "To send to that country", meaning to tell someone to go to hell. Casual, angry but a polite alternative to cursing.

Literally "To send to the air", meaning to ruin plans or throw everything away. Casual, frustrated.

Literally "To swallow a bitter mouthful", meaning a bitter pill to swallow. Casual, sympathetic tone.

Literally "To eat at mooch", meaning to be a freeloader. Casual, highly derogatory.

Literally "To eat like a pig", meaning to eat messily or gluttonously. Casual, insulting.

Literally "To eat the leaf", meaning to catch on, see through a deception, or realize what's actually happening. Casual, clever tone.

Literally "To lead the dog around the farmyard", meaning to beat around the bush. Casual, slightly old-fashioned.

Literally "To put at the door", meaning to kick someone out or fire them. Casual, harsh tone.

Literally "To put beak", meaning to meddle or stick your nose into someone else's business. Casual, annoyed tone.

Literally "To put sticks between the wheels", meaning to sabotage or obstruct someone. Casual, critical.

Literally "To put the feet on the head", meaning to walk all over someone. Casual, angry or warning tone.

Literally "To put the dots on the i's", meaning to be extremely precise or clarify things strictly. Neutral, sometimes pedantic.

Literally "To put the cart before the oxen", meaning to do things in the wrong order. Casual, cautionary.

Literally "To put the hand on the fire", meaning to be absolutely certain of something. Casual, confident.

Literally "To put the flea in the ear", meaning to plant a seed of doubt. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To put weeds", meaning to sow discord or stir the pot. Casual, critical.

Literally "To put oneself in the clothes of", meaning to step into someone else's shoes. Neutral, empathetic.

Literally "Mute as a fish", meaning to be completely silent or refuse to speak. Casual, secretive.

Literally "To have neither art nor part", meaning to have no marketable skills or prospects. Casual, derogatory.

Literally "Not to have hair on the tongue", meaning to speak bluntly without a filter. Neutral, descriptive tone.

Literally "There's no tripe for cats", meaning there is no chance or nothing left for you here. Casual, dismissive tone.

Literally "Not to understand a tube", meaning to not understand a single thing. Casual, exasperated.

Literally "Not to pull a spider from the hole", meaning to achieve nothing despite trying. Casual, frustrated.

Literally "It doesn't hit it", meaning it has absolutely nothing to do with the topic. Casual, dismissive.

Literally "It doesn't rain on it", meaning there is absolutely no doubt about it. Casual, extremely confident tone.

Literally "Don't say cat if you don't have it in the sack", meaning don't count your chickens before they hatch. Casual, cautionary.

Literally "It's not flour from your sack", meaning you didn't come up with that yourself (plagiarism). Casual, suspicious tone.

Literally "Not to matter a dried fig", meaning to not care at all. Casual, indifferent.

Literally "I don't care a cabbage about it", meaning I don't give a damn. Very casual, polite alternative to swearing.

Literally "Not to know which saint to vow to", meaning to be completely desperate with no one to turn to. Casual, dramatic.

Literally "Not knowing which fish to catch", meaning to be at a loss for what to do. Casual, frustrated tone.

Literally "Not to stand in heaven nor on earth", meaning to be completely absurd or nonsensical. Casual, incredulous tone.

Literally "Not to stay in the skin", meaning to be incredibly excited or thrilled. Casual, enthusiastic.

Literally "Not all donuts come out with a hole", meaning things don't always turn out perfectly. Casual, comforting proverb.

Literally "Not to see the hour", meaning to look forward to something eagerly. Casual, enthusiastic.

Literally "Either drink or drown", meaning sink or swim; there is no other choice. Casual, dramatic ultimatum.

Literally "Every death of a pope", meaning once in a blue moon. Casual, everyday exaggeration.

Literally "To speak to the wind", meaning to waste your breath because nobody is listening. Casual, frustrated.

Literally "To start with the wrong foot", meaning to get off to a bad start. Casual, observational.

Literally "To pass the night in white", meaning to have a sleepless night. Casual, common complaint.

Literally "To pass it smooth", meaning to get away with something unpunished. Casual, relieved or resentful.

Literally "To lose the train", meaning to miss out on a major opportunity. Casual, regretful tone.

Literally "To lose the stirrups", meaning to lose your temper. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To comb the dolls", meaning to waste time doing something completely useless. Casual, sarcastic.

Literally "To cry like a calf", meaning to bawl one's eyes out. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To cry crocodile tears", meaning to fake sympathy or remorse. Casual, accusatory.

Literally "To cry over spilled milk", meaning to regret something that can't be fixed. Casual, often used in the negative as advice.

Literally "Full as an egg", meaning to be completely stuffed after eating. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To catch two pigeons with one fava bean", meaning to kill two birds with one stone. Casual, satisfied tone.

Literally "It rains on the wet", meaning things go from bad to worse, or the rich get richer. Neutral, observational.

Literally "To take with fishes in the face", meaning to treat someone terribly and with great disrespect. Casual, indignant.

Literally "To take the bull by the horns", meaning to face a problem head-on. Casual, encouraging.

Literally "To take in a circle", meaning to tease or make fun of someone. Casual, very common.

Literally "To catch the ball on the bounce", meaning to seize the opportunity. Casual, proactive.

Literally "To take the door", meaning to leave a place, often abruptly or when dismissed. Casual, definitive.

Literally "To take fireflies for lanterns", meaning to completely mistake one thing for another. Casual, mocking.

Literally "To take by the nose", meaning to string someone along or mock them. Casual, resentful tone.

Literally "To catch a crab", meaning to make a huge mistake. Casual, often self-deprecating.

Literally "To promise seas and mountains", meaning to promise the moon. Neutral, skeptical tone.

Literally "Something is boiling in the pot", meaning something is brewing or up. Casual, curious tone.

Literally "To hold the candle stub", meaning to be a third wheel on a date. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To return bread for focaccia", meaning to give tit for tat or seek revenge. Casual, slightly vindictive.

Literally "To remain with a dry mouth", meaning to be left empty-handed or disappointed. Casual, sympathetic tone.

Literally "To remain of stone", meaning to be petrified or completely shocked. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To remain in underwear", meaning to lose everything, usually financially. Casual, dramatic.

Literally "To remain of stucco", meaning to be left completely dumbfounded. Casual, surprised.

Literally "To leave the feathers behind", meaning to lose heavily or get killed in an endeavor. Casual, dark humor.

Literally "To break the ice", meaning to relieve tension or start a conversation. Neutral, common metaphor.

Literally "To break the silence", meaning to speak up after a long period of quiet. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To break the balls", meaning to severely annoy or harass someone. Very casual, vulgar but extremely common.

Literally "To break the boxes", meaning to annoy or pester someone (a polite version of breaking balls). Casual, annoyed.

Literally "To break the eggs in the basket", meaning to ruin someone's plans. Casual, confrontational.

Literally "To jump from pole to branch", meaning to go off on tangents or change subjects abruptly. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "To jump into the mind", meaning to suddenly think of something or have an idea pop up. Casual, everyday usage.

Literally "To save goat and cabbages", meaning to find a compromise that keeps everyone happy. Casual, clever tone.

Literally "To save oneself in the corner kick", meaning to be saved at the very last minute. Casual, borrowed from soccer.

Literally "Healthy as a fish", meaning to be fit as a fiddle. Casual, positive tone.

Literally "To uncover the little altars", meaning to uncover hidden secrets or skeletons in the closet. Casual, gossipy.

Literally "To discover hot water", meaning to state the obvious. Casual, sarcastic tone.

Literally "To feel like a worm", meaning to feel terrible or profoundly guilty. Casual, remorseful tone.

Literally "To break down an open door", meaning to argue a point everyone already agrees on. Casual, dismissive.

Literally "To split the hair in four", meaning to be incredibly pedantic or nitpicky. Casual, annoyed.

Literally "Spit the toad", meaning spill the beans or spit it out. Used casually and with a slightly impatient tone.

Literally "To stay with suspended breath", meaning to wait anxiously for an outcome. Neutral, descriptive.

Literally "To stay with hands in hands", meaning to sit idly by doing nothing. Casual, slightly critical.

Literally "To stay fresh", meaning to be in big trouble or waiting in vain. Casual, sarcastic.

Literally "To stay in the bell", meaning to be on your guard or stay alert. Casual, warning tone.

Literally "To stay on the balls", meaning to be extremely annoying or unlikable. Vulgar, very casual complaint.

Literally "To squeeze the teeth", meaning to grit your teeth and endure a hardship. Casual, encouraging.

Literally "To sweat seven shirts", meaning to work extremely hard at something. Casual, emphatic.

Literally "To cut short", meaning to stop talking and wrap things up abruptly. Casual, dismissive.

Literally "To cut the bridges", meaning to burn bridges with someone. Casual, final tone.

Literally "To cut the bull's head off", meaning to come to a definitive conclusion or settle a matter. Casual, decisive tone.

Literally "To hold the bench", meaning to completely dominate the conversation or attention. Casual, observational.

Literally "To pull to live", meaning to just get by or scrape a living. Casual, resigned tone.

Literally "To pull out the claws", meaning to show one's teeth and fight back. Casual, determined tone.

Literally "To pull the breath", meaning to catch one's breath or take a break. Casual, exhausted but relieved.

Literally "To pull water to one's own mill", meaning to act purely in one's self-interest. Casual, critical.

Literally "To pull the leathers", meaning to kick the bucket or die. Casual, slightly crude.

Literally "To pull the ears", meaning to lightly scold or reprimand someone. Casual, often affectionate.

Literally "To pull the sums", meaning to draw conclusions or tally things up. Neutral, pragmatic.

Literally "To pull a sigh of relief", meaning to heave a sigh of relief. Neutral, common.

Literally "To touch iron", meaning to knock on wood for good luck. Casual, superstitious gesture.

Literally "To find America", meaning to hit the jackpot or find a highly lucrative situation. Casual, slightly outdated but common.

Literally "To find the mush ready", meaning to have everything handed to you without effort. Casual, resentful or critical tone.

Literally "Everything makes broth", meaning every little bit helps. Casual, practical tone.

Literally "A dog that bites its tail", meaning a vicious cycle or catch-22. Casual, descriptive.

Literally "A strike of lightning", meaning love at first sight. Casual, romantic tone.

Literally "A secret of Pulcinella", meaning an open secret that everyone knows. Casual, humorous.

Literally "A face for slaps", meaning a punchable face or someone acting arrogant. Casual, annoyed.

Literally "A cat to peel", meaning a tough nut to crack or a complicated problem to solve. Casual, exasperated tone.

Literally "To see with a good eye", meaning to look favorably upon someone. Neutral, approving tone.

Literally "To see the stars", meaning to experience extreme physical pain. Casual, sympathetic.

Literally "To come to the hard part", meaning to cut to the chase or get to the point. Casual, impatient.

Literally "To empty the sack", meaning to spill the beans or confess everything. Casual, demanding or relieved tone.