Who doesn’t love Italian food? From classics such as lasagne to regional specialities – Italian dishes guarantee an amazing culinary experience. But food is much more in Italy than just…well… food. It is quintessential for understanding its culture, people and customs. Everyone who has experienced Italy’s culture and traditions through an Italian cooking holiday knows that. Having said that, why not take a closer look at the Italian language and expand our knowledge with some useful Italian phrases and food idioms? Italian is a very phonetic language, so give it a go pronouncing the phrases below!
1. “C’entra come i cavoli a merenda”
Literally this phrase states: “it fits like cabbage for the afternoon snack”, which means that something doesn’t fit at all, or is very inappropriate.
2. “Sei sempre in mezzo come il prezzemolo”
“You are always in the way like parsley!” Well, this saying refers to the vast use of parsley in Italian cooking, and means that you always mingle with things that are none of your business or you are – simply put – always in the way.
3. “Sono pieno come un uovo”
This saying could come in handy on your cooking holiday in Italy! It means you are stuffed (“full as an egg”), and you simply just cannot eat anymore – no matter how delicious the food is.
4. “Ha la faccia da pesce lesso”
Hopefully you won’t need this one on your holiday in Italy! The literal translation of this idiom is: “He has the face of a boiled fish”, and means that someone looks boring, or wouldn’t be the type of person you would want to make friends with.
5. “E’ rigido come un baccala”
When you hear that someone is “as rigid as a salted cod”, you shouldn’t be put off the delicacies – it has nothing to do with the delicious dish! It simply means that the person is not very comfortable or seems rather stiff.
6. “Avere le mani di pastafrolla”
If you are a little clumsy and often drop things on the floor, you might as well have pasta dough hands…
7. “Avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca”
This idiom refers to wine rather than food, and is therefore a personal favourite. This Italian equivalent for the phrase: “to have your cake and eat it too”, literally means: “To have the wine cask and the wife drunk”.
8. “Rendere pan per focaccia”
This expression literally means: “To give back bread for focaccia” (A focaccia is a form of bread typical for the Linguria region). Very similar to “an eye for an eye”, it means to give payback for something wrong.
9. “Tutto fa brodo”
“Everything makes broth” means “every little helps”, and means that small improvements will, in the long run, help you achieve a desired goal. Just like how saving everyday will allow you to go on a holiday to Italy!
Would you like to try your newly learned phrases in an authentic environment? Check out the upcoming dates to visit Amalfi, Bologna, Sicily, or Tuscany for an authentic environment to practice and learn more Italian phrases. Remember: we don’t charge any single supplement which makes our Italian holidays perfect for single travellers! To find out more download our brochure.
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