Il tempo di un Caffe' - Thoughts on Italian Words

Ilaria Cerini
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A fast paced 3 minutes morning chat to deepen your knowledge of Italian and satisfy your Italian curiosity. All levels can enjoy it!Find me at italianwithilaria.com and on Instagram at @iltempodiuncaffe_podcast

  1. 6 days ago

    SOLE

    SOLE From Latin sol, solis, il Sole (S-O-L-E), nasce (is born, rises) / spunta (emerges) / tramonta (sets) / scende (goes down). PRENDERE IL SOLE — To take the sun, to sunbathe “Mi piace prendere il sole in terrazza!” — “I like sunbathing on my balcony!” ANDARE A VEDERE IL SOLE A SCACCHI — To go look at a ‘checkered’ sun, meaning to go to jail. That’s how you see the sun through the bars of a prison window. “Ehh Mario… Mario è andato a vedere il sole a scacchi” — “Mario went to jail… to look at a checkered sun” AVERE QUALCOSA AL SOLE — To have something under the sun, to own property, land or possessions. DOVE NON BATTE IL SOLE — Where the sun can’t reach (the butt!) “Mi sono fatta un tatuaggio!” “Ah sì? Dove?” “Ehhh, dove non batte il sole” BELLO COME IL SOLE — As beautiful as the sun, meaning extremely beautiful, radiant. “Mamma mia, sei bello come il sole!” — “God, you’re as beautiful as the sun!” COLPO DI SOLE — Hair highlights, but also SUNSTROKE!! “Guarda! Mi sono fatta i colpi di sole! Ti piacciono?” — “Look! I got highlights! Do you like them?” FARSI BELLO COL SOLE DI LUGLIO — To act beautiful with a July sun, to brag about merits that are actually not yours, to take credit for something you didn’t do. NIENTE DI NUOVO SOTTO IL SOLE — Nothing new under the sun, no news. “Allora… hai novità sul lavoro?” “No, per ora niente di nuovo sotto il sole” “So… do you have any news about the job?” “Nothing new under the sun so far.” SOLE CHE SPACCA LE PIETRE — Sun that splits the stones, a blazing hot sun. “Daiii, andiamo al mare!! C’è un sole che spacca le pietre!!” — “Come on, let’s go to the beach! The sun is blazing! / It’s hot enough to fry an egg!” VENDERE IL SOLE DI LUGLIO — To sell the July sun, to sell something that is not needed, to make something that is common and abundant appear to be rare or precious. “Non ti fidare di Anna: lei venderebbe il sole di luglio!” — “Don’t trust Anna: she’d sell you the July sun if she could!”

  2. 14 Aug

    STELLA

    STELLA From Latin stella, STELLA (S-T-E-L-L-A) has the same root as the English STAR! Such a nice, cute little word! Le stelle scintillano — The stars are shining / twinkling Una notte di stelle / senza stelle — A starry / starless night Do you know what I love? LE STELLE CADENTI, the so-called “falling stars” — shooting stars. ANDARE / ESSERE ALLE STELLE — To go through the roof / to be sky-high, especially when talking about prices, success, popularity, etc. Mamma mia, i prezzi della benzina sono alle stelle! — “Oh man, gas prices are sky-high!” DALLE STELLE ALLE STALLE — Literally, “from the stars to the stables.” It describes going from a great situation to a much worse one. Siamo passati da un hotel a cinque stelle a un motel! Dalle stelle alle stalle! — “We went from a five-star hotel to a motel: from the stars to the stables!” ESSERE LA BUONA STELLA DI QUALCUNO — To be somebody’s “lucky star,” someone who protects or brings good fortune. ESSERE UNA STELLA — To be a star. È la stella dello spettacolo. — “She’s the star of the show.” NASCERE SOTTO UNA BUONA STELLA — Literally, “to be born under a lucky star.” To have a lucky or promising beginning. Quel ristorante è nato sotto una buona stella. — “That restaurant got off to a very promising start.” SEGUIRE LA PROPRIA STELLA — To follow your star, your destiny. Segui la tua stella e sarai felice. — “Follow your star and you’ll be happy.” STELLA COMETA — A comet, especially associated in Italian culture with the Star of Bethlehem, which guided the Three Wise Men to Jesus. VEDERE LE STELLE — Literally, “to see stars.” To feel a sudden, intense pain. Sono caduta dalle scale e ho visto le stelle! — “I fell down the stairs and saw stars! Super painful!” POVERA STELLA — Literally, “poor star!” An affectionate exclamation similar to “poor thing!”

  3. 7 Aug

    CIELO

    CIELO CIELO is the Italian word for SKY. From the Latin caelum, it shares its root with words like celestial (something that belongs to the sky) and Italian celeste (the color of the sky). IL CIELO can be:sereno — clear nuvoloso — cloudy azzurro — blue / azure CIELO A PECORELLE, ACQUA A CATINELLE Literally: “Sheep-like clouds in the sky, rain by the bucketful.” When the sky is filled with little clouds that look like sheep, it means heavy rain is coming. TOCCARE IL CIELO CON UN DITO Literally: “To touch the sky with a finger.” To be incredibly happy about something. “Quando ho scoperto che avevo passato il provino, è stato come toccare il cielo con un dito.” “When I found out I got the part, it was like touching the sky with a finger.” ESSERE AL SETTIMO CIELO To be in seventh heaven — to be extremely happy. QUESTA COSA NON STA NÉ IN CIELO NÉ IN TERRA Literally: “This is neither in heaven nor on earth.” It means something makes absolutely no sense / is complete nonsense. “Cosa? Giulia se n’è andata senza pagare?! Questa cosa non sta né in cielo né in terra!” “What? Giulia left without paying?! That makes absolutely no sense!” PER AMOR DEL CIELO A classic exclamation similar to “For heaven’s sake!” or, depending on the context, “For God’s sake!” “Io buttarmi col paracadute? Ma per amor del cielo!” “Me? Go skydiving? For heaven’s sake, no!” A CIELO APERTO Literally: “Under the open sky.” Outdoors / open-air / without a roof. “Quello di Firenze è uno stadio a cielo aperto.” “Florence has an open-air stadium.” APRITI CIELO! Literally: “Let the sky open!” An exclamation suggesting that all hell is about to break loose. “Per fortuna mi sono ricordata del compleanno di mio fratello! Altrimenti… apriti cielo!” “Thank God I remembered my brother’s birthday. Otherwise… all hell would have broken loose!” DARE UN PUGNO AL CIELO Literally: “To punch the sky.” To fight against something you can't change; to direct your anger at something that cannot respond. IL CIELO NELLA MUSICA ITALIANA Il cielo è sempre più blu Il cielo in una stanza E non finisce mica il cielo

  4. 15/08/2023

    GATTO

    From Latin CATTUS ESSERE AGILE COME UN GATTO — to be as agile as a catESSERE IN 4 GATTI —  To be 4 cats, to be very few people‘C’erano solo 4 gatti allo spettacolo’- ‘There were only a few ppl at the show’ESSERE DEL GATTO — to be ‘of the cat’, to be in a bad situation, problematic, almost hopeless‘Siamo del gatto’ - ‘We’re screwed’ESSERE COME IL GATTO E LA VOLPE — to be like the cat and the fox from Collodi’s Pinocchio, to be partners in crime‘Alessio e Massimo: eccoli lì, sempre a combinarne una’ - ‘ Alessio and Massimo, here they are: always confabulating something’ QUANDO IL GATTO NON C’È I TOPI BALLANO — When the cat isn’t home, the mice dance‘Come ci divertiamo ora che il capo and in vacanza! Quando il gatto non c’è…' -  ‘We have so much fun now that our boss is on vacation! when the cat isn’t home…’FARE LA GATTA MORTA — To play the dead  female cat, to be super flirty!! or pretending to be sweet and masking the real nature. Refers to cats playing dead when trying to get their prey‘Guarda guarda come fa la gatta morta!! Lascia qualcosa per noi!’ - ‘Look how she’s flirting!! Leave something for us!’NON DIRE GATTO FINO A CHE NON CE L’HAI NEL SACCO — Don’t say cat until it’s on you sack! Don’t celebrate too soonAVERE UNA BELLA GATTA DA PELARE — To have a big cat to shave, to have a big problem to solveGATTA CI COVA! — the cat is nursing something, like a chicken is brooding the eggs, something is happening behind closed door ‘Non mi fido di quei due: qui gatta ci cova’ - ‘ I don’t trust those 2… something is boiling in the pot’

  5. 21/07/2023

    MOSCA

    From Latin MUSCA = FLYACCHIAPPARE LE MOSCHE - to catch flies, to do a useless job"Cosa devo fare?" "Prendi una mosca e falla ballare“ - "What can I do?’ ‘Get a fly and dance with her’”ESSERE NOIOSO/ FASTIDIOSO COME UNA MOSCA, to be annoying as a fly‘Giovanni è fastidioso come una mosca: ha sempre da criticare!" - "Giovanni is as annoying as a fly: he’s always criticizing’STARE A GUARDARE LE MOSCHE CHE VOLANO, to stare at flying flies, being distracted, not doing anything “E tu? che fai? Stai a guardare le mosche che volano?" - "And you, what are you doing? looking at flies?”NON SI SENTE VOLARE UNA MOSCA, you can’t even hear a fly flying for how much silence there is‘Da quando il professore si è arrabbiato, non si sente volare una mosca’ - ‘Since the teacher got upset, you can’t hear a fly’ZITTO E MOSCA! Shut up as a fly!AVERE PAURA DI UNA MOSCA, to be afraid of a fly, of nothingFARE DI UNA MOSCA UN ELEFANTE, to make an elephant out of a fly, to make a big deal out of nothing‘Hai fatto di una mosca un elefante! E’ stato solo un fraintendimento!’ - ‘You made an elephant out of a fly! It was just a misunderstanding!’RESTARE CON UN PUGNO DI MOSCHE, to be left with an handful of flies, with nothing FAR VENIRE LA MOSCA AL NASO, to get the fly on the nose, to irritate somebody‘Quando Giacomo mi ha risposto male, mi ha fatto venire la mosca al naso, e gli ho tirato uno schiaffo’ - ‘When Giacomo replied rudely to me, made me mad and I slap him!

  6. 30/06/2023

    PESCE

    From Latin PISCIS ESSERE SANO COME UN PESCE - to be as healthy as a fish NUOTARE COME UN PESCE - to swim like a fish, to be a perfect swimmer NON ESSERE NE’ CARNE NE’ PESC - to be neither meat or fish, to be in between, to not have a specific flavor, personality, etc ANDARE A FARE COMPAGNIA AI PESCI - to go keep company to the fish, to drown NON SAPERE CHE PESCI PRENDERE - literally not knowing which fish to catch, to fish, to have ran out of options, therefore being uncertain about a the future  ‘Non riesco a trovare a trovare lavoro! Ho provato dappertutto! Non so più che pesci prendere’ ‘I can’t find a job, I tried everywhere, I don’t know what to fish anymore! ESSERE COME UN PESCE FUOR D’ACQUA, to feel like a fish outside the water, very uncomfortable ‘Mamma mia, ieri alla festa mi sono sentita un pesce fuor d’acqua! Erano tutti dottori e scienziati e non sapevo neanche di cosa parlassero!' ‘Oh my God, last night at the party I felt like a fish out of the water(out of its element) they were all scientists and doctors and I didn’t even know what they were talking about’ TRATTARE QUALCUNO A PESCI FACCIA, to slap somebody with a fish, to treat them BADLY ‘Wow, sono andata in banca per chiedere un prestito, e mi hanno trattata a pesci in faccia’ ‘Wow, I went to the bank to ask for a loan, and they treated me horribly’ CHI DORME NON PIGLIA PESCI, the one who sleeps doesn’t catch fish ESSERE MUTO COME UN PESCE, to be as mute as a fish, won’t talk, won’t reveal a secret BUTTARSI a PESCE, to throw yourself as a fish into something or into doing something  ‘Ha cominciato il nuovo lavoro ci si è buttato a pesce’ ‘He started a new job and thew himself in it, like a fish’ FARE L’OCCHIO A PESCE MORTO, to give the dead fish eye, which, despite what the image would suggest, refers to looking at somebody in a seductive// very sweet way PESCE D’ APRILE, what English speakers call April fool L’OSPITE È COME IL PESCE: DOPO 3 GIORNI PUZZA, A guest is like fish, on the third day it starts to smell — can’t stay more than 3 days as a guest!

  7. 23/06/2023

    CANE

    From Latin CANIS FIGLIO DI UNA CANE!! Son of a dog!! VITA DA CANI, dogs’ life, bad life Lavorare, vivere, mangiare, dormire DA CANI — work, live, eat, sleep badly FA UN FREDDO CANE, it’s damn cold, literally a dog kind of cold UN MALE CANE! - A dog's pain ‘La gamba mi fa un male cane’ ‘My leg hurts like crazy’ COME UN CANE BASTONATO, as a beaten dog  ‘Quando gli ho detto potevo aiutarlo, Se n’è andato come un cane bastonato’ - ‘When I told him I couldn’t help him, he left like a beaten dog, defeated and sad’ NON C’È UN CANE - When a place  it’s empty, deserted, literally ‘Not even dogs are here’ ‘Mamma mia, non c’è un cane in città, sono tutti in vacanza’- ‘wow, the city is empty, everybody is on vacation’ ESSERE SOLO COME UN CANE, as lonely as a dog MENARE IL CAN PER L’AIA, to carry, to lead the dog around the farmyard, to waste time, to drag things for too long CAN CHE ABBAIA NON MORDE, barking dog doesn’t bite NON SVEGLIARE IL CAN CHE DORME, don’t wake up a sleeping dog  UN CANE CHE SI MORDE LA CODA, a dog biting its tail literally, meaning a vicious cycle CANINO - Canine, our sharp tooth

  8. 17/06/2023

    TESTA

    From the late Latin ‘cranio, testa’, originally with the meaning of ‘shell, vase’, TESTA is the Italian for HEAD. La TESTA can be PICCOLA // GROSSA // A PERA // A PUNTA // BIANCA // PELATA // BIONDA // RICCIUTA TESTA DURA — hard head, stubborn  TESTA DI CAVOLO! TESTA DI C****! — CAULIFLOWER/ D*** HEAD! RIEMPIRE LA TESTA, To fill the head with something  ‘Mi ha riempito la testa di stupidaggini’  — ‘He filled my head with stupid things’ DARE ALLA TESTA, to go to one’s head  ‘Il successo gli ha dato alla testa’ — ‘Success went to his head’ NON FASCIARSI LA TESTA PRIMA DI ESSERSELA ROTTA — Don’t bandage your head before breaking it. Don’t worry, don’t be alarmed before knowing if something bad is actually gonna happen ‘E se non passo l’esame?’ ‘Dai, non ti fasciare la testa prima di romperla! Andrà benissimo!’ — ‘What if I don’t pass the exam?’ ‘Come on, don’t worry about it before it has even happened! It’s gonna be great!’ TAGLIARE LA TESTA AL TORO, to cut the bull’s head, to finally make a decision  ‘Basta! Sono due ore che cerchiamo di decidere: tagliamo la testa al toro! Andiamo a mangiare al messicano’ — ‘Enough’ we’ve been deciding for 2 hours: let’s cut the bull’s head and let’s go to the Mexican restaurant’ PERDERE LA TESTA, to lose your mind  ‘Quando si sono conosciuti, Davide ha perso la testa per Claudia: non riusciva a smettere di parlare di lei!’ — ‘When they met, David lost his mind over Claudia: he couldn’t stop talking about her!’ AVERE LA TESTA FRA LE NUVOLE,  to have your head in the clouds ‘Mio padre ha sempre la testa tra le nuvole: è un miracolo che non sia ancora caduto in un tombino!’ — ‘My dad is always with his head on the clouds: it’s a miracle he hasn’t fallen in a manhole!’ MONTARSI LA TESTA, literally ’to build your head’, meaning to get ahead of yourself ‘Da quando ha vinto un Grammy, si è davvero montato la testa’ — ‘Since he won a Grammy, he got ahead of himself’

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A fast paced 3 minutes morning chat to deepen your knowledge of Italian and satisfy your Italian curiosity. All levels can enjoy it!Find me at italianwithilaria.com and on Instagram at @iltempodiuncaffe_podcast

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