My father was born in Molfetta, Puglia in the South. My Mom's mother and father came from Naples. Both spoke dialects of Italian. My mother often said that my father's dialect was so different from hers that she couldn't understand certain words. They were like different languages, far apart from Italian. In the late 1800s, most Italian immigrants came from the South: Campania, Calabria, Puglia or Sicily. In time, Italian-Americans have slurred local dialects even more... softening consanants, truncating words or even swapping sounds completely, like P to B, C tp G or V to F.

If you watch the Godfather, especially the scenes in GF II showing Vito Corleone as a young man, you can hear this sort of dialect from Sicily. The words in the South are often totally different. Lots of slang is used. Liaisons happen... Usually, the end of one word attaches to the beginning of the next word. Beginnings of words are often omitted. Even Italians consider these dialects like another language... for example, the announcements on the train from Bari to Rome are in English, Italian and "Dialetto". Dialect sounds nothing like regular Italian down South.

Now, add to all this the fact that Italian immigrants in American spoke a sort of second hand Italian dialect, much was lost to misunderstood pronunciations and the fact that many (like my parents) didn't want to speak Italian in the home. When I asked why my parents didn't teach us Italian, they said they wanted an "All-American" home for us. Even today in the South parents don't want their children to speak Dialect when they move to the big cities in Italy. They are looked down upon for speaking it by Northern Italians. What a shame...   These dialects are what makes Italian so interesting.

Here are a collection of Italian-American wods and phrases that I grew up with... spelled phonetically:

Agida/Agita                   Acid indigestion/aggravation
Ah-fa Nabalee                Get out of Here/Go to Naples
Ah-shpette                     Wait!
Ah-Va-Fan-gool             Go f*ck yourself
Bah-Bookia                    Papocchio, a mess, allmixed up
Bah-fongool                   Go f*ck yourself
Ba-cha-ga-loop              Wolf Hunter or Brave (not dummy, like some think)
Bish-Gut                         biscotti/cookie
Bock-owz                       Bathroom/stink house, Back House or outhouse. 
Bomba-lonee                 Little Kid
Boochach                       Bitch/c*nt
Boombotz                       Idiot/Crazy
Boo-tahn'                        puttana, whore
Baz-ih-nigole                  Basil
Brahgonne                      Drunk
Brah-jole                         bracciole/slang for penis 
Cabbadost                     Thick head/stubborn
Chooch                           Big Baby-a put-down, or vagina
ComoseeCyam?            What do you call it?
Coh-Yonees                   Balls
Dees-Gradseeyad         disgraziad, misfortune, bad luck, screw-up
Gal-ay-mahd                  Calimari/squid
Facha-broot                   Ugly face
Fin-ook                           Finoccichio/Fennel, 
Gabba-Dost                   Thick Head
Gabeesh?                        Understand?
Gavone                            Pig/Slob/Overeater
Gobba-ghool                   Capicola (a type of cold cut meat)
Googootz                        A fool
Goombah                        Pal/Comrade/Friend
GooMahd                        Girlfriend
GOT-zo!                           What Balls!
Jadrool                            Lazy bum (cucumber)
Jamoke                           Idiot
Kay-Gotz                         What the F*ck
Keh -sa-deech?               How are you?
Mal-yOke                         Evil eye
Mamaluke                       Idiot/stupid/screw-up
Manageya                        Damn it/Curse it
Managutt                         Manicotti (pasta)
Mah-done!                       Madonna mia! (exclamation)
Mopeen                           Dish Cloth, Rag
Medz-a-medz                  So-so/half and half/not so much
Mutzarelle                       Mozzarella cheese
Nabolee-DAHN               Neapolitan/someone from Naples
Pasta-vazool                   Pasta fagioli (bean soup)
piezahn                            Friend/countryman/brother
Pitza-gain                        Pizzagaina, Egg-meat pie
Ooo-Fah                           I've had it/I'm fed up 
Rigutt                                Ricotta cheese
Rompee-Coyownee         Ball Buster (Rompicoglione or -palle, for balls)
Shka-roll                           Escarole/Cash money
sfatcheem                       a Jerk
SkeeVo                             Disgusting
Stroonz                            an Ass
Stroonz-a-medz              Half ass
Strombolone                   Clumsy
Stata-Geet                       Shut Up
Skutch                             Pest
Stoon-od                         Idiot
StuGotz                           Screw it/F*ck it
TooSee Batz                   You're crazy
Vena Ka, Vena Ga          Come here

--Jerry Finzi

If you found this post useful, please LIKE it and tell your friends about Grand Voyage Italy. Ciao!   


Copyright, Jerry Finzi, Grand Voyage Italy, All rights reserved     

When you think of Italy, some think of a Ferrari, while others may think of Gucci, Nutella, Fiat or Barilla. But just about every Iitalian casa and many around the world have a little, shiny piece of Italy in their cucina...

The famous, Made in Italia, Bialetti Moka pot.

Well, that may soon change. Bialetti, the inventor of the octagonal moka pot, an icon of Italian industrial design (and in the Museum of Modern Art's design collection), has reached a deal with NUO Capital to buy the company. They will delist the company from the Italian stock market and then... well, who knows?

NUO Capital, an investment fund, is registered in Luxembourg, but controlled by the Pao Cheng family, one of Hong Kong's wealthiest. Will they keep the manufacture of these famous aluminum pots in Italy, or will the pots be made in China? If this happens, we all know what that means. Perhaps cheap processes, changing the design, or mokas that blow up!

I understand that the company has suffered losses after the ill-advised launch or brick and mortar stores and expanding to kitchen utensils. Did greed take them down the wrong via?

What do you all think of this?

--Jerry Finzi

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You're traveling around rural Italy and suddenly it's noon. Time for lunch! But every restaurant, trattoria and osteria are closed! In small towns, even pizzerias will be closed. The same goes for car rentals, post offices, pharmacies and possibly the local police station! The signs say they are closed from 12 - 3 pm. These towns appear to be ghost towns during the early afternoon, and sometimes even later!

You're about to learn about the Italian cultural phenomena call riposo (also called la pausa--the pause). This is the period that shop keepers close up and take a long lunch and perhaps a nap, for over three hours!  The word riposo literally translates as "the rest".

So, how did this riposo thing get started in Italy (and other Mediterranean countries (called siesta in Spain)? Many attribute it to the heat and humidity in the middle of the day--which can get extreme in summer--combined with the typically heavy meals eaten as lunch in the Mediterranean diet. Lunch, or pranzo, is pretty much the main meal for Italians, along with taking a three hour lunch. If they live close to their workplace, they will go to la casa di famiglia where Mamma or Nonna has a great meal waiting. Then a short nap before heading back to work at 3:30 or 4, where they might finish their workday around 7 pm. 

Simply put, people get drowsy after a big meal. Italians supposedly are embracing this biological fact as part of their natural clock. They have a very small colazione (breakfast)--cornetto and caffe--many go to a "bar" for a coffee break--Italians can't live without espresso. Their main meal is in early pomeriggio (afternoon). They nap when their body says to nap, whereas Americans are out of tune with their natural rhythms. In the evening, an aperitivo with friends and a small dinner or pizza and a passeggiare (stroll) around the main street or piazza.

One of the most surprising and frustrating things we discovered in Italy was how the riposo effects places of business.  Shopkeepers tend to go home for riposa. And no, they don't rotate their staff during the 3-4 hour riposo, they simply close the shop.

Americans let workers have lunches either rotate staff in shifts or for very strict time periods,, often as short as 30 minutes. Rush rush rush. The Italian way of life is much more laid back and humanistic. It's a domani (tomorrow) way of thinking. Spending time with family, enjoying a nice meal all together, and then perhaps taking a nap is much more important than mere business. What we would consider as Good Will for customers is a lower priority in Italy.  From an American point of view, many will simply not understand it.
When you visit Italy, you have to learn to travel at their pace.

Now some travel "experts" on the Internet say that we should embrace all this and plan to visit churches during lunchtime and look at frescoes and mosaic floors. NO! It's usually too damned hot and humid to visit such sites during the mid-day hours, even during the fringe, cooler months. You might consider taking a break from the heat of the day and go back to your hotel or rental for a couple of hours until the day cools off a bit.

Voyagers need to learn how to find food during the riposa. One solution we used was making sure we always had fixings for an impromptu lunch or picnic in our car: cheese, bread, sausage, foccacia, fruit, tomato and gassata (sparkling water) . We also found that for some reason or other, gelaterias are almost always open during lunchtime--Lord knows why. So, gelato and cold drinks became our early lunches on some days, picnics were the norm on many others.

Of course, in a large city like Rome or Florence riposa isn't really a problem. After all, there are so many tourists in the big cities, and with their shopkeepers and restaurants dependent on the tourist trade, they stay open. But in smaller towns, I can't tell you how many times we came out of an early morning visit to a museum or other tourist site and couldn't find any place to have lunch.

My Dad often stopped at a local bar on the way home from work... a place to drink beer, mixed drinks or whiskey. The only food might be a bowl of pretzels or chips sitting on the bar or hard boiled eggs or pickles in a jar. As I got into my early teens, I'd sometimes meet him and have a Coke with a wedge of lime and nibble on the pretzels. I felt grown-up perched on a bar stool next to my work-a-day Dad.

In Italy, a bar is a very different thing. In fact, most North American visitors to Italy are totally unaware that when they see a sign for a "Bar", they should really translate it as "Coffee and Sandwich Shop", which Italians use to get their morning espresso and cornetto or sweet pastry, or for grabbing a panino or pizza at lunch. Of course, in big cities there are cocktail bars where you can have an aperitivo and small bites, but remember, most Italians don't really drink much. Having an after work aperitivo with friends is a social thing, and not really about the drinking.

In fact, many we've seen from Tuscany down to Puglia were rarely closed for riposo. They are a perfect workaround when restaurants are closed. Virtually every bar in Italy--besides being "the" place to stop for your morning hit of espresso before work--is also a great place to stop and get some sort of lunch... snacks, panini (sandwiches), focaccia, pizza and other things that will satisfy most tourists for a quick, affordable lunch. In most, you select whatever they have pre-prepared in their showcases, but many Mom and Pop places will whip something up for you on the spot.

To be honest, this little fact got past us too during our first visit. Perhaps because we were traveling with our 11 year old son and, like most Americans, never would think of taking an 11 year-old into a place labeled "bar". I'm my opinion, this is a fairly big gap in the information out there about traveling and eating in Italy.

Remember... Bar = Espresso + Pastries + Food.

Figuring Out When Shops Are Open

Here are some words that you might see on signs posting operational hours:
giorni feriali          Weekdays (literally, working days)
settimanale            Weekly
quotidiano              Daily
ogni ora                   Hourly

Hours of operation--even when listed on the door of shops--are very loosey-goosey. Often you will see a sign with the shopkeeper's cell number. They might live nearby and be able to come and open the shop for you. Remember, this is the culture of domani... everything can wait until tomorrow.

If you see a logo that looks like a crossed hammer and sickle, it's not a symbol for communism, it simply refers to "workdays", meaning Monday through Saturday. If you see giorni festivi, simply festivi, this refers to Sundays and religious holidays (there will be a small cross). There are many that Italians close for--remember, it's a Catholic country. All religious holidays are National holidays.

If you see a sign saying chiuso per ferie, it means closed for the holidays. The "holiday" in August means 3-4 weeks--for most of Italian workers. The more official summer is called Ferragusto and begins on August 15th. Shops close up and whole families go to beach resorts or camping. If you see chiuso per lutto, this means they are closed for mourning. Most shops are closed on Sundays whether they go to church or stay at home watching the soccer matches.

Enjoy your Voyage and don't forget to check out the local bars for a snack!

--Jerry Finzi

First things first. Yes... "Espress" your love. Sitting across from each other with an invigorating espresso. Staring into each others' eyes. Memorizing every detail of that face. A sip and a sigh. It's just the beginning of the language of love in Italia...

What do you call people engaged in amore? A boyfriend is a Fidanzato. The girlfriend is a Fidanzata. When both get engaged they are Fidanzarsi. Two lovers together are called La coppia--the couple.  The lovers are called gli amante (the lovers) or simply amante.

Ok, so you meet someone interesting and want to go on a date... The simplest was to ask is, "Vuoi uscire con me?" (Do you want to go out with me?) The date itself is called un appuntamento. When things start to go more romantic, you go on un appuntamento romantico. If someone stands you up for your appuntamento, they call it dare buca--giving one the hole or leaving someone in a hole.

Here are some other phrases to learn in the event that you are looking for Love--or if Love finds you--in Bella Italia...

1. Mi Piace - I like you.
   
2. Aspetti qualcuno? – Are you expecting someone?
3. Scusami, mi ero perso nei tuoi occhi. – Pardon me, I was lost in your eyes.
4. Ho una cotta per te. – I have a crush on you.
   
5. Sono innamorata di te. – I am in love with you.
   
6. Inammorarsi – to fall in love
   
7. Mi sono innomorata di te - I am falling in love with you.
   
8. Sei così bella/o or Sei bellissima/o - You are so beautiful/handsome.
   
9. Mi piace il tuo sorriso. -  I love your smile.
   
10. Balli bene! — You dance well!
    
11. Sei molto bello/a! — You look fantastic!
    
12. Sono molto attratto/a da te. — I’m very attracted to you.
    
13. Sei molto carino/a. — You’re so cute.
    
14. Sei la mia anima gemella. – You are my soulmate.
    
15. Colpo di fulmine – love at first sight
    
16. Sei single? — Are you single?
    
17. Stai frequentando qualcuno? — Are you seeing someone?
    
18. Stai con qualcuno? — Are you with someone?
    
19. Vuoi qualcosa da bere? — Would you like something to drink?
    
20. Sei libero a stasera o domani o fine settimana? — Are you free this evening or tomorrow or this weekend?
    
21. Andiamo da te o da me?” – Your place or mine?
    
22. il romanticismo – romantic
    
23. Una a lume di candela – a candle light dinner
    
24. il cuore – the heart
    
25. il mio cuore batte più velocemente. – my heart beats faster
    
26. Non posso vivere senza di te! – I can’t live without you
    
27. Un mazzo di rose – a bouquet of roses
    
28. Sei stato/a un bellissimo spreco di tempo. – You were a beautiful waste of time.
29. Complimenti alla tua mamma – Compliments to your mother.
    
30. Ho perso il mio numero di telefono, potrebbe prestarmi il suo? – I lost my telephone number, could I borrow yours?
    
31. Ci vieni spesso qui? – Do you come here often?
    
32. Posso offrirti un caffè per sciogliere il ghiaccio? — Can I offer you a coffee to melt the ice?
    
33. Nel cielo manca un angelo? – Is heaven missing an angel?
    
34. Oh, ma queste sono scapole, pensavo che fossero delle ali! – Oh, but these are shoulders. I thought they were wings!
    
35. Credi nell’amore a prima vista o devo ripassare più tardi? — Do you believe in love at first sight, or do I have to come back later?
    
36. Posso chiedere le indicazioni per il tuo cuore? — May I ask for directions to your heart?
    
37. Mi vuoi sposare - Will you marry me?
    

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends... ciao!

--Jerry Finzi

Originally installed in 1874, there are apparently more than 2500 of them... the Nasoni (Big Noses) supply fresh water to the public in Rome. The nickname was given because of their spouts' resemblance to a larger than normal nose. Within the Aurelian walls of Rome there are over 250 of them for your use. And have no fear... this water is perfectly fine for drinking--cold and fresh. In fact, using the nasoni is a great way to save on price gouging that goes on with refreshment street vendors, who charge overly high prices for bottled water.  Trust me, it can be very hot and humid in Rome--even in the "cooler" spring and fall. Never go anywhere without a water bottle. Filling your own, reusable sport bottle is the way to do it in Rome. Don't waste money on bottled water.

The nasoni are beautifully designed. The 200 pound, cast iron fountains stand about 3 feet tall, with distinctive spouts supplying a continuous stream of potable water. That's right, it flows all the time. Romans call it l’acqua del sindaco (the mayor’s water), since the government maintains the water flow.

The older nasoni have a dragon's head at the end. Newer ones have a smooth torch decoration. Some older ones have three spouts while most have one. Please don't be put off by the rust or minerals built up at the base of the nasoni--the water is perfectly pure. All of the nasoni bear the shield of Rome with SPQR emblazoned on it. This is from the Latin phrase from Ancient Rome: Senātus Populusque Rōmānus (The Roman Senate and People). Today, this is the official emblem of the modern Roman government.

The nasoni also have a little known secret--at least tourists don't seem to know about it... On top of the spout (the nose) there is a small hole that can turn this faucet into a drinking fountain. The trick is holding your hand (hopefully clean) under the open spout, plugging it up.  This forces a little water jet to pop out of the small hole on top, allowing you to drink as you would from a modern drinking fountain.  (It's customary to rinse your hands before doing this in an effort to keep the spout clean.) Just hold your hand steady as you drink, or you might get sprayed in the face! Watch the cute video below... this bellissima bambina explains it so well.

Here is a LINK to an interactive map of Rome that can help locate nasoni.

Many Americans think there isn't a holiday like Halloween in Italy... but there is. On November 1st, Italians celebrate La Festa di Ognissanti, or All Saints’ Day. This is a national holiday when post offices, banks, and schools close, as well as being a Catholic holiday honoring all of the saints, martyrs and ancestors who have gone before. Italians will decorate and light up their cemeteries for Ognissanti, but in recent times they also carve pumpkins and even dress up for local festivals.

A common tradition is to for a family to visit the cemetery after a special feast, to visit the members of family passed, leaving a tray of food for them to enjoy at their tomb. This visit leaves their home empty so that the dead could come back for a short visit, but without either the living or the dead disturbing each other. Families return to their homes and the dead return to their graves after church bells are tolled.

Depending on the region of Italy, some burn bonfires and kids might do something like Trick or Treating from home to home (chanting "Morti, Morti") and receive treats. There are many variations throughout Italy, some even predating Halloween traditions. Many leave food out all night in case the dead want to come back home and feast while they sleep.


Here are some Italian words to tide you over during this interesting holiday...

Una Strega - Witch
Scopa - Broom
Pipistrello - Bat
Ragno - Spider
Osso - Bone
Cranio - Skull
Grondone - Gargoyle
Spaventoso - Scary
Sinestro - Scary
Diavolo - Devil
Vampiro - Vampire
Fantasma - Ghost
Foletto - Goblin
Mostro - Monster
Lunu Mannaro - Werewolf
Frankenstein - Frankenstein
Zombie - Zombie
Mummia - Mummy
Casa Infestata - Haunted House
Zucca - Pumpkin
Jack-o-Lantern - Jack-o-Lantern
Costume di Halloween - Halloween Costume
Dolcetto o Scherzetto - Trick or Treat
Morti - The Dead

Before I voyaged to Italy, I wanted to learn phrases that weren't the standard tourist expressions. I wanted help in the day to day situations that would arise... to assimilate into Italian life with "street language", possibly even including some well-chosen curse words. I've always held the belief that when traveling in a foreign country, one should make a decent attempt in learning at least some of the language. It's the polite thing, with the added benefit of not sounding like an arrogant "ugly American" tourist, but as a more seasoned World Voyager. I can still recall an Ugly American years ago in rural, central France demanding in an overly loud voice, "I would like some PLAIN bread!"... sheer embarrassment.

For example, one of the more helpful non-tourist Italian expressions I learned was "Va Via!" (Hit the Road!) This became invaluable when being hawked by aggressive street vendors, beggars, scammers or someone trying to rob us. I used it several times with great success--they backed off and were given the impression that I was a confident local and not an easy mark, tourist. It was just as effective as in Paris when I felt a hand in my shoulder bag and yelled "Voleur!" (Thief)... drawing the French people's attention to the thief, causing him to flee.  Sounding like a local is a real benefit and boosts your confidence when traveling. 

I've listed some expressions which are well worth learning for your next Voyage to Italy. And don't be shy about trying to sound Italian when pronouncing the words. Years ago when learning French, I imagined a mix of Maurice Chevalier (of "Every leetle breeze seems to wheesper Louise" fame) and Charles Boyer (for a deeper, sexy voice) when I spoke. Hey, it must have worked, because although I admit to speaking very poor baby-talk French, and I'm not that great at one-on-one personal conversations, at least my accent est très bon. A vendor in Paris, after asking where I was from said in surprise, "Ahh... but I took you for a Frenchman!" High praise indeed from a Parisian selling necklaces in a flea market. 

Click on the link for each below
to hear the pronunciation

When the Google Translate window pops up, click on speaker icon under the Italian phrase to hear the pronunciation.  Try to mimic your favorite, sexy Italian TV chef (Fabio? Luca?) when you pronounce these phrases. Use your best Italian accent and you'll do fine...

Allora - This is used a lot in casual conversation as a pause to allow the speaker time to think of his next thoughts. It is used like "then", "oh well...", "therefore", "Mmmm, let me see... ".  Examples:
"Allora...  tutto bene." (You see... Everything is fine);  "Allora...prendo un risotto Milanese." (Let's see... I'll have risotto Milanese.); or after someone does something nice for you, you can stretch it out a bit and say "Allora, mille grazie!" (Well then, a thousand thanks!).

Boh! - More of an exclamation for "I don’t know”, "I don't care" or "I don't want to hear it". It expresses your disinterest ambivalence toward the subject of discussion. The closest thing in English is “meh”, but Italian's use this a lot.

Avete le mani d'oro  - "You have gold hands", meaning the person is gifted in using his hands, as when complimenting a local artisan.

Attaccalo al chiodo - Literally, "Stick it to the nail", meaning "forget about it" "leave it for later".

Leccapiedi - A toadie, a boot-licker, a brown-nose--An ass kisser. They have them in Italy, too.

Olio di gomito -  Literally, "oil from the elbow. Referring to an exertion of physical labor, as we use "elbow grease".

La mia macchina è in panne  - Literally, "my macchina (car) is creamed". This is used to describe something broken, as in "Mia macchina ha una panna, allora prendo un taxi." (My car is broken, in that case I'll take a cab.)

Che ne so - Used as a sarcastic response to someone asking something that you don't (or couldn't possibly) know. A gesture typically accompanies this phrase... a shrug of the shoulder along with wavering hands turned toward the sky as you shake your head "no". Use it as we do when we say "How in heck should I know?" rather than the more precise and formal "Non lo so" (I do not know).

Non mi va - This means something like "It doesn't go with me" and is used when someone suggests something that you don't or won't agree to.  Use it casually as you would say "I don’t feel like it", for instance if someone suggests a restaurant that you wouldn't like, or with a stronger voice if you are trying to get rid of a pushy vendor or hawker on the street trying to sell you something that you'd never buy... "Allora... Non mi va!". Kids will say it to get out of doing what their parents tell them to do.

In bocca al lupo - Literally, "in the wolf’s mouth". Used to wish someone good luck, meaning to aim into the wolf's mouth to kill it (the wolf represents the difficulty they are facing). When wishing someone will overcome something more serious, use "crepi il lupo", literally, "Croak the wolf!". Sort of like when we say to someone "You'll beat it" or "You'll kill it". Always use this when wishing someone Good Luck.

Neanche per sogno - Literally, "Not even in (your) dream". Used to slap back someone's offer or when you don't agree with a suggestion, such as "Not in your wildest dreams" or simply "No way!".

Sono stanco - Literally, "I'm weary (tired)". Use after a long day of walking around tourist sites, such as "Sono stanco. Troppo a piedi. Ho bisogno di gelato freddo!" (I'm tired. Too much walking. I need a cold gelato!")

Magari - This is slang for "maybe" or perhaps "if it could only be true".  You could use it expressing hope to win the Lotto or meeting the perfect mate, or "Voglio avere figli... magari" (I want to have children... I could only wish.)

Ogni morto di papa -  Literally, "Every Death of a Pope", used the same as "Once in a blue moon". Make sure to accent "Papa" correctly... accent on the first syllable (PA-pa). If you say "pa-PA" you are taking about your Dad.

Salve, come va? - Literally "Hello, how’s it going?"  The more formal way is to ask "Buongiorno, come stai?"(Good morning, how are you). It’s a less formal way of greeting someone, but use "come sta" in formal or business situations.

Galeotto fu il libro - "Jailbird was the book"... an odd expression referring to matchmaking two people. Perhaps referring to when a guy gives a girl a book (a present) they'll become imprisoned--in love. Some of the roots behind these expressions are really difficult to comprehend. 

Promettere mari e monti  -  Literally, "Promise the seas and mountains". Used like "Promise Heaven and Earth". Examples: "Non mi prometti mari e monti" (I am not promising Heaven and Earth" or "Mi ha promesso mari e monti" (He promised me Heaven and Earth").

Non chiedo la luna -  "I'm not asking for the moon". Used when frustrated with someone complaining about a simple request. One of the more useful expressions to make your request in a restaurant or hotel seem like it's coming from a more seasoned Voyager who can't be taken advantage of.  (I wish I knew this one when picking up rental cars at Hertz!)

Andare a monte - (ahn-DAR-eh a MOHN-teh) -  Literally, "Go to the mountain", but it figuratively means that everything went downhill and failed.   Examples: Un viaggio va a monte (The trip was called off);  Il matrimonio è andato a monte (the marriage failed). Use to describe something that went awry or got fouled up.

Ho peli sul mio stomaco - Literally, "I have hairs on my stomach", meaning you're not taking something seriously or that it's not bothering you.
 
Ne ho fin sopra i capelli -  Literaly, "I'm sick up to my hair". Use it the same as "I’ve had it up to here" or "I'm fed up to here" or "I'm sick and tired". You can use a hand gesturing to the top of your head with this.

Capitare su un osso duro -  Literally, "Happen on a tough bone".  A pejorative. Use it referring to dealing with a tough cookie. A person who is "un osso duro" (a tough bone) is a bit thick and stubborn. You can also use "capo tosto" meaning "thick (tough) head". A hand motion goes with this... knocking your knuckles or fist on a table as you say it.

Dare del filo da torcere  -  Literally, "giving a twisted thread". Think of a small, precocious child asking "Why... Why... Why" no matter how many times you give an answer. "Torcere" means to Twist. They’re never satisfied with your answers. To tell someone about your daughter's quizzical nature, you could say, "Mia figlia mi dà del filo da torcere" (My daughter gives me a hard time). In the positive, you might also use this to describe how smart and curious your kid is because he asks many questions. 

Essere in alto mare  -  This is a common phrase used when someone has procrastinated and discover that they are behind on a project. It literally means that you are in deep water with a long way to go before getting finished.

Mi fa cagare!  - Instead of the much more polite "È orribile" ("It's awful!"), Italians will say bluntly, "It makes me poop," . So, when taking about "That restaurant? Mi fa cagare!" "Her new dress?! Mi fa cagare!" "That new American singer? Mi fa cagare!"

Mi sento le mani prudono - Literally, "I'm feeling itchy hands" means you feel like hitting someone... you're pissed off.  Be careful how you use this.

Figurati! -  Literal, "Imagine (that)!", used as "Don't worry about it!" or "It's nothing!" You can use this in both positive or negative ways. "Thanks for a great meal... Figurati!" or when to act innocent and blameless when you've just dented someone's fender who just cut into your lane, "I'm so sorry I ran into you... Figurati!" It's like saying "mi scusi" (excuse me) without really meaning it.

Dai!  - This  simply means "Come on!" as in, "Please, you can't deny me." When someone refuses your suggestion to go have a drink, you say "Dai!" along with a motioning hand gesture toward yourself.  You can also use it to try to stop someone from doing something negative. "Why are you pushing me? Dai! Wait your turn!"

Meno Male! - Literally, "less bad." Oh, HE got elected? Meno Male! As long as that other jerk didn't win!" "I passed the test? Meno male!"

Che palle! - This is a rather crude, but everyday expression meaning, “what balls!” or "what a pain in the ass!" but stronger than "what nerve!"
Ho perso il mio portafoglio. (I lost my wallet.)
Che palle! (What a pain!)

Grazie a Dio! - "Thank God!" used the same way we use it to express great relief. Always include the "a" (meaning "to")... "Thanks to God" otherwise, you would be thanking God directly.

Che guastafesta - Roughly translates as "What a party pooper". Guastafesta is a combination of two Italian words: the verb guastare, “to spoil” or “to ruin,” and the word festa, which means “party.” Use it when anyone is putting a damper on your fun or a monkey wrench into your plans.

Ma, che sei grullo? - Used more in Florence, literally "But, how stupid are you?" It's used like "Are you kidding?" or "Are you crazy?" to friends. Say it to a stranger and you might get in trouble. Example: "I'll pay for dinner." Response, "Ma, che sei grullo?"  or "You paid that much for those shoes? Ma, che sei grullo?"

Scappo! - Slang for "escape" or "I'm gone" or "I'm outta here!".

Basta! - Literally, "Enough!". This can be used in simple ways, like telling a waiter when he's put enough pepper on your dish, or more forcefully when someone is BS-ing you, as in, "Basta! Non voglio sentire altre scuse!" - "That's enough! I don't want to hear any excuses!" Can be combined with above...  "Scappo! Basta!".

A fagiolo - Literally,  fagiolo means “bean,” but the phrase a fagiolo (“to the bean”) means something like the English “to the letter” or “to a T.”  It indicates to someone that you are expecting precision from them.

Ti scureggia il cervello -  Use this only with friends, or when you really want to insult someone. It means, literally, "your brain is farting". A Roman expression.

Cazzata  -  Literally "Crap!" or perhaps a bit more blunt, as it's derived from "cazzo" (f*ck). Used when you get a whiff of someone's BS. Or to scold yourself when you said something crappy or stupid, "Dio, ho detto una cazzata," meaning, "God, I said something f*cked up."

Figo - Slang for "Cool", meaning something great or nice. Used to describe things or people.  End it with an "a", "Figa" can also describe a cool (or rather, "Hot)" female, but be forewarned, the word "figa" is also used as a very crude reference to a woman's vagina (similar to "c*nt"). A "figata" is something that is cool or great--used as the opposite of a "cazzata."

Mannaggia -  Used as "Damn!" or combined as "Manageria miseria"--"Damned misery!" Used to express utter frustration with someone, something or a frustrating situation.

Zitto -  Slang and abrupt was to get someone to keep quiet. "Zitto!" or "Stai zitto!" means "Shut up!" or "Shush!"


I hope you'll put some of these expressions to good use during your next Voyage to Italy. This was a long post, Sono Stanco! If only I had someone else to write these posts for me... magari!

Scappo!

--Jerry Finzi

If you found this article useful, post links to it all around the world, in every country, in every forum, in all the schools, in the houses of Congress, on the plains of Africa, in New York, Paris, Rome... er... Forget it. Just LIKE and SHARE it...  pretty please?

Today, April 22nd is Earth Day's fiftieth anniversary.

In Italy, Earth Day is called Villaggio per la Terra (Village for the Earth), along with the philosophy that it does take a village to heal Mother Earth.

As we humans are battling the COVID-19 virus, we find the opposite with Mother Nature... she is healing herself while we all stay at home, stop driving our vehicles and factories and businesses slow to a halt. We are using gasoline at such low levels that this week crude oil prices were became literally worthless--trading prices went under one cent per barrel!

The air has 45% less carbon emissions since our world-wide stay-at-home began. Rivers and the sea are looking cleaner, evidenced by the canals and lagoon of Venice suddenly becoming clear, with jellyfish and dolphins swimming around. Wild boars and goats roam the streets of Italian towns. All over Italy you can see the change--Nature taking over. In the empty Piazza Navona, grass has even started growing!

And perhaps the waters of Venice are a bit clearer considering the usual number of 30,000 tourists a day dumped onto its islands are gone and not using the toilets, which in many cases, drain directly into the canals. Cruise ships alone release over one billion gallons of sewage into the ocean every year! And for now, at least, they've stopped.

Will there be lessons learned from less driving, less cruise ships and less tourists all battling to occupy the same "must see" spots in Italy and around the world? Time will tell...


Happy Earth Day, tutti!

--Jerry Finzi

I've written about the iconic o'panar (click HERE to read) before, the baskets and buckets lowered and raised from balconies and windows in Naples to bring groceries up to apartments. This is the method used to avoid having to climb all those steps again and again--especially helpful for the elderly. But in the last couple of weeks, the o'panar has been used to give, not to receive. The baskets contain food and essentials, with signs that declare...

Started by an artist in an attempt to help feed the poor during the coronavirus crisis, this "solidarity basket" concept is spreading throughout Italy to other cities and towns, with some corporate support joining the effort.

This idea was started in Naples by street artist, Angelo Picone. As Picone asserts, "This is a special sign of solidarity. The basket is there. It ensures anonymity." At first he yelled to passersby below, "If you can, put something in. If you can't, take something out." Angelo first started by putting out pasta for people to take. Then he noticed some people were leaving pasta. Now, he gets regulars hooking on plastic bags from their own shopping trips so he can share them with the poor.

People all over Italy are now hanging their own o'panar baskets with handwritten signs, sharing what they have with the needy. There are even folding tables being set out by people laden with canned food, pasta, bread, tins of sardines and fresh produce.

"Naples is a city with a tremendous resilience to suffering," Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris claims. EU statistics show about two out of five risked poverty in 2018 in the city of 2.2 million. A UN study found that a third of the Naples' 15- to 29-years-olds either had no job or had dropped out of school that year. The black market economy thrives, as well as the accompanying crime. Of course, the nature of the crowding of the population in Naples is contrary to keeping social distance--small apartments with multiple residents and narrow streets.

To date, COVID-19 has killed nearly 200 in Naples and more than 15,000 across Italy in just over a month. This "solidarity basket" idea might help some people stay a bit stronger and more nourished to ward off the virus and come out better for it at the other end of this nightmare for Italians.

As for the mayor of Naples, he wants the old Naples back. "I miss it very much... for Neapolitans, it is absolutely against our nature not to hug, not to shake hands."

Pray for Naples. Pray for all Italians. And pray for the world.

--Jerry Finzi, GVI