esempio: "il nostro cane non è aggressivo, è buono come il pane"

Literal translation: To be as good as bread

Real meaning: To be a really good person. In English, we could say ‘to be as good as gold’

esempio: "non voglio andare in vacanza con i miei genitori! che pizza!

Literal translation: What a pizza!

Real meaning: How boring!

esempio: "quella ragazza ti sta prendendo in giro! hai proprio il prosciutto sugli occhi!"

Literal translation: To have ham on your eyes

Real meaning: To have your head in the sand i.e. to be oblivious and not see something that is clear to everyone else

Literal translation: To go smooth like oil

Real meaning: To go very well and smoothly, without any problems

esempio: "il mio prof di Italiano è così noioso, fa venire il latte alle ginocchia!"

Literal translation: To make milk come out your knees

Real meaning: To be really boring or irritating

esempio: "è inutile che continui a corteggiarmi, non c'è trippa per gatti"

Literal translation: There’s no tripe for cats

Real meaning: There is no chance of you getting what you want. You could also translate as ‘no way!’ or ‘not a hope in hell!’.

esempio: "abbiamo esagerato con la cena, sono pieno come un uovo"

Literal translation: To be as full as an egg

Real meaning: To be really full and stuffed so that you can’t eat anything else

esempio: "l'importante è che parli per dieci minuti all'esame, tutto fa brodo!

Literal transation: Everything makes broth

Real meaning: Every little helps

esempio: "devi scegliere! o me o lei! non puoi avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca".

Literal transation: You can’t have a full barrel and a drunk wife

Real meaning: You can’t have your cake and eat it, or you can’t have the best of both worlds

Literal translation: Laugh, laugh, your mum has made gnocchi

Real meaning: Keep on laughing! You would say this to someone who is laughing but in your opinion there’s nothing to be laughing about.