Italian Idioms with Body Parts 🇮🇹
Meaning, translation and real-life examples
Italian is full of vivid and expressive idioms, and many of them are based on parts of the body.
These expressions are widely used in everyday conversations and will help you sound more natural and fluent.
Let’s explore some of the most common Italian idioms 👇
🧠 Legarsela al dito
Meaning: to hold a grudge
Example:
Se l’è legata al dito e non ti parlerà più.
➡️ He took it personally and won’t talk to you anymore.
👂 Fare orecchie da mercante
Meaning: to turn a deaf ear
Example:
Ti ho chiamato tre volte! Non fare orecchie da mercante!
➡️ I called you three times! Don’t pretend you didn’t hear!
🍷 Alzare il gomito
Meaning: to drink too much
Example:
Alla festa ha alzato un po’ il gomito.
➡️ At the party he drank a bit too much.
✋ Essere alla mano
Meaning: easygoing, friendly
Example:
Il professore è molto alla mano.
➡️ The teacher is very easygoing.
🗺️ Essere fuori mano
Meaning: far away, inconvenient
Example:
Quel supermercato è troppo fuori mano.
➡️ That supermarket is too far away.
🤲 Essere in buone mani
Meaning: to be in good hands
Example:
Con quel medico sei in buone mani.
➡️ With that doctor, you’re in good hands.
🦵 Essere in gamba
Meaning: capable, skilled
Example:
È davvero in gamba nel suo lavoro.
➡️ He’s really good at his job.
😤 Non stare nella pelle
Meaning: to be very excited
Example:
Non sto nella pelle dalla felicità!
➡️ I’m so excited!
👃 Avere naso
Meaning: to have a good instinct
Example:
Ha avuto naso per gli affari.
➡️ He had a good instinct for business.
❤️ Avere fegato
Meaning: to have guts
Example:
Ci vuole fegato per fare questo.
➡️ You need guts to do this.
🤯 Avere la testa tra le nuvole
Meaning: to be distracted
Example:
Sei sempre con la testa tra le nuvole!
➡️ You’re always daydreaming!
👀 Non chiudere occhio
Meaning: not to sleep at all
Example:
Stanotte non ho chiuso occhio.
➡️ I didn’t sleep at all last night.
🔗 Explore more Italian idioms
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