# Italian common saying -- in english (for fun) **URL:** \ **Category:** Off-topic\ **Created:** [September 25, 2017, 12:32pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724 "2017-09-25T12:32:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/zakphoenixmckracken/32/41_2.png) [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/ZakPhoenixMcKracken)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 12:32pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/1 "2017-09-25T12:32:35Z")
You know, we Italians have fantasy: we speak with hand gestures, we also like to express concepts with ways of saying, typically figurative. Here is a list of 11 **common saying** , literally translated in english. We Italians use them in our conversations. Why 11? Because David Letterman used to list 10. Italian readers: if you translate literally, you probably will get a big smile. Non-Italian readers: can you guess the meaning of the following expressions? Just for fun! 1. You have _your head on your shoulders_ 2. _Arrange yourself_ 3. You are not even able to _make an O with the glass_ 4. You are an _in leg person_ 5. It costs _like an eye of the head_ 6. _Don’t sing victory too early_ 7. Those goods are like _Mana from the sky_ 8. The two of you are like _ass and shirt_ 9. _Live, horse, that the grass grows up!_ 10. _Thank you one thousand_ 11. _Wife and cows from your towns_ ---
**Author:** ![DZ-Jay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@DZ-Jay](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/DZ-Jay)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/2 "2017-09-25T13:41:58Z")
6, 7, and 10 we also have in Spanish. 1. _No cantes victoria_. 2. _Cómo Mana del cielo._ 3. _Gracias, mil_. We also have a few of our own. My favorite is: - _If my grandma had wheels, she’d be a bicycle!_ ---
**Author:** ![Ignacio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ignacio](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Ignacio)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 1:55pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/3 "2017-09-25T13:55:34Z")
At least numbers 5 to 10 are VERY common in Argentina. Many of us have italian grand parents (or grand grand parents), so it is quite understandable that we use the same expressions (translated to everyday Spanish). ---
**Author:** ![Ignacio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ignacio](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Ignacio)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/4 "2017-09-25T14:02:52Z")
Could you write them down in Italian? I feel I am loosing something in the translation to English for a couple of the first ones. ---
**Author:** ![benderete](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/benderete/32/362_2.png) [@benderete](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/benderete)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:14pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/5 "2017-09-25T14:14:01Z")
And 5 is very similar (face instead head) It costs like an eye of the face 1. Cuesta un ojo de la cara ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 2:24pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/6 "2017-09-25T14:24:20Z")
Does anyone actually say “when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie”? ---
**Author:** ![Someone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Someone](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Someone)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:04pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/7 "2017-09-25T15:04:27Z")
> [@milanfahrnholz](#): > > “when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie”? … it’s “amore”! Great. Now I have an earworm. ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:10pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/8 "2017-09-25T15:10:21Z")
> [@Someone](#): > > Great. Now I have an earworm. My job here is done…time to take off to my home planet. ---
**Author:** ![DZ-Jay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@DZ-Jay](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/DZ-Jay)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:18pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/9 "2017-09-25T15:18:13Z")
> [@benderete](#): > > And 5 is very similar (face instead head) It costs like an eye of the face > > 1. Cuesta un ojo de la cara Oh, missed that! We use that too in PR. We also alternate it with “Cuesta in huevo” (literally, “costs an egg,” it’s a vulgar way of saying testicle). And of course, there’s this gem: - It f\*\*ks me twice. (Me re-jode). ---
**Author:** ![DZ-Jay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@DZ-Jay](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/DZ-Jay)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/10 "2017-09-25T15:20:57Z")
A funny one we also have is literally translated as: - _It touches you_ (“Te toca”), to mean “it is your turn.” ---
**Author:** ![ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/zakphoenixmckracken/32/41_2.png) [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/ZakPhoenixMcKracken)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/11 "2017-09-25T15:30:06Z")
> [@Ignacio](#): > > Could you write them down in Italian? I feel I am loosing something in the translation to English for a couple of the first ones. Sure: 1. You have your head on your shoulders _Hai la testa sulle spalle_ 2. Arrange yourself _Arrangiati_ 3. You are not even able to make an O with the glass _Non sei neppure capace di fare una O con il bicchiere_ 4. You are an in leg person _Sei una persona in gamba_ 5. It costs like an eye of the head _Costa un occhio della testa_ 6. Don’t sing victory too early _Non cantare vittoria troppo presto_ 7. Those goods are like Mana from the sky _Quelle cose sono Manna dal cielo_ 8. The two of you are like ass and shirt _Voi due siete culo e camicia_ 9. Live, horse, that the grass grows up! _Campa cavallo, che l’erba cresce_ 10. Thank you one thousand _Grazie mille_ 11. Wife and cows from your towns _Moglie e buoi dei paesi tuoi_ ---
**Author:** ![ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/zakphoenixmckracken/32/41_2.png) [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/ZakPhoenixMcKracken)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/12 "2017-09-25T15:32:27Z")
> [@milanfahrnholz](#): > > Does anyone actually say “when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie”? AHAHAH, That’s amore! No, none usually says something like that, but recently, an italian singer said: _You have islands in your eyes_ 😄 ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/13 "2017-09-25T15:35:00Z")
> [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > You have islands in your eyes Ohhh, isn´t that nice! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/zakphoenixmckracken/32/41_2.png) [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/ZakPhoenixMcKracken)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/14 "2017-09-25T15:35:01Z")
> [@DZ-Jay](#): > > It f\*\*ks me twice. (Me re-jode). We have plenty of expressions with the male genital organ, but I avoid to write them here 😊 ---
**Author:** ![ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/zakphoenixmckracken/32/41_2.png) [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/ZakPhoenixMcKracken)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/15 "2017-09-25T15:46:37Z")
> [@milanfahrnholz](#): > > You have islands in your eyes > > Ohhh, isn´t that nice! 🙂 Hmmm… ![immagine](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/uploads/thimbleweedpark/original/2X/9/9874ce3a6f2e8d8fad279941d311de15d1ffd547.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/16 "2017-09-25T15:47:01Z")
Waaaah, scary! ---
**Author:** ![besmaller](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/besmaller/32/40_2.png) [@besmaller](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/besmaller)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/17 "2017-09-25T16:33:12Z")
> [@DZ-Jay](#): > > A funny one we also have is literally translated as: > > It touches you (“Te toca”), to mean “it is your turn.” Sounds like a similar meaning to the American phrase “Tag, you’re it.” ---
**Author:** ![besmaller](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/besmaller/32/40_2.png) [@besmaller](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/besmaller)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/18 "2017-09-25T16:47:08Z")
> [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Non-Italian readers: can you guess the meaning of the following expressions? OK, I’m going to take some guesses… > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > You have your head on your shoulders You are thinking clearly, or rationally. Like the English phrase “She has a good head on her shoulders”, or “He has his head on straight”. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Arrange yourself Start thinking more clearly. Or make yourself presentable. Like the English phrase “Put yourself together”. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > You are not even able to make an O with the glass That’s a fun one. I assume it’s a way of saying you think someone isn’t very smart. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > You are an in leg person I have no idea what this would mean. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > It costs like an eye of the head Tricky. I mean, the eye is a critical part of one’s head, so maybe this mean’s it’s something really critical or expensive. Or since everyone get’s two eyes in their head for free, it could mean that it’s cheap, everyone already has plenty. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Don’t sing victory too early Like “It’s not over until the fat lady sings”. Lots can happen in the last hours or minutes, so don’t assume it’s going to end well. Or “Don’t count your eggs until they’re hatched”. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Those goods are like Mana from the sky Sounds similar to the phrase in English, “like Mana from Heaven” - a gift from God, a rare and precious gift. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > The two of you are like ass and shirt Hmm… I guess two people who are very close?? Like a cruder version of “Two peas in a pod”. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Live, horse, that the grass grows up! No idea… What? > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Thank you one thousand Like the English phrase “Thanks a million”. In English it can be used when you are very thankful. However, it’s often used sarcastically - when you really did NOT appreciate their effort of helping you, or it didn’t help you at all. > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Wife and cows from your towns Nope… Can’t guess this one. Sounds like maybe when you are referring to thinks that you are “too familiar” with and therefore not as interesting?? ---
**Author:** ![ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/zakphoenixmckracken/32/41_2.png) [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/ZakPhoenixMcKracken)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/19 "2017-09-25T17:22:37Z")
Your score: 7/11 Very good! Remaining expressions to decrypt are: - Arrange yourself - You are an in leg person - Live, horse, that the grass grow up - Wife and cows from your towns Hint: Ron Gilbert, David Fox, Gary Winnick are undoubtedly “in leg persons” 😊 ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 5:28pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724/20 "2017-09-25T17:28:00Z")
> [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Arrange yourself Get a job/haircut/decent clothes > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > You are an in leg person You are bad at sports/dancing > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Live, horse, that the grass grow up [If this was even close to proper english, I might understand it…] > [@ZakPhoenixMcKracken](#): > > Wife and cows from your towns You ugly, inbred redneck! [Next page](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/italian-common-saying-in-english-for-fun/1724.md?page=2)