15 Italian expressions
you can't translate
word for word

how do you find yourself?

Used to ask how something you recently started is going: a new job, a new city, a new course. It's not about where you physically are, but how you feel in that situation.

— Come ti trovi nella tua nuova casa?

— Bene, mi trovo proprio bene qui.

Notice the verb is reflexive: mi trovo, ti trovi, si trova. Literally it's like saying “in what way do you find yourself (in this situation)”.

what end have you made?

Said to someone you haven't seen or heard from in a while. It's not about death or anything serious — it simply means where have you been, what happened to you.

Ehi, che fine hai fatto? Non ci vediamo da mesi!

You can also use it for objects or people you've lost track of: “Che fine ha fatto quel libro che ti avevo prestato?” (Whatever happened to that book I lent you?)

I don't see the hour

Means you're waiting for something impatiently, that you can't wait. It's the exact equivalent of “I can't wait”.

Non vedo l'ora di rivederti questo weekend.

Always built with “di” + infinitive: non vedo l'ora di partire, di mangiare, di sapere come va a finire.

into the wolf's mouth

The most common way to wish someone good luck, especially before an exam, an interview, or any important test.

— Domani ho l'esame di guida.

— In bocca al lupo!

The traditional reply isn't “thank you” but “crepi” (may the wolf die), although today many people just answer “grazie”.

I don't stay there

Means you don't agree with something, that you don't accept a condition or a proposal. It's stronger than a plain “no”.

Se il piano è questo, io non ci sto.

The opposite is “ci sto”, which you'll see in the next expression: same verb, almost opposite meaning depending on context.

I stay there

Means “I'm in”, “count me in”, “let's do it”. Used when someone proposes a plan and you accept.

— Ci vediamo sabato per una pizza?

— Ci sto!

“Ci” here doesn't point to a specific place — it's a particle that makes the expression idiomatic. Don't try to translate it word for word.

it knows to me that…

Used to say “I have a feeling that”, “I think that”, when you're not fully sure but you have a fairly clear impression.

Mi sa che oggi piove, meglio prendere l'ombrello.

Very common in spoken Italian, more informal than “penso che” or “credo che”.

it does nothing

Used to say “it's fine”, “don't worry about it”, often as a reply to an apology.

— Scusa il ritardo!

— Non fa niente, tranquillo.

You'll also hear “non importa” or “figurati” used the same way — they're almost interchangeable in this context.

to go to genius

Means that something or someone appeals to you instinctively, without needing much explanation.

Quel ragazzo non mi va proprio a genio.

Built like “piacere”: mi va a genio, ti va a genio, gli va a genio.

to break the boxes

Means to annoy someone, to be pushy or bothersome. It's informal but very common, even between colleagues or family.

Smettila di rompere le scatole, sto lavorando.

There's also a more direct, vulgar version with a different word instead of “scatole”: in everyday conversation “scatole” is the polite form.

to have hands in the dough

Means to be involved in something, to have influence or an active role in a situation, often work or power related.

In quell'associazione Luca ha le mani in pasta un po' dappertutto.

The image comes from making bread: whoever kneads the dough is directly involved in the final result.

to catch two pigeons with one bean

The Italian equivalent of “kill two birds with one stone”: getting two results from a single action.

Se vado a prendere i bambini e faccio la spesa nello stesso viaggio, prendo due piccioni con una fava.

The expression is still very common: use it when one choice lets you achieve two goals.

to fall from the clouds

Describes total surprise, when you find out something you really didn't see coming.

Quando mi hanno detto che si sposavano sono cascata dalle nuvole, non lo sapevo proprio.

Similar to “avere la testa fra le nuvole”, but that one means being distracted: here the meaning is surprise, not distraction.

to want oneself

Used to say how much time, effort, or patience something takes. It has nothing to do with “volere” in the sense of wanting.

Per imparare l'italiano ci vuole tempo, e va bene così.

Only conjugated in the third person: ci vuole (singular), ci vogliono (plural). “Ci vogliono due ore per arrivare a Roma.” (It takes two hours to get to Rome.)

to hold oneself to it

Means that something matters to you, that you really care about a result, a person, or an occasion.

Non è obbligatorio venire, ma ci terrei molto ad averti alla mia festa.

Different from “tenere” in the physical sense of “holding”: here “ci” completely changes the meaning of the verb.