Conosci i MODI DI DIRE italiani? Fai il QUIZ

0:00 Have you ever wondered how "idiomatic" the Italian you speak is?

0:04 But let's take a step back: what does "idiomatic" mean?

0:10 Speaking "idiomatically" means expressing yourself

0:13 just as a native speaker would: not only using correct grammar,

0:18 but also using the language's characteristic expressions

0:22 and combining words in the right way.

0:26 In short, someone who speaks idiomatically doesn't simply translate

0:30 literally from their native language into the language they're learning,

0:34 but instead uses the "cultural code" of those who speak,

0:39 write, and live that language every day.

0:43 Idiom depends on many factors, which we've discussed in other videos,

0:50 but today we'll focus on the use of idioms: those who speak idiomatic Italian

0:55 naturally insert expressions into their speech,

0:58 such as "su questo non ci piove" (There's no doubt about it),

1:04 "Maria has an obsession," or "Stiamo cerca un needle

1:06 in un fieno" (We're looking for a needle in a haystack).

1:09 Expressions that have a non-literal, but figurative, metaphorical meaning,

1:14 shared by the community and understood by all native speakers.

1:19 So, that's exactly what we'll test in this video:

1:24 your ability to use idioms, also called, not surprisingly,

1:29 "idiomatic expressions." By the way: My name is Davide,

1:32 and this is Podcast Italiano, a channel for Italian learners.

1:36 Turn on subtitles if you need them;

1:39 the full transcript is on my website, podcastitaliano.com.

1:43 I've also prepared a PDF to accompany the video, which I recommend you print.

1:48 The PDF is very useful: on the first few pages,

1:52 you can mark your answer to each quiz question,

1:55 which you can then compare with the solution,

1:57 found both in the video and in the second part of the PDF.

2:02 The PDF also includes explanations and examples

2:05 for each idiom mentioned in the video,

2:08 as well as exercises for practice, which is very important.

2:11 I'll leave the link in the description,

2:14 but you can also scan this handy QR code.

2:17 Now, let's move on to the quiz.

2:20 First, let me explain how it's structured.

2:23 You'll have to answer 5 multiple-choice questions:

2:26 each question concerns a specific lexical field of the Italian lexicon.

2:31 Take some time to answer, if you want to think about it.

2:34 Remember to calculate your score because at the end

2:38 of the video I'll ask you how many points you got.

2:42 That said, let's go!

2:44 1) Let's start with the topic of food, expressions involving food.

2:50 Let's look at a situation.

2:52 Your friend Paola has a boyfriend who doesn't

2:55 respect her, tells her a lot of lies, and probably cheats on her.

2:59 But she continues to stay with him, and even defends him.

3:04 What would you say about Paola?

3:06 A.

3:07 She's as good as bread.

3:09 B.

3:09 She puts too much on the fire.

3:12 C.

3:12 She has slices of prosciutto over her eyes.

3:15 D.

3:15 She gives back.

3:17 E.

3:17 She has her hands in the dough.

3:20 Think about it for a few seconds, if you need to.

3:26 The correct answer is… C:

3:29 “She has slices of prosciutto over her eyes.” In Italy, you know,

3:34 food is everywhere: not just at the table,

3:37 but also constantly present in language, to describe characters or situations.

3:42 To have ham slices over one's eyes means "to fail to see an evident,

3:49 obvious reality." It can be used in a sentence like

3:53 this: "Everyone has understood that Giorgia is making fun of him,

3:56 but he really has ham slices over his eyes and continues to trust

4:01 her blindly." ________________ To be good as bread

4:03 instead means "to be an extremely kind,

4:08 generous, altruistic person." An example of its use is the following:

4:12 "You can ask my grandmother Maria for any favor, she would do anything for you,

4:16 at any time of the day or night;

4:19 she is a good as bread." ________________ Continuing,

4:21 to have too many irons in the fire means "to start too many

4:26 activities or projects at the same time."

4:29 Here's how the expression could be used:

4:31 "You're studying three languages, you're going to the gym three times a week,

4:35 and you're renovating your house:

4:37 don't you think you've had too many irons in the fire?" ________________ Again,

4:41 to give back to someone in his own coin means

4:45 "to repay someone for a wrong or an injustice suffered,

4:49 by reciprocating with a similar action." In a word:

4:54 to take revenge." You could say, for example:

4:57 "After she didn't invite me to her party, I got back at her by excluding

5:02 her from my wedding guest list." ________________ Finally,

5:05 to have one's hands in the pie means "to be

5:09 directly involved or have influence in a certain matter." For example:

5:14 "If you need a permit from the City Hall, talk to Angelo;

5:17 he has his hands in several offices and will certainly

5:20 know how to proceed." Don't worry about memorizing all the expressions,

5:24 because I've left them all in the PDF

5:27 with exercises that will help you commit them to memory,

5:33 which is very important.

5:35 The Silver Spoon 2.

5:36 The second situation concerns the human body.

5:38 The situation is this: Your son has

5:41 just come home from school completely soaked, because it's raining outside.

5:46 As usual, he forgot to bring his umbrella,

5:50 even though the day was cloudy and the forecast had called for rain.

5:55 What would you say to him?

5:57 A.

5:58 Undress, put on dry clothes, throw the wet ones in the washing machine,

6:01 and dry your hair in the blink of an eye.

6:04 B.

6:04 How many times have I told you to keep your umbrella in your backpack?

6:09 You're making me lose my temper!

6:11 C.

6:11 You should sit on your hands for a bit, every now and then.

6:15 D.

6:15 You didn't take your umbrella because you're never in the clouds.

6:20 E.

6:21 You're all wet!

6:23 Keep quiet!

6:24 The correct answer is… think about it for a second… B!

6:33 “How many times have I told you to keep your umbrella in your backpack?

6:37 You're making me lose my temper!” Body parts are

6:41 used in expressions that describe emotional reactions or behaviors:

6:45 To make someone lose their temper means “to disappoint someone,

6:51 discourage them with absurd behavior.” For example,

6:54 the behavior of a child who forgets, for the umpteenth time, his umbrella,

6:59 despite his mother constantly reminding him to keep it in his backpack.

7:04 The expression can be used in a sentence like this: “Did

7:07 you leave all the dirty dishes in the sink again?

7:09 You really make me lose my temper.” ________________ Instead,

7:13 in un blink of an eye means “in an instant,

7:18 very quickly.” An example is this: "Don't worry about the move,

7:22 with the help of our friends we'll be able to dismantle and reassemble

7:25 everything in the blink of an eye." ________________ Stare con le izmano,

7:30 on the other hand, means "doing nothing, not intervening when, on the contrary,

7:35 something should be done." Here's how the expression could be used:

7:39 "With all the work that needs to be done for tomorrow's event,

7:42 would you like to sit here

7:44 with your hands in your pockets?" ________________ Continuing,

7:46 avere la testa tra le nuvole means "to be

7:50 distracted or dreamy." You could say, for example:

7:54 "I've explained the procedure to him three times,

7:56 but he's still got his head in the clouds,

7:58 he still doesn't understand." ________________ Acqua in bocca,

8:01 finally, is an "invitation to keep a secret." An example

8:05 is this: "I'm organizing a surprise party for Giulia's birthday.

8:11 Please remember: keep your mouth shut!" Babbel 3.

8:16 The third situation concerns idiomatic expressions from the animal kingdom.

8:20 The situation is this: Your friend Mauro has invited you

8:24 to spend the weekend at his house in the mountains,

8:27 promising comfort and relaxation.

8:29 But… the heating isn't working, the inside temperature is about 10 degrees.

8:35 Outside you can hear the dogs barking and the wolves howling,

8:39 which are drawn to the house by the chickens in the henhouse.

8:43 What do you think?

8:45 A.

8:45 I'm going for a run and good luck.

8:49 B.

8:49 Mauro is an exceptional host, a rare bird.

8:53 Next time he comes to visit, I'll be an equally impeccable host.

8:58 C.

8:58 It could have been worse, at least it's not freezing.

9:02 D.

9:02 I think the best thing I can do is go to bed with the chickens.

9:07 E.

9:07 Given this situation, Mauro should have beaten the can down the drain.

9:12 The correct answer is… D.

9:16 “I think the best thing I can do is go to bed

9:23 with the chickens.” Animals are often

9:25 used in Italian to describe character traits, behaviors, or weather conditions.

9:31 Going to bed with the chickens means "going to bed very early,

9:36 as soon as it gets dark." The best thing to do,

9:40 in a house without warm-up and in the presence of external threats,

9:44 as in our initial situation.

9:46 The expression can also be used

9:48 in a sentence like this: "I'm really tired tonight,

9:51 I think I'll go to bed with the chickens

9:54 to regain some energy." ________________ In bocca al lupo,

9:57 on the other hand, is a "classic wish

10:00 of good luck" (to which the response is "good luck!").

10:03 An example of its use is the following:

10:05 "I heard that you have the entrance exam for medical school tomorrow: good luck!

10:09 ________________ To be a white fly, going forward, means "to be a rare person,

10:14 out of the ordinary." Have you ever seen a white fly?

10:18 Here's how the expression could be used:

10:20 "In a world where everyone uses social media,

10:22 Giordano, think about it, doesn't even have a smartphone:

10:24 he really is a white fly." ________________ To be

10:27 freezing cold instead means "to be very cold, very annoying." You could say,

10:34 for example: "Wrap yourself up well,

10:36 it's freezing cold outside tonight." ________________ Finally,

10:38 to beat around the bush means "to talk

10:40 at length without ever getting to the point." An example

10:44 of its use is this: "Tell me clearly

10:47 whether you intend to accept my proposal or not!

10:50 Stop beating around the bush!

10:54 YouTube 4.

10:55 Situation number 4: colors!

10:57 The situation is this: You're at a party.

11:01 It's getting late and you want to go home.

11:03 A guy offers you a ride.

11:05 On the street, the police stop you for a check.

11:08 His blood alcohol level is found to be too high,

11:12 they take away his license and impound his car.

11:15 At 1:00 p.m., you are forced to call a taxi to get home.

11:20 What do you say to him as soon as you're alone in the taxi?

11:24 A.

11:25 Are you happy we're broke?

11:27 B.

11:28 I certainly didn't imagine you'd keep me up all night.

11:32 C.

11:33 Did you see the police?

11:35 They saw everything black.

11:37 D.

11:37 Did you see the police?

11:39 They saw everything red.

11:41 E.

11:41 Get ready because now I'm going to tell you all sorts of things.

11:45 Think about it for a few seconds...

11:50 The correct answer is...

11:52 E: "Get ready because now I'm going to tell you all

11:57 sorts of things." To tell you all sorts of things (about someone,

12:01 i.e., a person) means "to heavily insult or harshly criticize another." person”.

12:09 It is not out of the question that a person who offers you a ride,

12:13 despite having drunk too much, who leaves you stranded in the middle

12:16 of the night and forces you to call a taxi,

12:19 it is not out of the question, as I was saying,

12:22 that such a person will make you want to “tell him all sorts of things”.

12:27 The expression can also be used

12:29 in a sentence like this: "After hearing his accusations,

12:32 she told him all sorts of things

12:34 in front of all her colleagues." ________________ Being/staying broke,

12:38 on the other hand, means “not having any money left”.

12:42 An example of its use is the following:

12:44 "After paying the rent, bills, and insurance,

12:46 I'm already broke and there are still two weeks left until

12:50 the end of the month." ________________ Spending a sleepless night means,

12:53 on the other hand, “not being able to sleep all night”.

12:58 For example: "That coffee I drank late last night kept me up all night,

13:03 now I feel like a wreck." ________________ Seeing everything in black,

13:07 on the other hand, means “being very pessimistic about a certain situation.

13:11 For example: "Stop always seeing everything in black!

13:15 Even if you failed the exam, you'll see that you'll have plenty

13:18 of opportunities to recover." ________________ Finally,

13:20 seeing red means "to completely lose one's mind due to intense anger." The image

13:27 recalls blood "rising to the head" or the red flag used in bullfights.

13:33 An example of its use is this: "As soon

13:35 as he discovered that his new car had been scratched, he started seeing red: so,

13:40 he attacked the whole group before even

13:42 knowing who was responsible." ________________ YouTube 5.

13:48 In the fifth situation,

13:49 we will look at some expressions that refer to natural elements.

13:53 This is the situation: You are at the cinema.

13:56 A beautiful girl is sitting next to you,

13:59 who apparently came to see the movie alone.

14:02 The lights are still on, the movie hasn't started yet.

14:05 You decide to take advantage of the next few minutes to try and talk to her.

14:09 What do you think?

14:10 A.

14:11 I'll try to say something to break the ice.

14:14 B.

14:15 Let's hope I fail again this time.

14:19 C.

14:19 If she were to treat me with indifference, I'd be over the moon.

14:24 D.

14:24 Who knows, romance might blossom!

14:26 There you go, yes, so bring your feet back to earth.

14:31 E.

14:31 Now I'll add fuel to the fire and ask her if she has a boyfriend.

14:36 The correct answer is… A: “I'll try to say something

14:44 to break the ice.” To break the ice means “to do

14:51 or say something to overcome the initial awkwardness in a conversation.”

14:56 An expression that probably exists in your language too, right?

15:00 Anyone who finds themselves in a movie next

15:01 to a stranger and wants to talk to her finds

15:03 themselves in the situation of having to “break

15:06 the ice.” Another example of its use is the following:

15:09 "The first meeting started in total silence,

15:12 so I decided to tell a joke to break the ice and make

15:17 the new colleagues smile." ________________ To fail

15:20 completely means "to completely fail in an attempt,

15:24 to achieve no results after having put in the effort." For example:

15:29 "We tried to convince the boss to give us a raise, but it was a flop:

15:34 he told us there was no budget."

15:36 ________________ To be in seventh heaven, continuing,

15:38 means "to be immensely happy for something

15:41 good that has happened." You could say,

15:44 for example: "Since she learned she had won the scholarship to the Sorbonne,

15:48 Giulia has been in seventh heaven." ________________ To come back down to earth

15:53 means "to stop dreaming or fantasizing and face concrete reality." For example:

15:59 "Stop dreaming of winning the lottery: it's time to come back down to earth

16:03 and look for a serious job." ________________ And finally,

16:07 to add fuel to the fire means to "escalate

16:10 an already tense situation with provocative words or actions." For example:

16:16 "Those two were already arguing heatedly,

16:18 then Massimo added fuel to the fire by reminding Gaspare of an old debt,

16:24 ultimately turning the argument into a brawl." ________________ Okay,

16:27 at this point, the quiz is over.

16:30 So, let's see how it went, let's see your score.

16:33 I'll give you a few seconds to calculate it, if you haven't already.

16:37 If you answered 5 out of 5 questions correctly, congratulations:

16:42 at least in terms of understanding idioms, you're doing very well.

16:48 Using them, however, is another matter.

16:50 If you got 4 or 3 answers correct, your Italian is quite idiomatic,

16:55 but perhaps there are other expressions you still need to discover.

16:59 If you only got 1 or 2 answers right, you still have a lot to discover.

17:04 Whatever your score on this quiz, if you want to improve your Italian,

17:09 not only by understanding idioms but, more importantly,

17:13 by using them and integrating them

17:16 into your spoken Italian (and impressing native speakers), I have news for you.

17:22 Podcast Italiano's new challenge, Italian Idioms in 21 Days.

17:27 It's a 7-module course, featuring 7 podcasts,

17:32 7 explanatory videos, 7 reviews, and 35 exercises.

17:36 In 3 weeks (21 days), you'll understand and master 70 Italian idioms,

17:43 a variety that will allow you

17:45 to express yourself much more naturally with Italians,

17:49 because we've selected 70 very common, widely used idioms.

17:53 In the course, we'll begin with a story written in diary format,

17:58 the story of student Charlie; we'll analyze the idioms present in each chapter;

18:03 we'll compare the story's passages with other examples from authentic texts,

18:08 texts we've found online; we'll understand the meaning of the idioms;

18:13 We'll look for its origins, and we'll practice a lot with lots of exercises,

18:19 because you need to be able to use these idioms, not just understand them.

18:24 So, mark it in your diary,

18:26 because the challenge starts on May 5th, and registration closes on May 5th.

18:32 So, this video is almost out!

18:37 I've left a link in the description of this video that will

18:41 take you to the page where you'll find all the course information.

18:44 That said, if you want to practice all the idioms we've covered in this video,

18:49 you can find them all, along with many exercises,

18:51 in the PDF we create for each video.

18:54 I hope to see you in the challenge; let's start soon!

18:59 It's going to be really, really fun!

19:04 So, see you next time.