Emotions Idioms
Italian idioms about emotions and feelings — 199 expressions
A2 — Elementary
Perdere la testa
"To lose the head"
To lose control of one's emotions or to fall madly in love
"Ha perso la testa per quella ragazza."
"He lost his head over that girl."
Avere la luna
"To have the moon"
To be irritable or in a foul mood for no apparent reason
"Stamattina ha la luna, meglio non parlargli."
"He is in a bad mood this morning, better not talk to him."
Avere il cuore di pietra
"To have a heart of stone"
To be cold and indifferent to others' suffering
"Non si è commosso neanche un po', ha proprio il cuore di pietra."
"He was not moved at all, he truly has a heart of stone."
Essere una testa calda
"To be a hot head"
To be impulsive and easily angered
"Non provocarlo, è una testa calda."
"Don't provoke him, he is hot-headed."
Essere di buon carattere
"To be of good character"
To naturally be kind, patient and easy-going
"È di buon carattere e va d'accordo con tutti."
"She has a good nature and gets along with everyone."
Essere a pezzi
"To be in pieces"
To be emotionally shattered or physically exhausted
"Dopo la notizia era a pezzi."
"After the news she was in pieces."
Essere di malumore
"To be of bad mood"
To feel irritable, grumpy or unhappy
"È di malumore oggi, stamattina non ha dormito bene."
"She is in a bad mood today, she did not sleep well this morning."
Avere la testa fra le nuvole
"To have the head among the clouds"
To be distracted and dreamy, not paying attention to reality
"Non ascolta mai, ha sempre la testa fra le nuvole."
"He never listens, he always has his head in the clouds."
Essere un tipo duro
"To be a hard type"
To be emotionally strong and resilient, hard to break down
"Non si lamenta mai, è un tipo duro."
"He never complains, he is a tough person."
Essere sulle nuvole
"To be on the clouds"
To be extremely happy and elated
"Da quando si è fidanzata è sulle nuvole."
"Since she got engaged she has been on cloud nine."
Fare il broncio
"To make the pout"
To sulk and show displeasure by staying silent and moody
"Smettila di fare il broncio e dimmi cosa è successo."
"Stop sulking and tell me what happened."
Essere una persona di carattere
"To be a person of character"
To be someone who has strong opinions and stands their ground
"Non si lascia convincere facilmente, è una persona di carattere."
"She is not easily persuaded, she is a strong-willed person."
Prendersi a cuore
"To take to heart"
To care deeply about something and invest emotionally in it
"Si è preso a cuore la causa dei bambini bisognosi."
"He took the cause of needy children to heart."
Essere di buon umore
"To be of good humor"
To feel cheerful and positive
"Oggi è di buon umore, ha ricevuto buone notizie."
"Today he is in a good mood, he received good news."
Essere un orso
"To be a bear"
To be gruff, unsociable and prefer being alone
"È un orso, non vuole mai uscire con gli amici."
"He is a bear, he never wants to go out with friends."
Prendere a cuore qualcosa
"To take something to heart"
To be deeply affected by or invested in something emotionally
"Prende a cuore ogni critica che riceve."
"She takes every criticism she receives to heart."
Essere un agnello
"To be a lamb"
To be very gentle, meek and calm in character
"Non si arrabbia mai, è un agnello."
"He never gets angry, he is a lamb."
Sentirsi al settimo cielo
"To feel in the seventh heaven"
To feel extremely happy and blissful
"Dopo la proposta di matrimonio si sentiva al settimo cielo."
"After the marriage proposal she felt on top of the world."
Fare il piagnucolone
"To be a big crybaby"
To always complain and whine about small problems
"Non fare il piagnucolone, sono solo piccoli ostacoli."
"Don't be a crybaby, these are just small obstacles."
Fare il piagnucolone
"To be a big whiner"
To constantly whine and complain about trivial matters
"Smettila di fare il piagnucolone."
"Stop being a whiner."
Avere il cuore spezzato
"To have a broken heart"
To feel great sadness after losing someone you love
"Dopo la rottura ha il cuore spezzato."
"After the break-up she has a broken heart."
Avere le farfalle nello stomaco
"To have butterflies in the stomach"
To feel nervous excitement, especially before an important event or when in love
"Ho le farfalle nello stomaco prima del colloquio."
"I have butterflies in my stomach before the interview."
Avere un carattere difficile
"To have a difficult character"
To be someone who is hard to get along with
"Non è facile lavorare con lui, ha un carattere difficile."
"It is not easy working with him, he has a difficult personality."
Essere al verde
"To be at the green"
To have no money at all
"Non posso venire, sono al verde questo mese."
"I cannot come, I am broke this month."
Essere un tipo solare
"To be a solar type"
To be naturally cheerful, positive and bright in personality
"È un tipo solare, trasmette positività a tutti."
"She is a sunny person, she spreads positivity to everyone."
Avere una bella cera
"To have a beautiful wax complexion"
To look good and healthy
"Hai una bella cera oggi, stai bene?"
"You look well today, are you feeling good?"
Avere una brutta cera
"To have an ugly wax complexion"
To look tired, ill or emotionally worn out
"Hai una brutta cera, ti senti bene?"
"You look unwell, are you feeling okay?"
Buttarsi giù
"To throw oneself down"
To deprecate oneself, to lose confidence and feel low
"Non buttarti giù per un errore."
"Don't be hard on yourself for a mistake."
Avere la testa dura
"To have a hard head"
To be very stubborn and not easily persuaded
"È inutile discutere, ha la testa dura."
"It is useless arguing, she is hardheaded."
Essere pieno di sé
"To be full of oneself"
To be conceited and think too highly of oneself
"Non sopporto il suo atteggiamento, è troppo pieno di sé."
"I cannot stand his attitude, he is too full of himself."
Essere in gamba
"To be in leg"
To be capable, competent and quick-thinking
"È molto in gamba, risolve tutti i problemi velocemente."
"He is very sharp, he solves all problems quickly."
Essere un brontolone
"To be a big grumbler"
To always complain and be chronically dissatisfied
"È un brontolone, trova sempre qualcosa di cui lamentarsi."
"He is a grouch, he always finds something to complain about."
Avere una personalità forte
"To have a strong personality"
To have a powerful and dominant way of presenting oneself
"Ha una personalità forte e tende a dominare le conversazioni."
"She has a strong personality and tends to dominate conversations."
Essere un tipo chiuso
"To be a closed type"
To be introverted and not open to sharing feelings
"È un tipo chiuso, non parla mai dei suoi problemi."
"He is a closed person, he never talks about his problems."
Avere una mente aperta
"To have an open mind"
To be open to new ideas and different perspectives
"Ha una mente aperta, accetta punti di vista diversi."
"She has an open mind, she accepts different points of view."
Essere a terra
"To be on the ground"
To be in a state of deep depression or exhaustion
"Dopo la separazione era completamente a terra."
"After the separation he was completely at rock bottom."
Avere i brividi
"To have the shivers"
To feel a strong emotional reaction such as fear, excitement or disgust
"Quella musica mi fa venire i brividi."
"That music gives me the chills."
Essere un leone
"To be a lion"
To be courageous and bold in facing challenges
"In campo è un leone, non ha paura di nessuno."
"On the field he is a lion, he is not afraid of anyone."
Essere un tipo riservato
"To be a reserved type"
To be private and not share personal information easily
"È un tipo riservato, non parla molto di sé."
"She is a reserved person, she does not talk much about herself."
Rompere le scatole
"To break the boxes"
To be annoying and bother someone persistently
"Smettila di rompermi le scatole!"
"Stop being a pain in my neck!"
Essere una persona dolce
"To be a sweet person"
To be kind, gentle and tender in manner
"È una persona dolce, sempre pronta ad aiutare."
"She is a sweet person, always ready to help."
Non avere cuore
"To not have a heart"
To lack empathy and compassion for others
"Come si fa a non aiutarlo? Non hai cuore?"
"How can you not help him? Are you heartless?"
Stare in pena
"To stand in pain"
To feel deep worry and anxiety about someone or something
"Stavo in pena per te tutta la notte."
"I was worried sick about you all night."
Fare una scenata
"To make a scene"
To cause an emotional outburst in public
"Ha fatto una scenata in mezzo alla strada."
"She made a scene in the middle of the street."
Prendersela
"To take it for oneself"
To feel hurt or offended by something
"Non prendertela, lo diceva per scherzare."
"Don't take it personally, he was just joking."
Essere schizzinoso
"To be splashy / squeamish"
To be very particular and hard to please
"È molto schizzinoso con il cibo."
"He is very fussy about food."
Avere un cuore grande
"To have a big heart"
To be extremely generous and caring
"Ha un cuore grande, aiuta sempre tutti."
"She has a big heart, she always helps everyone."
Essere un tipo espansivo
"To be an expansive type"
To be warm, sociable and demonstrative in emotions
"È un tipo espansivo, abbraccia subito tutti."
"She is an outgoing person, she hugs everyone right away."
Sentirsi in colpa
"To feel oneself at fault"
To experience a feeling of guilt for something
"Mi sento in colpa per non aver chiamato."
"I feel guilty for not having called."
Avere buona volontà
"To have good will"
To genuinely want to do good and put in the effort
"Non è bravissimo ma ha buona volontà."
"He is not the most talented but he has good will."
Avere poca pazienza
"To have little patience"
To get frustrated quickly when things do not go fast enough
"Ha poca pazienza con i bambini."
"She has little patience with children."
Tenere duro
"To keep hard"
To persevere and not give in under difficult circumstances
"Tieni duro, manca poco alla fine."
"Hang tough, the end is near."
Essere un falso
"To be a false one"
To be insincere and present a fake personality to others
"Non mi fido di lui, è un falso."
"I don't trust him, he is two-faced."
Fare finta di niente
"To pretend nothing"
To deliberately ignore something and carry on as normal
"Dopo la lite ha fatto finta di niente."
"After the argument she acted as if nothing happened."
Essere pieno di energia
"To be full of energy"
To have great vitality and enthusiasm
"È sempre pieno di energia, non si stanca mai."
"He is always full of energy, he never gets tired."
Avere la testa piena di idee
"To have the head full of ideas"
To be a very creative and imaginative person
"Ha sempre la testa piena di idee, è molto creativo."
"He always has a head full of ideas, he is very creative."
Avere senso dell'umorismo
"To have sense of humor"
To be able to appreciate and create comedy and jokes
"Ha un ottimo senso dell'umorismo, sa ridere anche di se stesso."
"He has an excellent sense of humour, he can even laugh at himself."
Essere una persona diretta
"To be a direct person"
To say exactly what one thinks without unnecessary subtlety
"Apprezzo che sia una persona diretta."
"I appreciate that she is a direct person."
Perdere la calma
"To lose the calm"
To stop being patient and start showing anger or frustration
"Ha perso la calma dopo ore di discussione."
"He lost his cool after hours of discussion."
Essere un tipo generoso
"To be a generous type"
To freely give one's time, money or affection to others
"È un tipo generoso, divide sempre tutto con gli altri."
"He is a generous person, he always shares everything with others."
Essere una persona corretta
"To be a correct person"
To be honest and fair in one's dealings with others
"È sempre stata una persona corretta negli affari."
"She has always been a fair-minded person in business."
Avere stile
"To have style"
To carry oneself with elegance and confidence
"Qualunque cosa indossi, ha sempre stile."
"Whatever she wears, she always has style."
Avere classe
"To have class"
To behave in an elegant and dignified manner
"Ha risposto con dignità alle critiche — ha classe."
"She responded to the criticism with dignity — she has class."
Essere un tipo sensibile
"To be a sensitive type"
To be easily affected emotionally and to feel things deeply
"È un tipo sensibile, si emoziona facilmente."
"He is a sensitive person, he gets emotional easily."
Essere un tipo appassionato
"To be a passionate type"
To feel and express emotions with great intensity and enthusiasm
"È un tipo appassionato, fa ogni cosa con tutto se stesso."
"He is a passionate person, he does everything with all of himself."
Essere come l'acqua e il fuoco
"To be like water and fire"
To have completely opposite personalities and not get along at all
"Quei due fratelli sono come l'acqua e il fuoco."
"Those two brothers are like fire and water."
B1 — Intermediate
Avere il sangue freddo
"To have cold blood"
To stay calm and composed under pressure or in dangerous situations
"In quella situazione difficile ha avuto il sangue freddo."
"In that difficult situation he kept his cool."
Avere il cuore in gola
"To have the heart in the throat"
To be very scared or anxious about something
"Quando ho sentito quel rumore strano avevo il cuore in gola."
"When I heard that strange noise my heart was in my mouth."
Stare sulle spine
"To be on thorns"
To be in a state of anxiety or suspense waiting for something
"Sto sulle spine aspettando i risultati dell'esame."
"I am on pins and needles waiting for the exam results."
Essere un buon diavolo
"To be a good devil"
To be a kind and decent person despite appearances
"Sembra burbero ma in fondo è un buon diavolo."
"He seems gruff but deep down he is a good soul."
Avere il dente avvelenato
"To have a poisoned tooth"
To bear a long-lasting resentment against someone
"Ce l'ha ancora con me, ha il dente avvelenato."
"He is still angry with me, he holds a grudge."
Sentirsi con l'acqua alla gola
"To feel with water at the throat"
To feel overwhelmed and desperate, with no way out
"Con tutti questi debiti mi sento con l'acqua alla gola."
"With all these debts I feel my back is against the wall."
Avere la coda di paglia
"To have a straw tail"
To feel guilty and to be quick to take offense because of it
"Si è arrabbiato subito — ha la coda di paglia."
"He got angry right away — he has a guilty conscience."
Avere stomaco
"To have stomach"
To have the courage and resilience to face difficult things
"Per fare questo lavoro ci vuole stomaco."
"You need guts to do this job."
Avere il cuore sul palmo della mano
"To have the heart on the palm of the hand"
To be very generous and open-hearted
"È una persona che ha il cuore sul palmo della mano."
"She is a person who wears her heart on her sleeve."
Andare fuori di testa
"To go outside of one's head"
To become very anxious, angry or crazy
"Con tutto questo stress sto andando fuori di testa."
"With all this stress I am going out of my mind."
Essere tutto pepe
"To be all pepper"
To be very lively, spirited and energetic
"Quella bambina è tutta pepe, non sta mai ferma."
"That little girl is full of fire, she never stays still."
Avere i nervi a fior di pelle
"To have nerves at the surface of the skin"
To be extremely irritable and sensitive
"Ultimamente ho i nervi a fior di pelle."
"Lately I have been on edge."
Avere il cuore leggero
"To have a light heart"
To feel carefree and unburdened, free from worries
"Dopo aver confessato tutto mi sento con il cuore leggero."
"After confessing everything I feel a light heart."
Essere su di giri
"To be up on revs"
To be very excited or agitated
"I bambini sono su di giri prima della festa."
"The children are hyped up before the party."
Avere il sangue caldo
"To have hot blood"
To be passionate and quick to react emotionally
"È del Sud, ha il sangue caldo."
"He is from the South, he is hot-blooded."
Essere di pietra
"To be of stone"
To be emotionally cold and unmoved by anything
"Non ha pianto neanche al funerale, sembra di pietra."
"He did not even cry at the funeral, he seems made of stone."
Non stare nella pelle
"Not to fit in one's skin"
To be so excited or happy that you can hardly contain yourself
"Non stava nella pelle per la gioia quando ha vinto."
"She was beside herself with excitement when she won."
Prenderla con filosofia
"To take it with philosophy"
To accept bad situations calmly without getting upset
"Ho perso il lavoro, ma la prendo con filosofia."
"I lost my job, but I am taking it philosophically."
Avere il fuoco dentro
"To have the fire inside"
To feel intense passion, motivation or anger burning within
"Si vede che ha il fuoco dentro quando parla del suo progetto."
"You can tell she has fire inside when she talks about her project."
Avere grilli per la testa
"To have crickets in one's head"
To have unusual or impractical ideas and whims
"Ha sempre grilli per la testa, non è mai soddisfatto."
"He always has bees in his bonnet, he is never satisfied."
Avere il cuore gonfio
"To have a swollen heart"
To feel deeply sad and burdened by grief or sorrow
"Ho il cuore gonfio di tristezza dopo quella notizia."
"I have a heavy heart with sadness after that news."
Avere il cuore in mano
"To have the heart in hand"
To be warm and generous in spirit, ready to help others
"Ha sempre il cuore in mano, darebbe tutto agli altri."
"She is always tender-hearted, she would give everything to others."
Camminare a testa alta
"To walk with the head high"
To behave with dignity and pride, not feeling shame
"Nonostante le difficoltà cammina sempre a testa alta."
"Despite the difficulties she always walks with her head held high."
Avere la puzza sotto il naso
"To have a stench under the nose"
To act arrogantly and look down on others
"Non saluta nessuno, ha la puzza sotto il naso."
"She does not greet anyone, she is very snooty."
Essere col morale a terra
"To be with morale on the ground"
To feel very low, depressed and without motivation
"Dopo la bocciatura è col morale a terra."
"After failing the exam he is down in the dumps."
Non avere peli sulla lingua
"To not have hairs on one's tongue"
To speak very directly and honestly without holding back
"Dice sempre quello che pensa, non ha peli sulla lingua."
"She always says what she thinks, she does not mince her words."
Non avere peli sulla lingua
"To not have hairs on the tongue"
To say exactly what one thinks without filtering
"Ha detto al capo cosa pensava davvero — non ha peli sulla lingua."
"He told his boss exactly what he thought — he does not mince his words."
Avere paura della propria ombra
"To be afraid of one's own shadow"
To be extremely timid and frightened by almost everything
"È così timido che ha paura della propria ombra."
"He is so timid that he is afraid of his own shadow."
Avere il mondo ai propri piedi
"To have the world at one's feet"
To feel full of potential and capable of achieving anything
"Da giovane sentiva di avere il mondo ai piedi."
"When young she felt she had the world at her feet."
Essere in preda al panico
"To be prey to panic"
To be overwhelmed by fear and unable to think clearly
"Era in preda al panico quando ha perso il passaporto."
"He was seized by panic when he lost his passport."
Essere di pasta frolla
"To be made of shortcrust pastry"
To be physically or emotionally weak and easily broken
"Non regge nessuna critica, è di pasta frolla."
"He cannot handle any criticism, he is too soft."
Essere di manica larga
"To have wide sleeves"
To be generous, lenient or permissive
"Il professore è di manica larga con i voti."
"The professor is generous with grades."
Avere le mani bucate
"To have holes in one's hands"
To spend money very easily and carelessly
"Non riesce mai a risparmiare, ha le mani bucate."
"He can never save money, he has a hole in his pocket."
Avere il fegato di fare qualcosa
"To have the liver to do something"
To have enough courage to do something bold or risky
"Ha avuto il fegato di dirgli la verità in faccia."
"She had the guts to tell him the truth to his face."
Sentirsi un pesce fuor d'acqua
"To feel like a fish out of water"
To feel out of place in an environment or situation
"Mi sento un pesce fuor d'acqua a queste feste formali."
"I feel like a fish out of water at these formal parties."
Sentirsi le gambe di cotone
"To feel one's legs made of cotton"
To feel weak in the legs from fear or emotion
"Quando ha sentito la notizia si è sentita le gambe di cotone."
"When she heard the news her legs turned to jelly."
Avere il braccino corto
"To have a short little arm"
To be stingy and reluctant to spend money
"Non ha mai offerto niente a nessuno, ha il braccino corto."
"He has never offered anything to anyone, he is tightfisted."
Montarsi la testa
"To mount one's head"
To become arrogant and full of oneself after success
"Da quando è famoso si è montato la testa."
"Since he became famous he has gotten a big head."
Essere una testa di legno
"To be a wooden head"
To be very stubborn and refuse to change one's mind
"Non cambia mai opinione, è una vera testa di legno."
"He never changes his opinion, he is a real blockhead."
Avere il cuore di leone
"To have the heart of a lion"
To be very brave and courageous
"Ha affrontato la malattia con il cuore di leone."
"She faced the illness with the heart of a lion."
Avere gli occhi lucidi
"To have shiny eyes"
To have eyes filled with tears from emotion
"Aveva gli occhi lucidi durante il discorso di addio."
"She had glistening eyes during the farewell speech."
Perdere le staffe
"To lose the stirrups"
To suddenly lose control and get very angry
"Ha perso le staffe quando ha sentito quella bugia."
"He lost his temper when he heard that lie."
Andare in bestia
"To go into the beast"
To become furiously angry
"Vai in bestia per qualsiasi cosa."
"You fly into a rage over anything."
Avere la testa sulle spalle
"To have the head on one's shoulders"
To be sensible, levelheaded and realistic
"Non ti preoccupare per lei, ha la testa sulle spalle."
"Don't worry about her, she has her head screwed on."
Stare con i piedi per terra
"To stay with feet on the ground"
To remain practical and realistic, not carried away by fantasies
"Sogna in grande ma sa stare con i piedi per terra."
"She dreams big but knows how to keep her feet on the ground."
Avere la puzza al naso
"To have a stench at the nose"
To act superior and disdainful toward others
"Non parla con nessuno, ha la puzza al naso."
"She does not talk to anyone, she is stuck-up."
Avere il coraggio di un leone
"To have the courage of a lion"
To be exceptionally brave
"Ha affrontato l'operazione con il coraggio di un leone."
"She faced the surgery with the courage of a lion."
Guardare con il naso all'insù
"To look with nose turned up"
To act arrogantly and treat others as inferior
"Da quando ha successo guarda tutti con il naso all'insù."
"Since he became successful he looks down on everyone."
Sentirsi rinascere
"To feel oneself reborn"
To feel a strong sense of renewal and refreshed energy
"Dopo le vacanze mi sono sentito rinascere."
"After the holidays I felt reborn."
Avere la faccia tosta
"To have a bold face"
To behave shamelessly and without embarrassment
"Ha la faccia tosta di chiedere scusa dopo quello che ha fatto."
"She has the nerve to apologize after what she did."
Essere una persona alla mano
"To be a person at hand"
To be approachable and easy to talk to regardless of status
"Nonostante il successo è rimasto una persona alla mano."
"Despite his success he has remained a down-to-earth person."
Avere la lingua lunga
"To have a long tongue"
To talk too much, especially by spreading secrets or gossip
"Non dirle niente, ha la lingua lunga."
"Don't tell her anything, she has a big mouth."
Portare il peso del mondo sulle spalle
"To carry the weight of the world on the shoulders"
To feel overwhelmed with responsibilities and worries
"Si vede che porta il peso del mondo sulle spalle."
"You can see she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders."
Avere i brividi lungo la schiena
"To have shivers along the back"
To feel an intense emotional shiver from fear or strong emotion
"Quando ha sentito quella storia aveva i brividi lungo la schiena."
"When she heard that story she had chills running down her spine."
Stare come il fumo negli occhi
"To be like smoke in the eyes"
To be someone who is extremely annoying and irritating to you
"Quel collega mi sta come il fumo negli occhi."
"That colleague is like a thorn in my side."
Essere un tipo burbero
"To be a gruff type"
To have a rough exterior and be socially abrupt
"Sembra un tipo burbero ma in realtà è gentile."
"He seems gruff but he is actually kind."
Essere di spirito
"To be of spirit"
To be clever and amusing in speech
"È molto di spirito, sa sempre far ridere tutti."
"She is very witty, she always knows how to make everyone laugh."
Stare con il fiato sospeso
"To stay with one's breath suspended"
To wait anxiously for the outcome of something
"Stavamo tutti con il fiato sospeso aspettando il risultato."
"We were all holding our breath waiting for the result."
Avere la mosca al naso
"To have the fly on the nose"
To be easily irritated and quick to take offense
"Oggi ha la mosca al naso, meglio non avvicinarsi."
"Today he is touchy, better not approach him."
Avere le ali ai piedi
"To have wings at the feet"
To feel a rush of energy and move with great speed and enthusiasm
"Da quando ha quella notizia sembra avere le ali ai piedi."
"Since he got that news he seems to have wings on his feet."
Avere la coscienza sporca
"To have a dirty conscience"
To feel guilty about something bad one has done
"Non riesce a dormire, ha la coscienza sporca."
"He cannot sleep, he has a guilty conscience."
Avere la coscienza pulita
"To have a clean conscience"
To feel no guilt and know that one has acted rightly
"Posso dormire tranquillo, ho la coscienza pulita."
"I can sleep peacefully, I have a clear conscience."
Essere in sintonia
"To be in tune"
To understand each other perfectly and share feelings
"Quei due sono sempre in sintonia."
"Those two are always on the same wavelength."
Sentirsi scoppiare di gioia
"To feel oneself burst with joy"
To feel so happy that the feeling seems too great to contain
"Mi sentivo scoppiare di gioia quando ho saputo la notizia."
"I was bursting with joy when I found out the news."
Avere una vena artistica
"To have an artistic vein"
To have a natural inclination toward artistic expression
"Ha una vena artistica notevole, disegna magnificamente."
"She has a notable artistic streak, she draws beautifully."
Essere di buona pasta
"To be of good dough"
To be a genuinely kind and good-hearted person
"È di buona pasta, non farebbe del male a nessuno."
"She is good-natured, she would not hurt anyone."
Essere goloso come un riccio
"To be as greedy as a hedgehog"
To be very fond of sweets and food
"È golosa come un riccio, soprattutto per i dolci."
"She has a real sweet tooth, especially for desserts."
Essere un tipo leggero
"To be a light type"
To be someone who does not take things seriously
"È un tipo leggero, non si preoccupa di niente."
"He is a light-hearted person, he does not worry about anything."
Avere i nervi saldi
"To have firm nerves"
To be calm and unshaken under pressure
"In quelle situazioni ci vuole qualcuno con i nervi saldi."
"In those situations you need someone with steady nerves."
Avere coraggio da vendere
"To have courage to sell"
To have more than enough bravery for any situation
"Ha coraggio da vendere, niente la spaventa."
"She has courage to spare, nothing scares her."
Avere una grinta da vendere
"To have grit to sell"
To be highly determined and driven
"Quel calciatore ha una grinta da vendere."
"That footballer has determination in abundance."
Avere una testa di ferro
"To have an iron head"
To be extremely determined and inflexible
"Ha una testa di ferro, non demorde mai."
"She has an iron will, she never gives up."
Essere di animo gentile
"To be of gentle soul"
To have a naturally kind and compassionate nature
"È di animo gentile, si preoccupa sempre per gli altri."
"She is gentle-spirited, she always worries about others."
Essere nervoso come un gatto
"To be nervous as a cat"
To be very nervous and easily startled
"Prima del concerto era nervoso come un gatto."
"Before the concert he was as jumpy as a cat."
Avere l'ambizione nel sangue
"To have ambition in the blood"
To be naturally and deeply driven to succeed
"Ha l'ambizione nel sangue, non si accontenta mai."
"She has ambition in her blood, she is never satisfied."
Avere l'ambizione nel sangue
"To have ambition in the blood"
To be driven by a natural, deep-seated ambition
"Ha l'ambizione nel sangue, non si accontenta mai di poco."
"She has ambition in her blood, she never settles for little."
Sentirsi soffocare
"To feel oneself suffocating"
To feel overwhelmed and constrained by a situation or relationship
"In quella relazione si sentiva soffocare."
"In that relationship she felt suffocated."
Avere la pelle dura
"To have tough skin"
To be not easily hurt or offended by criticism
"In questo lavoro bisogna avere la pelle dura."
"In this job you need to be thick-skinned."
Essere suscettibile
"To be susceptible"
To take offense easily and be easily hurt
"È troppo suscettibile, si offende per niente."
"She is too touchy, she takes offense over nothing."
Avere il petto gonfio d'orgoglio
"To have the chest swollen with pride"
To feel great pride and satisfaction
"Aveva il petto gonfio d'orgoglio alla laurea di sua figlia."
"His chest swelled with pride at his daughter's graduation."
Far rizzare i capelli
"To make the hairs stand straight"
To cause extreme fear or horror
"Quella storia fa rizzare i capelli."
"That story makes your hair stand on end."
Far rizzare i capelli
"To make the hairs stand straight"
To cause extreme fear or horror in someone
"Quella storia ti fa rizzare i capelli."
"That story makes your hair stand on end."
Andare a testa bassa
"To go with head low"
To work with determination without looking up or complaining
"Va sempre a testa bassa, non si ferma mai."
"She always puts her head down and works hard."
Avere il fiuto
"To have the nose/snout"
To have sharp instincts and an ability to sense things before they happen
"Ha il fiuto per gli affari, riesce sempre a fare buoni investimenti."
"She has a nose for business, she always manages to make good investments."
Sentirsi travolto dalle emozioni
"To feel swept away by emotions"
To be overcome by a powerful rush of feelings
"Guardando quelle foto mi sono sentito travolto dalle emozioni."
"Looking at those photos I was overwhelmed by emotions."
Rimanere di sasso
"To remain like a stone"
To be so shocked or surprised that one cannot move or speak
"Sono rimasto di sasso quando l'ho visto."
"I was dumbstruck when I saw him."
Essere una persona quadrata
"To be a square person"
To be reliable, balanced and sensible in character
"È una persona quadrata, ci si può sempre fidare."
"He is a solid person, you can always trust him."
Avere un debole per qualcuno
"To have a weakness for someone"
To feel a special tenderness or fondness for someone
"Ha sempre avuto un debole per lei."
"He has always had a soft spot for her."
Avere spirito di iniziativa
"To have spirit of initiative"
To proactively take action without waiting to be told
"Ha spirito di iniziativa, non aspetta che glielo chiedano."
"She shows initiative, she does not wait to be asked."
Essere in pace con se stessi
"To be in peace with oneself"
To be emotionally content and free from inner conflict
"Da quando ha lasciato quel lavoro è finalmente in pace con se stesso."
"Since leaving that job he is finally at peace with himself."
Essere duro di cuore
"To be hard of heart"
To be insensitive to the suffering of others
"Non si è commosso neanche un po', è duro di cuore."
"He was not moved at all, he is hard-hearted."
Avere nervi di acciaio
"To have nerves of steel"
To remain completely calm and unshaken under extreme pressure
"Per quel lavoro ci vogliono nervi di acciaio."
"That job requires nerves of steel."
Essere una testa quadra
"To be a square head"
To think logically and practically
"È una testa quadra, risolve tutto con metodo."
"He is clear-headed, he solves everything methodically."
Avere il cuore tenero
"To have a tender heart"
To be easily moved by others' emotions and very compassionate
"Ha il cuore tenero, si commuove per poco."
"She is soft-hearted, she gets emotional easily."
Avere una marcia in più
"To have one gear more"
To have special talent or determination that sets you apart
"Rispetto agli altri ha sempre una marcia in più."
"Compared to the others she always has an extra gear."
Avere forza di volontà
"To have strength of will"
To have the inner strength to pursue one's goals despite obstacles
"Ha smesso di fumare grazie alla sua forza di volontà."
"She quit smoking thanks to her willpower."
Essere geloso come una tigre
"To be jealous as a tiger"
To be extremely jealous and protective
"È geloso come una tigre, non sopporta che lei parli con altri."
"He is fiercely jealous, he cannot stand her talking to others."
Sentirsi vuoto dentro
"To feel empty inside"
To feel a deep emotional emptiness and lack of purpose
"Dopo la perdita si sentiva vuoto dentro."
"After the loss he felt empty inside."
Avere i piedi per terra
"To have feet on the ground"
To be realistic and practical in one's approach to life
"Nonostante il successo ha sempre i piedi per terra."
"Despite his success he always has his feet on the ground."
Sentirsi come un pesce nell'acqua
"To feel like a fish in the water"
To feel completely at ease in a situation or environment
"In quella compagnia si sente come un pesce nell'acqua."
"In that company she feels like a fish in water."
Avere una pazienza da santo
"To have the patience of a saint"
To be extraordinarily patient and tolerant
"Per fare il maestro ci vuole una pazienza da santo."
"To be a teacher you need the patience of a saint."
Avere la mente vivace
"To have a lively mind"
To think quickly and be intellectually sharp and curious
"Ha una mente vivace, assorbe tutto velocemente."
"She has a lively mind, she absorbs everything quickly."
Portare rancore
"To carry resentment"
To maintain bitterness and resentment over time for someone who hurt you
"Non porta rancore, perdona facilmente."
"She does not hold grudges, she forgives easily."
Essere vanitoso come un pavone
"To be vain as a peacock"
To be extremely vain and self-admiring
"Si guarda allo specchio ogni minuto, è vanitoso come un pavone."
"He looks in the mirror every minute, he is as vain as a peacock."
Essere vanitoso come un pavone
"To be vain as a peacock"
To be excessively proud of one's appearance
"Passa ore davanti allo specchio, è vanitoso come un pavone."
"He spends hours in front of the mirror, he is as vain as a peacock."
Stare con le orecchie tese
"To stand with ears stretched"
To listen very attentively with great interest or worry
"Stava con le orecchie tese cercando di sentire ogni parola."
"She had her ears pricked up trying to hear every word."
Avere le spalle larghe
"To have broad shoulders"
To be able to take on criticism, blame or burdens without breaking
"È il capo, deve avere le spalle larghe."
"He is the boss, he must have broad shoulders."
Avere il cuore aperto
"To have an open heart"
To be open, warm and welcoming toward others
"Ha il cuore aperto verso tutti, senza pregiudizi."
"She has an open heart toward everyone, without prejudice."
Avere la testa piena di sogni
"To have the head full of dreams"
To be idealistic and often lost in aspirations and fantasies
"Ha la testa piena di sogni, ma poca concretezza."
"He has his head full of dreams but little concreteness."
Rimanere con l'amaro in bocca
"To remain with the bitter taste in the mouth"
To feel disappointed and resentful after an unfair or unpleasant experience
"Quella decisione mi ha lasciato con l'amaro in bocca."
"That decision left me with a bitter taste in my mouth."
Avere due facce
"To have two faces"
To behave very differently depending on who is watching
"Non mi fido di lui: ha due facce."
"I don't trust him: he is two-faced."
Vivere di speranza
"To live on hope"
To get by sustained only by hope, often without concrete results
"Non ha ancora trovato lavoro ma vive di speranza."
"He has not found a job yet but he lives on hope."
Avere il cuore pieno
"To have the heart full"
To feel so much emotion that one can barely express it
"Ho il cuore pieno di gratitudine per tutto quello che hai fatto."
"My heart is full of gratitude for everything you have done."
B2 — Upper Intermediate
Essere fuori dai gangheri
"To be off the hinges"
To be extremely angry and out of control
"Quando ha saputo la notizia era fuori dai gangheri."
"When he found out the news he was beside himself with rage."
Avere la bava alla bocca
"To have foam at the mouth"
To be extremely angry and furious
"Era così arrabbiato che aveva la bava alla bocca."
"He was so angry he was foaming at the mouth."
Avere il pelo sullo stomaco
"To have hair on the stomach"
To be unscrupulous and able to do anything without feeling guilt
"Riesce a mentire senza vergogna, ha il pelo sullo stomaco."
"He can lie without shame, he is unscrupulous."
Fare buon viso a cattiva sorte
"To make a good face at bad fortune"
To pretend to be okay and accept bad situations without complaining
"Ha fatto buon viso a cattiva sorte nonostante la delusione."
"She put a brave face on it despite the disappointment."
Avere i piedi di piombo
"To have feet of lead"
To act with great caution and deliberateness
"In questa situazione bisogna avere i piedi di piombo."
"In this situation you need to proceed with great caution."
Essere tutto d'un pezzo
"To be all of one piece"
To be a person of firm principles who does not compromise their values
"È una persona tutto d'un pezzo, non tradisce mai i suoi valori."
"He is a person of integrity, he never betrays his values."
Essere al di sopra delle righe
"To be above the lines"
To behave in a theatrical or exaggerated way
"Il suo comportamento è sempre un po' al di sopra delle righe."
"His behavior is always a bit over the top."
Avere qualcosa che rode
"To have something that gnaws"
To feel an inner unease or resentment that keeps bothering you
"Si vede che ha qualcosa che gli rode da giorni."
"You can tell he has something eating at him for days."
Avere il coltello tra i denti
"To have the knife between the teeth"
To be in an aggressive, fighting mood
"Arriva sempre alle riunioni con il coltello tra i denti."
"He always arrives at meetings in a combative mood."
Avere il veleno dentro
"To have the poison inside"
To harbor deep resentment and bitterness within
"Si vede che ha il veleno dentro ogni volta che ne parla."
"You can tell he is full of bitterness every time he talks about it."
Avere un timore reverenziale
"To have reverential fear"
To feel a deep, almost fearful respect for someone
"Da piccolo aveva un timore reverenziale per il nonno."
"As a child he was in awe of his grandfather."
Avere una faccia come il culo
"To have a face like a backside"
To be completely shameless and brazen
"Ha chiesto di nuovo in prestito soldi — che faccia come il culo!"
"He asked to borrow money again — what unbelievable nerve!"
Avere una bella tempra
"To have a good temper of steel"
To have the inner strength to withstand difficulty
"Nonostante tutto, ha dimostrato di avere una bella tempra."
"Despite everything, she has shown great resilience."
Avere voce in capitolo
"To have a voice in the chapter"
To have influence or the right to express an opinion in a decision
"Vuole sempre avere voce in capitolo."
"He always wants to have a say."
Avere il veleno sulla lingua
"To have poison on the tongue"
To say very hurtful and cruel things
"Fa sempre dei commenti cattivi, ha il veleno sulla lingua."
"She always makes nasty remarks, she has a venomous tongue."
Avere mille sfaccettature
"To have a thousand facets"
To have a complex, layered personality with many different aspects
"È un personaggio che ha mille sfaccettature."
"He is a character who is multi-faceted."
Avere la lingua biforcuta
"To have a forked tongue"
To speak deceitfully, saying one thing and meaning another
"Non credere a quello che dice, ha la lingua biforcuta."
"Do not believe what he says, he has a forked tongue."
Essere una persona integra
"To be an upright person"
To be morally upright and never compromising one's values
"È una persona integra, non farebbe mai qualcosa di disonesto."
"She is a person of integrity, she would never do anything dishonest."
Avere il braccio lungo
"To have a long arm"
To have great influence and powerful connections
"In questa città ha il braccio lungo, conosce tutti."
"In this city he has a long arm, he knows everyone."
Avere un animo nobile
"To have a noble soul"
To be morally elevated, generous and selfless in character
"Ha un animo nobile, aiuta il prossimo senza aspettarsi niente."
"She has a noble soul, she helps others without expecting anything."