Work & Money Idioms
Italian idioms about work and money — 200 expressions
A2 — Elementary
Lavorare sodo
"To work solidly"
To work with great effort and dedication
"Ha lavorato sodo per anni prima di ottenere quella promozione."
"She worked hard for years before getting that promotion."
Essere al verde
"To be at the green (candle stub)"
To have no money left
"Non posso venire a cena, sono al verde fino alla fine del mese."
"I can't come to dinner — I'm broke until the end of the month."
Buttare i soldi dalla finestra
"To throw money out the window"
To waste money on useless things
"Comprare quella macchina di lusso è stato buttare i soldi dalla finestra."
"Buying that luxury car was throwing money out the window."
Chi dorme non piglia pesci
"He who sleeps catches no fish"
One must be active and diligent to succeed
"Smettila di aspettare il momento perfetto — chi dorme non piglia pesci."
"Stop waiting for the perfect moment — the early bird catches the worm."
Il tempo è denaro
"Time is money"
Time is a valuable resource that should not be wasted
"Smettila di perdere tempo in riunioni inutili — il tempo è denaro."
"Stop wasting time in pointless meetings — time is money."
Prendere due piccioni con una fava
"To catch two pigeons with one bean"
To achieve two goals with a single action
"Combinando viaggio di lavoro e vacanza, ha preso due piccioni con una fava."
"By combining a business trip and a holiday, he killed two birds with one stone."
Essere in gamba
"To be in leg"
To be capable, competent, and resourceful
"La nuova assunta è davvero in gamba — impara tutto velocemente."
"The new employee is really on the ball — she learns everything quickly."
Non c'è due senza tre
"There is no two without three"
If something has happened twice, it will likely happen a third time
"È la seconda volta che perdiamo un cliente importante — non c'è due senza tre."
"This is the second time we lost a major client — things always come in threes."
Perdere la testa
"To lose one's head"
To panic or lose composure under pressure at work
"Quando il sistema è andato giù, ha perso la testa invece di seguire il piano."
"When the system went down, he lost his head instead of following the plan."
Cavarsela
"To pull oneself out of it"
To manage in a difficult situation without help
"Nonostante il budget ridotto, l'azienda se la cava bene."
"Despite the reduced budget, the company is managing well."
Non vedere un euro
"Not to see a euro"
To not receive payment owed
"Ho consegnato il lavoro tre mesi fa e non ho ancora visto un euro."
"I delivered the work three months ago and haven't seen a cent."
Tirare avanti
"To pull forward"
To manage to survive financially with difficulty
"Il negozio non va bene, ma riusciamo a tirare avanti."
"The shop isn't doing well, but we manage to get by."
Guadagnarsi il pane
"To earn one's bread"
To earn money through honest work
"Si guadagna il pane come freelance nel campo del design."
"She earns her bread as a freelance designer."
Fare carriera
"To make career"
To advance professionally
"Ha fatto carriera grazie alla sua dedizione e competenza."
"She got ahead in her career thanks to her dedication and competence."
Essere alle prime armi
"To be at one's first weapons"
To be inexperienced in a profession or business
"È ancora alle prime armi come imprenditore, ma ha molto potenziale."
"He's still new to the trade as an entrepreneur, but has great potential."
Fare il ponte
"To make the bridge"
To take an extra day off to connect a public holiday with a weekend
"Quest'anno il primo maggio cade di giovedì — faremo il ponte."
"This year the first of May falls on a Thursday — we'll take a long weekend."
Fare la bella vita
"To live the beautiful life"
To live luxuriously without working hard
"Da quando ha venduto l'azienda, fa la bella vita."
"Ever since he sold the company, he's been living the good life."
Contare i soldi
"To count the money"
To be extremely careful about spending, especially when resources are tight
"In questo periodo di crisi, l'azienda conta ogni soldo."
"In this period of crisis, the company counts every penny."
Fare il proprio dovere
"To do one's duty"
To fulfill one's professional responsibilities
"Ha fatto il suo dovere nel segnalare le irregolarità contabili."
"He did his duty by reporting the accounting irregularities."
Dare il meglio di sé
"To give the best of oneself"
To put maximum effort into a task or job
"Durante l'importante trattativa, ha dato il meglio di sé."
"During the important negotiation, she gave her best."
Avere un lavoro fisso
"To have a fixed job"
To be employed on a permanent contract
"Oggi è difficile trovare un lavoro fisso prima dei trent'anni."
"Today it is difficult to find a steady job before the age of thirty."
Fare a meno
"To do with less"
To reduce costs by eliminating something
"Per ridurre i costi, abbiamo deciso di fare a meno dei consulenti esterni."
"To reduce costs, we decided to do without external consultants."
Fare economia
"To make economy"
To reduce expenses in order to save money
"Con il budget ridotto del 20%, dobbiamo fare economia ovunque."
"With the budget cut by 20%, we need to economise everywhere."
Accumulare debiti
"To accumulate debts"
To build up a growing amount of financial obligations
"Ha accumulato debiti espandendo troppo velocemente."
"He piled up debts by expanding too quickly."
Fare il proprio mestiere
"To do one's trade"
To carry out one's professional duties competently
"Non serve spiegare — sa fare il suo mestiere da vent'anni."
"No need to explain — she's been doing her job for twenty years."
Contare su qualcuno
"To count on someone"
To rely on a colleague or partner for professional support
"In questo progetto contiamo su di te: sei il nostro esperto di finanza."
"On this project we're counting on you — you're our finance expert."
Mettere a rischio
"To put at risk"
To jeopardize a financial investment or business
"Quella decisione affrettata ha messo a rischio l'intera azienda."
"That hasty decision put the entire company at risk."
Pagare il dovuto
"To pay the owed amount"
To settle a debt or obligation fully
"Ha finalmente pagato il dovuto ai fornitori dopo mesi di ritardi."
"He finally paid what was owed to suppliers after months of delays."
Tenere i conti in ordine
"To keep the accounts in order"
To maintain accurate and tidy financial records
"Una buona contabile tiene sempre i conti in ordine."
"A good accountant always keeps the books in order."
Rompere il ghiaccio
"To break the ice"
To ease tensions at the start of a business meeting or negotiation
"Prima di iniziare la trattativa, ha raccontato una barzelletta per rompere il ghiaccio."
"Before starting the negotiation, he told a joke to break the ice."
B1 — Intermediate
Fare i conti senza l'oste
"To make the bill without the innkeeper"
To make plans without considering all the factors involved
"Hai già speso i soldi che non hai ancora guadagnato? Stai facendo i conti senza l'oste."
"You already spent money you haven't earned yet? You're counting your chickens."
Avere le mani in pasta
"To have one's hands in the dough"
To be involved in many activities or businesses at once
"Quel manager ha le mani in pasta in tutti i progetti dell'azienda."
"That manager has a finger in every pie in the company."
Fare soldi a palate
"To make money by the shovelful"
To earn a very large amount of money quickly
"Da quando ha aperto il ristorante, fa soldi a palate."
"Ever since he opened the restaurant, he's been making money hand over fist."
Vendere fumo
"To sell smoke"
To promise things one cannot deliver; to deceive with empty words
"Quel consulente vende solo fumo — non ha mai realizzato niente di concreto."
"That consultant is selling snake oil — he never delivers anything concrete."
Avere le mani bucate
"To have holes in one's hands"
To be unable to hold onto money; to be a spendthrift
"Non risparmia mai nulla — ha le mani bucate."
"She never saves anything — she spends money like water."
Fare il passo più lungo della gamba
"To take a step longer than one's leg"
To overestimate one's abilities and take on too much
"Ha aperto tre negozi in un anno: ha fatto il passo più lungo della gamba."
"He opened three shops in a year — he bit off more than he could chew."
Mettere il carro davanti ai buoi
"To put the cart in front of the oxen"
To do things in the wrong order
"Vuoi assumere prima di avere clienti? Stai mettendo il carro davanti ai buoi."
"You want to hire before you have clients? You're putting the cart before the horse."
Fare una magra figura
"To make a thin figure"
To perform poorly or make a bad impression in a professional setting
"Ha fatto una magra figura alla presentazione davanti ai clienti."
"He made a poor impression during the client presentation."
Non tutto ciò che luccica è oro
"Not everything that shines is gold"
Appearances can be deceptive; a good-looking deal may not be as good as it seems
"Quel contratto sembra ottimo, ma non tutto ciò che luccica è oro."
"That contract looks great, but all that glitters is not gold."
Fare affari d'oro
"To do golden deals"
To conduct very profitable business
"In estate quel bar fa affari d'oro con i turisti."
"In summer that bar does a roaring trade with tourists."
Avere il pollice verde
"To have a green thumb"
To have a natural aptitude for something (originally gardening, also used metaphorically for business)
"Ha il pollice verde per gli investimenti — tutto ciò che tocca diventa oro."
"She has a natural talent for investments — everything she touches turns to gold."
Restare a bocca asciutta
"To remain with a dry mouth"
To get nothing; to miss out on a deal or opportunity
"La trattativa è fallita e siamo rimasti a bocca asciutta."
"The negotiation fell through and we came away empty-handed."
Andare a gonfie vele
"To go with full sails"
For a business or project to be going very well
"Dopo il lancio del nuovo prodotto, l'azienda va a gonfie vele."
"After the new product launch, the company is going great guns."
Essere sulla stessa lunghezza d'onda
"To be on the same wavelength"
To have the same understanding or vision, especially in a work context
"I due soci sono sulla stessa lunghezza d'onda riguardo alla strategia aziendale."
"The two partners are on the same wavelength regarding the company strategy."
Mettere i bastoni tra le ruote
"To put sticks between the wheels"
To obstruct or sabotage someone's plans or work
"Il concorrente ha messo i bastoni tra le ruote alla nostra campagna."
"The competitor put a spanner in the works of our campaign."
Cercare il pelo nell'uovo
"To look for a hair inside an egg"
To look for faults where there are none; to be overly picky
"Il cliente ha approvato il progetto, smettila di cercare il pelo nell'uovo."
"The client approved the project — stop nitpicking."
Avere la testa sulle spalle
"To have one's head on one's shoulders"
To be sensible and practical in business decisions
"Nonostante la giovane età, ha la testa sulle spalle — sa gestire l'azienda."
"Despite her young age, she has a good head on her shoulders and manages the business well."
Fare quattrini a palate
"To make coins by the shovelful"
To earn a great deal of money
"Con quella startup ha fatto quattrini a palate in pochissimo tempo."
"With that startup he raked in money in no time."
Fare il lavativo
"To act like a slacker"
To avoid work and let others do it
"In ufficio fa sempre il lavativo — tocca agli altri finire i suoi compiti."
"At the office he's always a slacker — the others have to finish his tasks."
Avere le mani d'oro
"To have golden hands"
To be highly skilled at a craft or trade
"Quel falegname ha le mani d'oro — i suoi mobili durano una vita."
"That carpenter has golden hands — his furniture lasts a lifetime."
Essere un pozzo senza fondo
"To be a bottomless well"
To require endless amounts of money without result
"Quell'investimento è un pozzo senza fondo — ci abbiamo già messo troppi soldi."
"That investment is a bottomless pit — we've already put too much money in."
Non avere il becco di un quattrino
"Not to have the beak of a coin"
To have absolutely no money
"Dopo il fallimento dell'azienda, non aveva il becco di un quattrino."
"After the company went bankrupt, he didn't have a penny to his name."
Fare il salto di qualità
"To make the quality jump"
To improve significantly and reach a higher professional level
"Assumendo quel dirigente esperto, l'azienda ha fatto il salto di qualità."
"By hiring that experienced executive, the company moved up a gear."
Mettere la testa a posto
"To put one's head in place"
To become more responsible and serious about work
"Da quando ha aperto la sua impresa, ha messo la testa a posto."
"Since he opened his own business, he has really got his act together."
Mandare a monte
"To send to the mountain"
To cause a deal or project to fail
"Il fornitore ha mandato a monte l'accordo all'ultimo minuto."
"The supplier torpedoed the deal at the last minute."
Essere in rosso
"To be in the red"
To have a negative bank balance or financial loss
"Dopo tre trimestri difficili, la società è in rosso."
"After three tough quarters, the company is in the red."
Essere in nero
"To be in black"
To work or pay without declaring it to the tax authorities
"Molti lavoratori stagionali vengono pagati in nero."
"Many seasonal workers are paid under the table."
Mettere a frutto
"To put to fruit"
To make productive use of money, time, or skills
"Ha messo a frutto la sua esperienza aprendo una consulenza."
"She capitalized on her experience by opening a consultancy."
Dare i numeri
"To give the numbers"
To behave erratically; used when someone makes absurd financial or business decisions
"Vuole investire tutti i risparmi in una sola startup? Sta dando i numeri."
"He wants to invest all his savings in a single startup? He's off his rocker."
Rimetterci la camicia
"To lose even one's shirt"
To lose everything in a bad investment or business deal
"Ha investito in quel progetto e ci ha rimesso la camicia."
"He invested in that project and lost his shirt."
Sbarcare il lunario
"To land the almanac"
To earn just enough to survive financially
"Con quel salario minimo riesce a malapena a sbarcare il lunario."
"With that minimum wage she barely manages to make ends meet."
Fare un passo falso
"To take a false step"
To make a serious mistake in a business or professional context
"Ha fatto un passo falso accettando quell'accordo senza leggere le clausole."
"He made a blunder by accepting that agreement without reading the clauses."
Avere un asso nella manica
"To have an ace in the sleeve"
To have a secret advantage ready to use in a negotiation
"Prima di arrendersi, tirò fuori l'asso nella manica: un'offerta esclusiva."
"Before giving up, he played his ace up his sleeve: an exclusive offer."
Avere i nervi saldi
"To have steady nerves"
To remain calm under pressure in business situations
"In una trattativa difficile devi avere i nervi saldi."
"In a tough negotiation you need nerves of steel."
Avere gli occhi più grandi dello stomaco
"To have eyes bigger than one's stomach"
To want or take on more than one can actually handle
"Ha offerto di completare il progetto in una settimana: aveva gli occhi più grandi dello stomaco."
"He offered to complete the project in a week — his eyes were bigger than his stomach."
Menare il can per l'aia
"To lead the dog around the threshing floor"
To avoid getting to the point in a business discussion
"Smettila di menare il can per l'aia e dimmi quanto vuoi per questo lavoro."
"Stop beating around the bush and tell me how much you want for this job."
Mettere le carte in tavola
"To put the cards on the table"
To be transparent and honest in a business negotiation
"È il momento di mettere le carte in tavola e discutere le condizioni reali."
"It's time to lay our cards on the table and discuss the real terms."
Battere il ferro finché è caldo
"To beat the iron while it's hot"
To take advantage of a favourable moment without delay
"Il mercato è in crescita — bisogna battere il ferro finché è caldo."
"The market is growing — we need to strike while the iron is hot."
Non fare il passo più lungo della gamba
"Don't take a step longer than your leg"
To be cautious and not take on more than one can handle financially
"Vuoi aprire tre filiali subito? Non fare il passo più lungo della gamba."
"You want to open three branches right away? Don't overextend yourself."
Essere un pesce fuor d'acqua
"To be a fish out of water"
To be in a work environment where one feels uncomfortable or out of place
"In quel ruolo manageriale si sente un pesce fuor d'acqua."
"In that managerial role he feels like a fish out of water."
Fare orecchie da mercante
"To make merchant's ears"
To pretend not to hear or ignore something intentionally, especially a complaint or request
"Ho chiesto un aumento tre volte ma il capo fa orecchie da mercante."
"I've asked for a raise three times but the boss turns a deaf ear."
Lavorare a cottimo
"To work by the piece"
To be paid based on the amount produced, not hours worked
"In quel magazzino lavorano a cottimo — più produci, più guadagni."
"In that warehouse they work on piecework — the more you produce, the more you earn."
Vendere a peso d'oro
"To sell at the weight of gold"
To sell something at a very high price
"In centro storico vendono i monolocali a peso d'oro."
"In the historic centre they sell studios at a premium."
Gettare la spugna
"To throw the sponge"
To give up on a business venture or project
"Dopo due anni di perdite, ha gettato la spugna e chiuso la società."
"After two years of losses, he threw in the towel and shut down the company."
Fare quadrare i conti
"To make the accounts square"
To ensure income equals expenses; to balance financially
"Con questi costi fissi alti è difficile fare quadrare i conti."
"With these high fixed costs it's difficult to balance the books."
Spendere e spandere
"To spend and spread"
To spend money without restraint
"Con il primo stipendio si è messo a spendere e spandere."
"With his first paycheck he started throwing money around."
Tenersi stretto
"To hold oneself tight"
To hold onto a good job, contract, or client and not let it go
"Un cliente così affidabile bisogna tenerselo stretto."
"Such a reliable client — you have to hold on tight."
Andare in fumo
"To go up in smoke"
For money, plans or investments to be completely lost
"Tutti i nostri investimenti sono andati in fumo con la crisi."
"All our investments went up in smoke with the crisis."
Avere il fiuto per gli affari
"To have the nose for business"
To have a natural instinct for recognising profitable opportunities
"Ha comprato quell'immobile prima del boom: ha il fiuto per gli affari."
"She bought that property before the boom — she has a nose for business."
Non valere una lira
"Not worth a lira"
To be completely worthless (financially or in terms of quality)
"Quell'accordo non valeva una lira — eravamo stati ingannati."
"That agreement wasn't worth a penny — we had been deceived."
Avere un occhio di riguardo
"To have an eye of regard"
To treat a client or partner with extra care and preference
"Abbiamo un occhio di riguardo per i clienti storici: condizioni migliori."
"We give special treatment to long-standing clients: better terms."
Avere la puzza sotto il naso
"To have a smell under one's nose"
To behave arrogantly, especially after becoming wealthy or successful
"Da quando è diventato dirigente ha la puzza sotto il naso."
"Since becoming a director he's too big for his boots."
Giocare a carte scoperte
"To play with revealed cards"
To be completely open and honest in a business dealing
"Con i nostri investitori giochiamo sempre a carte scoperte."
"With our investors we always play with open cards."
Passare la palla
"To pass the ball"
To transfer responsibility to someone else
"Invece di risolvere il problema, ha passato la palla al suo collega."
"Instead of solving the problem, he passed the buck to his colleague."
Fare il punto della situazione
"To make the point of the situation"
To evaluate current business status and progress
"Ogni lunedì mattina facciamo il punto della situazione in azienda."
"Every Monday morning we take stock of where things stand in the company."
Mettere radici
"To put down roots"
To establish a stable business or professional presence in a location
"Dopo dieci anni, l'azienda ha messo radici nel mercato tedesco."
"After ten years, the company has put down roots in the German market."
Fare la parte del leone
"To play the lion's part"
To take the largest or best portion of profits or resources
"Il socio principale ha fatto la parte del leone nella divisione degli utili."
"The main partner took the lion's share of the profit distribution."
Andare a rotoli
"To go in rolls"
For a business to deteriorate and collapse
"Senza una buona gestione, l'azienda è andata a rotoli."
"Without good management, the company went to rack and ruin."
Fare il proprio comodo
"To do one's own comfort"
To act only in one's own interest in a business context
"Arriva sempre in ritardo e fa il suo comodo — il capo non dice nulla."
"He always arrives late and does as he pleases — the boss says nothing."
Leccarsi i baffi
"To lick one's moustache"
To be very pleased with a successful business outcome
"Dopo aver firmato quel contratto milionario, si leccava i baffi."
"After signing that million-euro contract, he was licking his lips."
Avere le spalle coperte
"To have one's shoulders covered"
To have financial reserves or guarantees that provide security
"Con quel fondo di emergenza, almeno hai le spalle coperte."
"With that emergency fund, at least you have your back covered."
Fare i propri interessi
"To do one's own interests"
To focus on personal gain in business dealings
"In quella fusione aziendale ognuno stava facendo i propri interessi."
"In that company merger, everyone was looking after their own interests."
Fare il passo decisivo
"To take the decisive step"
To make a key, often risky decision in business
"Dopo mesi di esitazione, ha fatto il passo decisivo e ha aperto la sua agenzia."
"After months of hesitation, he took the plunge and opened his own agency."
Essere indietro con i pagamenti
"To be behind with payments"
To have overdue financial obligations
"Siamo indietro con i pagamenti ai fornitori — serve liquidità urgente."
"We are behind on payments to suppliers — we urgently need liquidity."
Togliersi dai guai
"To remove oneself from trouble"
To solve a financial or business problem that could have serious consequences
"Grazie al prestito bancario, si è tolto dai guai."
"Thanks to the bank loan, he got himself out of trouble."
Andare in porto
"To go to port"
For a deal or project to be successfully completed
"Dopo mesi di trattative, l'accordo è finalmente andato in porto."
"After months of negotiations, the deal finally went through."
Mettere i puntini sulle i
"To put the dots on the i's"
To clarify every detail to avoid misunderstandings in a deal
"Prima di firmare, dobbiamo mettere i puntini sulle i."
"Before signing, we need to dot the i's and cross the t's."
Fare il furbo
"To act the clever one"
To try to gain an advantage dishonestly or by bending the rules
"Ha provato a fare il furbo con il contratto ma è stato scoperto."
"He tried to be clever with the contract but was caught out."
Avere fiducia cieca
"To have blind trust"
To trust a business partner or investment without sufficient scrutiny
"Aveva fiducia cieca nel suo socio, che poi lo ha truffato."
"He had blind faith in his partner, who then defrauded him."
Perdere il filo
"To lose the thread"
To lose track of the key point in a negotiation or presentation
"Ha perso il filo durante la presentazione agli investitori."
"He lost the thread during the presentation to the investors."
Fare il grande passo
"To take the big step"
To make a major, life-changing business decision
"Ha fatto il grande passo lasciando il lavoro fisso per aprire la sua impresa."
"She took the big step of leaving her steady job to start her own business."
Avere il bernoccolo per gli affari
"To have the bump for business"
To have a natural talent for commerce and finance
"Fin da giovane aveva il bernoccolo per gli affari."
"From a young age she had a head for business."
Entrare nel vivo
"To enter the living part"
To reach the most important phase of a negotiation or deal
"Ora entriamo nel vivo della trattativa: parliamo di prezzi."
"Now let's get to the heart of the matter: let's talk prices."
Tenere i piedi per terra
"To keep one's feet on the ground"
To remain realistic and practical about financial expectations
"È bravo con le idee ma deve tenere i piedi per terra quando parla di profitti."
"He's good with ideas but needs to keep his feet on the ground when discussing profits."
Gettare soldi al vento
"To throw money to the wind"
To waste money on something with no return
"Quella campagna pubblicitaria è stata gettare soldi al vento."
"That advertising campaign was throwing money to the wind."
Comprare a occhi chiusi
"To buy with eyes closed"
To buy something with complete confidence, without any doubts
"Quel fornitore è così affidabile che compriamo a occhi chiusi."
"That supplier is so reliable we buy from them without hesitation."
Sedersi sugli allori
"To sit on one's laurels"
To stop making an effort after achieving success in business
"Il successo iniziale li ha fatti sedere sugli allori — e i concorrenti hanno guadagnato terreno."
"Their initial success made them rest on their laurels — and competitors gained ground."
Fare il callo
"To grow a callus"
To become hardened to difficult work conditions or rejections
"Nel commercio si fa il callo ai rifiuti — fa parte del mestiere."
"In sales you develop a thick skin for rejections — it's part of the job."
Avere la situazione in mano
"To have the situation in hand"
To be in control of a business crisis or difficult negotiation
"Non preoccupatevi — il direttore ha la situazione in mano."
"Don't worry — the director has the situation under control."
Dare fondo ai risparmi
"To reach the bottom of one's savings"
To spend all of one's saved money, often in a business emergency
"Per salvare l'impresa ha dato fondo a tutti i risparmi."
"To save the business he drained all his savings."
Rialzarsi dalla polvere
"To rise from the dust"
To recover from a business failure and try again
"Dopo il fallimento, si è rialzato dalla polvere e ha ricominciato."
"After the bankruptcy, he bounced back and started over."
Fare cassa
"To make the cash register"
To generate immediate revenue, often by selling assets
"L'azienda ha venduto la sede per fare cassa durante la crisi."
"The company sold its headquarters to raise cash during the crisis."
Avere le mani legate
"To have one's hands tied"
To be unable to act freely due to constraints, often financial or contractual
"Vorrei darti uno sconto maggiore, ma ho le mani legate dal contratto quadro."
"I'd like to give you a bigger discount, but my hands are tied by the framework contract."
Stare a galla
"To stay floating"
To barely survive financially; to avoid bankruptcy
"In questo periodo difficile, l'obiettivo è semplicemente stare a galla."
"In this difficult period, the goal is simply to stay afloat."
Dare una boccata d'ossigeno
"To give a breath of oxygen"
To give a company the financial support it needs to survive
"Il finanziamento pubblico ha dato una boccata d'ossigeno all'azienda."
"The public funding gave the company a lifeline."
Fare il conto alla rovescia
"To do the countdown"
To wait for the deadline of a financial or commercial event
"Stiamo facendo il conto alla rovescia per il lancio del nuovo prodotto."
"We are counting down to the launch of the new product."
Avere il sangue freddo
"To have cold blood"
To remain calm and rational during high-pressure business situations
"Durante la crisi aziendale, il CEO ha dimostrato di avere il sangue freddo."
"During the company crisis, the CEO demonstrated that he could keep a cool head."
Lavorare a pieno ritmo
"To work at full rhythm"
To operate at maximum efficiency
"Dopo le assunzioni, la fabbrica lavora a pieno ritmo."
"After the new hires, the factory is working at full capacity."
Non perdere il treno
"Not to miss the train"
Not to miss an important business opportunity
"Se non investiamo subito nel digitale, perderemo il treno."
"If we don't invest in digital right now, we'll miss the boat."
Dare carta bianca
"To give a white card"
To give someone complete freedom to act and spend as needed
"Il consiglio di amministrazione ha dato carta bianca al nuovo CEO."
"The board of directors gave the new CEO free rein."
Stare in piedi
"To stand on one's feet"
For a business plan or financial model to be viable and sustainable
"Il piano industriale non sta in piedi: i costi sono troppo alti."
"The business plan doesn't hold up — the costs are too high."
Fare il salto nel buio
"To make the jump in the dark"
To take a significant business risk without knowing the outcome
"Aprire un'azienda senza esperienza è un salto nel buio."
"Starting a business without experience is a leap into the unknown."
Mettere in moto
"To put into motion"
To start a business process or project
"Il finanziamento ricevuto ci ha permesso di mettere in moto il progetto."
"The funding we received allowed us to get the ball rolling on the project."
Vivere al di sopra dei propri mezzi
"To live above one's means"
To spend more than one earns
"Ha continuato a vivere al di sopra dei propri mezzi finché non è fallito."
"He continued to live beyond his means until he went bankrupt."
Stringere la cinghia
"To tighten the belt"
To reduce spending during a period of financial difficulty
"Con il fatturato in calo, bisogna stringere la cinghia."
"With revenues falling, we need to tighten our belt."
Andare in bianco
"To go in white"
To fail to close a sale or deal despite the effort
"La visita al potenziale cliente è andata in bianco — nessun contratto."
"The visit to the potential client drew a blank — no contract."
Fare il bilancio
"To do the balance sheet"
To evaluate the overall results of a business period
"A fine anno facciamo il bilancio di tutto: ricavi, costi e margini."
"At year end we take stock of everything: revenues, costs and margins."
Andare in banca a chiedere
"To go to the bank to ask"
To be forced to request credit from a bank due to cash flow problems
"Con i ritardi nei pagamenti dei clienti, siamo andati in banca a chiedere."
"With client payment delays, we went cap in hand to the bank."
Fare il botto
"To make the bang"
To achieve outstanding commercial success
"Con quel prodotto innovativo hanno fatto il botto sul mercato."
"With that innovative product they made a huge splash on the market."
Avere un buon naso
"To have a good nose"
To have intuition for profitable opportunities
"Aveva un buon naso: ha capito prima degli altri che quel settore sarebbe esploso."
"She had a good nose for it — she understood before everyone else that sector would explode."
Essere il punto di forza
"To be the point of strength"
To be the most valuable element of a company or product
"Il servizio clienti è il nostro punto di forza rispetto ai concorrenti."
"Customer service is our strong suit compared to competitors."
Fare un passo di lato
"To take a step to the side"
To voluntarily give up a position or role in a company
"Il fondatore ha fatto un passo di lato per lasciare spazio al nuovo management."
"The founder stepped aside to make room for the new management."
Fare le notti in bianco
"To spend white (sleepless) nights"
To stay up all night working on a business deadline
"Prima della presentazione agli investitori, abbiamo fatto tre notti in bianco."
"Before the investor presentation, we pulled three all-nighters."
Non avere peli sulla lingua
"Not to have hair on one's tongue"
To be direct and outspoken in business negotiations
"Non ha peli sulla lingua: dice esattamente cosa pensa dei termini proposti."
"She speaks her mind — she says exactly what she thinks about the proposed terms."
Fare di tutto e di più
"To do everything and more"
To make extraordinary effort in one's work
"Per fidelizzare quel cliente, ha fatto di tutto e di più."
"To keep that client, he went above and beyond."
Non dormire sugli allori
"Not to sleep on one's laurels"
To keep working hard even after achieving success
"Il primo anno è andato bene, ma non possiamo dormire sugli allori."
"The first year went well, but we can't rest on our laurels."
Avere la fortuna dalla propria parte
"To have luck on one's side"
To benefit from favourable circumstances in business
"Quella startup ha avuto la fortuna dalla propria parte: il mercato era perfetto."
"That startup had luck on its side — the market timing was perfect."
Fare il gallo
"To act like a rooster"
To boast about one's business success or wealth
"Da quando ha firmato il grande contratto, fa il gallo in ufficio."
"Since he signed the big contract, he's been strutting around the office."
Camminare sulle uova
"To walk on eggs"
To be extremely careful in a delicate business or financial situation
"Con quel cliente difficile bisogna camminare sulle uova."
"With that difficult client you have to walk on eggshells."
Fare il pieno
"To fill up (as a fuel tank)"
To maximize earnings during a profitable period
"Durante le festività, i negozi fanno il pieno di ordini."
"During the holidays, the shops cash in on a flood of orders."
Scaldare la sedia
"To warm the chair"
To sit at work doing nothing productive
"Non fa altro che scaldare la sedia — non produce niente."
"All he does is warm a seat — he produces nothing."
Avere le carte in regola
"To have the papers in order"
To have all the required credentials, licences, or qualifications for a business
"Prima di aprire il ristorante, bisogna avere tutte le carte in regola."
"Before opening the restaurant, you need to have all your paperwork in order."
Fare orecchie sorde
"To make deaf ears"
To deliberately ignore financial warnings or advice
"Ha fatto orecchie sorde ai consigli del commercialista."
"He turned a deaf ear to his accountant's advice."
Non mollare la presa
"Not to loosen the grip"
To persist in pursuing a business goal despite obstacles
"Anche dopo tre rifiuti, non ha mollato la presa con quel cliente."
"Even after three rejections, she didn't let go of that client."
Avere la meglio
"To have the better"
To come out on top in a business competition or negotiation
"Nella gara d'appalto, la nostra offerta ha avuto la meglio."
"In the tender, our bid got the better of the competition."
Prendere in mano la situazione
"To take the situation in hand"
To assume control of a business crisis or difficult project
"Quando i conti andavano male, il nuovo direttore ha preso in mano la situazione."
"When the accounts were going badly, the new director took charge of the situation."
Mettere il bastone tra le ruote
"To put the stick between the wheels"
To deliberately obstruct the progress of a business deal or project
"Il dipartimento legale ha messo il bastone tra le ruote rallentando il lancio."
"The legal department threw a spanner in the works, slowing down the launch."
B2 — Upper Intermediate
Tirare l'acqua al proprio mulino
"To pull water to one's own mill"
To act in one's own interest, often at others' expense
"In quella riunione, ogni direttore tirava l'acqua al proprio mulino."
"In that meeting, every director was feathering their own nest."
Avere il coltello dalla parte del manico
"To hold the knife by the handle"
To be in a position of advantage or power in a negotiation
"Sono loro il cliente principale — hanno il coltello dalla parte del manico."
"They are the main client — they hold all the cards."
Fare il diavolo a quattro
"To make the devil at four"
To make a great effort or create a commotion to achieve something
"Ha fatto il diavolo a quattro per ottenere quel contratto."
"He moved heaven and earth to land that contract."
Avere filo da torcere
"To have thread to twist"
To face difficulties or a tough challenge
"Con quel cliente difficile avremo filo da torcere."
"With that difficult client we'll have a tough nut to crack."
Fare buon viso a cattivo gioco
"To put on a good face for a bad game"
To accept an unfavourable situation gracefully
"Non era il contratto che volevamo, ma abbiamo fatto buon viso a cattivo gioco."
"It wasn't the contract we wanted, but we made the best of the situation."
Alzare i gomiti
"To raise one's elbows"
To drink too much alcohol, often used to describe someone who drowns work stress in alcohol
"Dopo aver perso l'affare, ha cominciato ad alzare i gomiti ogni sera."
"After losing the deal, he started hitting the bottle every evening."
Pagare il fio
"To pay the toll"
To suffer the consequences of a bad business decision
"Ha truffato i suoi soci e ora sta pagando il fio."
"He cheated his partners and now he's paying the price."
Mettere le mani avanti
"To put one's hands forward"
To take precautions or make excuses in advance to avoid blame
"Prima di firmare il contratto, il legale ha messo le mani avanti."
"Before signing the contract, the lawyer covered his back."
Fare la cresta
"To make the crest"
To secretly keep part of the money entrusted to you
"Il cassiere faceva la cresta sui fornitori da mesi."
"The cashier had been skimming money off the suppliers for months."
Fare il bello e il cattivo tempo
"To make both good and bad weather"
To be in complete control of a situation or business
"In questa azienda è lui che fa il bello e il cattivo tempo."
"In this company, he's the one who calls the shots."
Fare i soldi a grappoli
"To make money in clusters"
To earn a lot of money very quickly
"In quel periodo di boom immobiliare faceva i soldi a grappoli."
"During that real estate boom he was making money in bunches."
Fare il morto a galla
"To float like a dead man"
To do just enough to stay afloat without making real progress
"Il progetto non avanza — il team sta facendo il morto a galla."
"The project isn't moving forward — the team is just treading water."
Salire la scala sociale
"To climb the social ladder"
To improve one's social and economic status through work
"Partito dal basso, ha salito la scala sociale grazie al suo lavoro."
"Starting from nothing, he climbed the social ladder through hard work."
Fare di necessità virtù
"To make virtue of necessity"
To turn a difficult situation into an opportunity
"Con il budget ridotto, abbiamo fatto di necessità virtù trovando soluzioni creative."
"With the reduced budget, we made a virtue of necessity and found creative solutions."
Avere la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca
"To have the barrel full and the wife drunk"
To want two incompatible advantages at the same time
"Vuole più flessibilità ma anche più paga — vuole la botte piena e la moglie ubriaca."
"He wants more flexibility and higher pay — he wants to have his cake and eat it too."
Mettere il dito nella piaga
"To put a finger in the wound"
To touch on a sensitive issue, such as financial problems in a business
"Quando ha chiesto dei debiti, ha messo il dito nella piaga."
"When he asked about the debts, he put his finger on the sore spot."
Essere sull'orlo del baratro
"To be on the edge of the abyss"
To be very close to financial ruin
"Dopo la crisi, l'azienda era sull'orlo del baratro."
"After the crisis, the company was on the brink of collapse."
Fare il crack
"To make the crack"
To go bankrupt in a dramatic, public way
"La banca ha fatto il crack dopo gli scandali finanziari."
"The bank went bust after the financial scandals."
Fare il pelo e il contropelo
"To do the hair and against the hair"
To examine a contract or business proposal very closely
"I revisori hanno fatto il pelo e il contropelo al bilancio."
"The auditors went over the accounts with a fine-tooth comb."
Fare il giro dell'oca
"To play the goose chase"
To go through a long bureaucratic or commercial process without progress
"Per ottenere il permesso, ho fatto il giro dell'oca tra uffici per mesi."
"To get the permit, I went round in circles between offices for months."
Rimandare alle calende greche
"To postpone until the Greek calends"
To delay something until a time that will never arrive
"Il pagamento è stato rimandato alle calende greche."
"The payment has been kicked into the long grass."
Tirare i remi in barca
"To pull the oars into the boat"
To reduce one's activity or investment and withdraw from business
"A 65 anni ha deciso di tirare i remi in barca e vendere l'azienda."
"At 65 he decided to pull in his horns and sell the company."
Essere un mattatore
"To be a slaughterman (showstopper)"
To be the most capable and dominant person in a business environment
"In ogni riunione commerciale è lui il mattatore."
"In every sales meeting he's the star performer."
Fare la parte del capro espiatorio
"To play the part of the scapegoat"
To be blamed for problems that are not entirely one's fault in a company
"Quando i conti non tornano, tocca sempre al responsabile finanziario fare il capro espiatorio."
"When the numbers don't add up, the finance director always ends up as the scapegoat."
Rimanere con un pugno di mosche
"To remain with a fistful of flies"
To invest effort and end up with nothing to show for it
"Dopo la truffa, siamo rimasti con un pugno di mosche."
"After the fraud, we ended up with nothing."
Fare il salasso
"To perform a bloodletting"
To charge excessively high prices
"Quel avvocato ha fatto il salasso con le sue parcelle."
"That lawyer bled us dry with his fees."
Cambiare le carte in tavola
"To change the cards on the table"
To change the agreed conditions of a deal at the last moment
"A contratto firmato, il fornitore ha cambiato le carte in tavola."
"After the contract was signed, the supplier moved the goalposts."
Fare le scarpe a qualcuno
"To make shoes for someone"
To betray a colleague or partner to advance one's own position
"Ha fatto le scarpe al suo socio per prendere il controllo dell'azienda."
"He stabbed his partner in the back to take control of the company."
Avere la coda di paglia
"To have a straw tail"
To be particularly sensitive to a topic because of one's own wrongdoing in business
"Ogni volta che si parla di conti, lui si agita: ha la coda di paglia."
"Every time accounts are mentioned, he gets agitated — he has a guilty conscience."
Fare il doppio gioco
"To play the double game"
To secretly work for two competing parties at the same time
"L'agente faceva il doppio gioco: lavorava per due aziende concorrenti."
"The agent was playing both sides — working for two competing companies."
Fare il giro di boa
"To round the buoy"
To pass the most critical point of a difficult financial period
"Dopo il terzo anno in perdita, l'azienda ha finalmente fatto il giro di boa."
"After the third year of losses, the company finally turned the corner."
Spendersi fino all'ultima goccia
"To spend oneself to the last drop"
To invest all one's energy and resources into a project
"Per lanciare questa startup si è speso fino all'ultima goccia."
"To launch this startup he gave everything he had."
Fare il gatto e la volpe
"To play the cat and the fox"
To work as accomplices to deceive a third party in a business deal
"Quei due broker facevano il gatto e la volpe coi clienti ignari."
"Those two brokers were playing con artists with unsuspecting clients."
Trovare il bandolo della matassa
"To find the end of the skein"
To find the solution to a complex business or financial problem
"Il consulente ha finalmente trovato il bandolo della matassa nei conti in disordine."
"The consultant finally found the key to the problem in the messy accounts."
Fare il pelo a qualcuno
"To groom someone"
To outdo a competitor at what they do best
"Con una strategia migliore, abbiamo fatto il pelo ai nostri diretti concorrenti."
"With a better strategy, we beat our direct competitors at their own game."
Avere il piede in due staffe
"To have a foot in two stirrups"
To be involved in two competing businesses or opportunities simultaneously
"Ha il piede in due staffe: consulta sia i concorrenti che noi."
"He has a foot in both camps — he consults both our competitors and us."
Avere un secondo fine
"To have a second end"
To have a hidden agenda in a business deal or partnership
"La sua proposta di collaborazione aveva un secondo fine: accedere alla nostra clientela."
"His partnership proposal had an ulterior motive: accessing our client base."
Fare il punto fermo
"To make the fixed point"
To establish a non-negotiable position in a business discussion
"Sulla questione dei pagamenti anticipati, il direttore ha fatto il punto fermo."
"On the issue of advance payments, the director drew a firm line."
Lavorare sotto banco
"To work under the counter"
To conduct business secretly or illegally
"Alcune transazioni venivano gestite sotto banco per evitare le tasse."
"Some transactions were handled under the table to avoid taxes."
Fare quadrato
"To make a square"
To unite and support each other in a difficult business situation
"Di fronte alla crisi, il team ha fatto quadrato intorno all'azienda."
"Faced with the crisis, the team closed ranks around the company."
Pagare di persona
"To pay in person"
To bear the personal consequences of a business failure
"Con il fallimento dell'impresa, ha pagato di persona perdendo tutto."
"With the failure of the business, he paid a personal price by losing everything."
Lavare i panni sporchi in famiglia
"To wash dirty clothes within the family"
To deal with internal business problems privately, without outside involvement
"Le dispute tra soci si lavano in famiglia, non in tribunale."
"Disputes between partners should be kept in-house, not taken to court."
Avere il dente avvelenato
"To have a poisoned tooth"
To hold a grievance against a business partner or employer
"Da quando non ha ottenuto la promozione, ha il dente avvelenato col capo."
"Since he didn't get the promotion, he has been bearing a grudge against the boss."
Tirare il collo a qualcuno
"To wring someone's neck"
To extract maximum profit from someone in a business transaction
"Quel fornitore ci ha tirato il collo con i prezzi."
"That supplier squeezed us dry with their prices."
Fare il colpo gobbo
"To make the hunchback blow"
To make an unexpectedly clever and highly profitable business move
"Ha fatto il colpo gobbo acquistando quell'immobile prima del boom."
"He pulled off a masterstroke by buying that property before the boom."
Dare un colpo al cerchio e uno alla botte
"To give a blow to the hoop and one to the barrel"
To try to please two opposing parties in a business dispute
"Il mediatore dava un colpo al cerchio e uno alla botte, scontentando tutti."
"The mediator was running with the hare and hunting with the hounds, pleasing no one."
Mettere a segno un colpo
"To land a blow on target"
To successfully close a major or unexpected business deal
"Il team commerciale ha messo a segno un colpo da un milione di euro."
"The sales team landed a one-million-euro deal."
Fare il salto generazionale
"To make the generational jump"
To successfully hand over a family business to the next generation
"L'impresa familiare ha fatto il salto generazionale con successo."
"The family business successfully made the generational leap."
Mettere radici nel mercato
"To put down roots in the market"
To build a stable and lasting presence in a commercial sector
"In cinque anni hanno messo radici solide nel mercato europeo."
"In five years they established a solid foothold in the European market."
Fare il proprio nido
"To make one's own nest"
To accumulate wealth for oneself, often at the employer's expense
"Il direttore si è arricchito facendo il proprio nido con i fondi aziendali."
"The director enriched himself by feathering his own nest with company funds."
Fare il palo
"To make the post"
In business context: to be a front person or intermediary covering for illegal dealings
"In quella frode fiscale, uno dei soci faceva il palo."
"In that tax fraud, one of the partners was acting as the front man."
Dare il colpo di grazia
"To give the blow of grace"
To deal the final blow that causes a business or competitor to fail
"La nuova normativa ha dato il colpo di grazia all'azienda già in crisi."
"The new regulation delivered the coup de grâce to the already struggling company."
Fare il salto di settore
"To make the sector jump"
To move from one business sector to a completely different one
"Dopo vent'anni nella finanza, ha fatto il salto di settore verso il turismo."
"After twenty years in finance, he pivoted to the tourism sector."