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PhrasesAgreeing and DisagreeingNo, no, non ci siamo.
B1informal

No, no, non ci siamo.

No, no, that's not right.

Pronunciation

'Non ci siamo' — non ci SIA-mo. Stress on 'siamo'. The double 'no' at the start is very Italian.

When to use it

Use to reject an idea, statement, or proposal that you find clearly wrong or unacceptable. The doubled 'no, no' adds expressiveness typical of Italian speech.

What it means

'Non ci siamo' literally means 'we're not there' — implying the idea hasn't reached the required standard or is simply off the mark. It's a common Italian idiom for rejecting something as inadequate or incorrect.

Variations

Così non funziona.

It doesn't work like that.

Practical rejection — implies the approach is flawed, not just wrong in principle

Non è questa la strada.

This isn't the way.

'Questa non è la strada' — metaphorical for a wrong direction or approach

Siamo lontani dalla soluzione.

We're far from the solution.

Spatial metaphor — the current idea is nowhere near resolving the problem

Mini Dialogue

— Potremmo ignorare il problema e sperare che si risolva. — No, no, non ci siamo. Il problema va affrontato subito. — Hai ragione, è solo che è complicato. — Complicato sì, ma non impossibile.

— We could ignore the problem and hope it resolves itself. — No, no, that's not right. The problem needs to be addressed immediately. — You're right, it's just that it's complicated. — Complicated yes, but not impossible.

Cultural Note

In Italian workplace culture, ignoring problems ('sperare che si risolva da solo' — hoping it resolves itself) is a recognised failure mode. The Italian phrase 'la notte porta consiglio' (the night brings advice — sleep on it) values reflection, but not avoidance.