Do not criticize or find fault with something you have received as a gift. Be grateful for what you are given without scrutinizing its quality.
A horse's age and health can be estimated by examining its teeth — younger horses have smaller, smoother teeth, while older ones have longer, more worn teeth. When buying a horse, examining the mouth was standard practice in Italian markets. The proverb therefore says: if the horse was a gift, it would be rude and ungrateful to immediately inspect it for defects as if you were a buyer at market. The saying appears in virtually every major European language and has been traced back to medieval Latin as 'Noli equi dentes inspicere donati.' In Italy it is recorded by the fourteenth century and cited by both Boccaccio's contemporaries and later by Erasmus in his Adagia. It remains one of the most widely recognized proverbs in the Italian language, used comfortably by speakers of all ages and social backgrounds. The English version 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth' is a direct translation and equally well known.
One of Italy's oldest proverbs; Latin equivalent 'Noli equi dentes inspicere donati' cited by Erasmus in Adagia (1500).
A birthday gift
Non ti piace il maglione? A caval donato non si guarda in bocca — tua zia ci ha pensato tanto.
You don't like the jumper? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth — your aunt put a lot of thought into it.
A free upgrade
L'hotel ci ha dato la suite gratuitamente, e tu ti lamenti del colore delle pareti? A caval donato non si guarda in bocca!
The hotel gave us the suite for free, and you're complaining about the wall colour? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth!
A hand-me-down car
Mio fratello mi ha dato la sua vecchia macchina. A caval donato non si guarda in bocca.
My brother gave me his old car. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
A free ticket
Ti hanno dato un biglietto omaggio per il concerto e protesti perché il posto non è in prima fila? A caval donato non si guarda in bocca.
They gave you a free ticket to the concert and you're complaining because the seat isn't in the front row? Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.