Italian Street Slang & Everyday Colloquialisms (Street & Parlato)
• 30 expressionsMaster authentic street slang, informal banter, and conversational idioms used by native speakers in daily life.
Che palle!
What a pain! / What a drag!
Boh!
I don't know / I have no idea
Magari!
I wish! / If only!
Che casino!
What a mess! / What a noise!
Meno male
Thank goodness! / What a relief!
Dai!
Come on! / No way! / Stop it!
Figurati!
Don't mention it! / No worries!
Non ci piove
There's no doubt about it / It's a given
Stare fresco
You're in for a surprise / You've got another thing coming
Acqua in bocca
Keep it a secret! / Mum's the word!
Tirare pacco
To stand someone up / To flake
Avere le braccine corte
To be cheap / To be a penny-pincher
Fare alla romana
To go Dutch / To split the bill evenly
Essere al verde
To be broke / To be out of money
Cadere dal pero
To be completely surprised / To fall from the sky
Arrampicarsi sugli specchi
To grasp at straws / To make lame excuses
Non mi va
I don't feel like it / I'm not up for it
Toccare ferro
To knock on wood
Pietro torna indietro
Give it back (used when lending something)
A fagiolo
Spot on / Perfectly timed
Che schifo!
How disgusting! / That's gross!
Fare un buco nell'acqua
To fail / A wild goose chase
Avere un chiodo fisso
To be obsessed with something
Tanto di cappello
Hats off! / Respect
Non t'allargare
Don't push it / Don't overstep
Essere in alto mare
To be nowhere near finished
Fare il grande
To show off / To act big
Non me ne frega niente
I don't give a damn / I couldn't care less
Piove sul bagnato
It never rains but it pours
Avere le mani bucate
To spend money like water