English and Italian proverbs

English proverbs.

The early bird catches the worm. L’uccello mattiniero cattura il verme. Said to advise someone that they will gain an advantage if they do something immediately or before anyone else does it.

Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. Non contare le tue galline prima che abbiano rotto l’uovo. Said to emphasize that you cannot depend on something happening before it has happened.

When in Rome do as the Romans. Quando stai a Roma fai come i romani.

You can't have your cake and eat it. Non puoi tenerti la torta e mangiartela. To have or do two things at the same time that are impossible to have or do at the same time. If you want more local services, you can't expect to pay less tax.

To pass the hot potato. Passare la patata bollente. (a hot potato is anything that is controversial)

To walk on eggshells. Camminare sulle uova. (to be careful what you say for fear of offending someone who is sensitive to certain things).

A case of apples and oranges. Una cassetta di mele e arance. If someone compares two situations, to prove a point, but you think it is not a valid comparison because the two situations are different, you say that it is a case of "apples and oranges". For example if a small child says that he should be allowed to smoke because his mother does, the mother could say it is a case of apples and oranges.
To kill two birds with one stone. Prendere due piccioni con una fava (to catch two pigeons with a single broad bean). That is, any single action which accomplishes two things instead of just one.


Italian proverbs.

Cogliere qualcuno con le mani nel sacco = Catch someone with his hands in the bag (doing something he wouldn’t have done).
Fare il pesce in barile = Act as fish in barrel (to pretend you don’t know anything when you know very well).
Fare orecchio da mercante = To have a merchant ear (to forget easily everything you don’t like).
Fare l’Indiano = Act like an Indian (to pretend not to understand and not to know).
Fare il farfallone = Act as a big (male) butterfly (to be always available for the women).
Dare a qualcuno filo da torcere = Give someone thread to twist (give someone problems or very difficult things to do).
Mettere la ciliegina sulla torta = To put he little cherry on the top of the cake (to perfect to complete).
Avere l’acqua alla gola = To have the water to the throat (to be in a very bad situation).
Avere le mani bucate = To have the hands pierced (with big holes). (To waste money).
Avere fegato = To have liver (Be brave, intrepid).
Essere di polso = To be “of wrist” (in order to guide horses). (Be imperative, rigid, dominant).
In gamba = On leg (clever, as you have to be).
Un pugno nell’occhio = A fist in the eye (something that sounds very strange and inappropriate).
Dimmi con chi vai e ti diró chi sei = Tell me with whom you go and I will tell you who you are. Like in English: A man is known by the company he keeps; or: Birds of a feather flock together.

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