Body parts may not come up much in general Italian conversation, but they’re important to know. Besides a visit to the pharmacy or doctor’s, you’ll find body parts used in Italian expressions, proverbs and way to describe someone.
If you need a reminder of body parts in Italian, you can have a look at our articles on health in Italian and what to say at the pharmacy.
So, let’s start at the top and work out way down:
Costare un occhio della testa
Literal meaning: To cost an eye of one’s head
Real meaning: To cost an arm and a leg, to cost a fortune
Sognare ad occhi aperti
Literal meaning: to dream with one’s eyes open
Real meaning: to daydream
Non chiudere occhio
Literal meaning: to not close an eye
Real meaning: to not sleep a wink
Porgere l’altra guancia
This is the same in English – to turn the other cheek
Non avere peli sulla lingua
Literal meaning: To not have hairs on one’s tongue
Real meaning: To speak frankly
There are lots of expressions using hands – le mani - and arms – le braccia, let’s look at some here:
Dare una mano
This is the same in English – to give or lend someone a hand
Essere alla mano
Literal meaning: To be at the hand
Real meaning: To be down to earth or approachable
Con il cuore in mano
Literal meaning: With one’s heart in their hand
Real meaning: From the bottom of one’s heart
Cogliere con le mani nel sacco
Literal meaning: To catch someone with their hands in the bag
Real meaning: To catch someone red-handed
Avere il police verde
Literal meaning: To have a green thumb
If you speak American English then this may be the same, whereas if you speak British English then it’ll mean ‘to have green fingers’. Either way, it means to be good at gardening.
Alzare il gomito
Literal meaning: To lift one’s elbow
Real meaning: To drink too much
There are some great expressions using the words for legs – le gambe – and feet – i piedi:
Essere in gamba
Literal meaning: To be in leg
Real meaning: To be very capable, to be on the ball, to be on top of things
Darsela a gambe
Literal meaning: To give to the legs
Real meaning: To leg it, to make a run for it
Fare il passo più lungo della gamba
Literal meaning: To take a step longer than one’s leg
Real meaning: To bite off more than you can chew
Il tallone d’Achille
This is the same in English, it means Achilles’ heel and represents a weakness or vulnerable spot.
Svegliarsi con il piede sbagliato
Literal meaning: To wake up with the wrong foot
Real meaning: To get out of bed on the wrong side
Un lavoro fatto con i piedi
Literal meaning: To do a job with one’s feet
Real meaning: To do something badly, to make a mess of something
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading some of these expressions with body parts, and that they come in handy for your Italian conversation!
