Mastering your numbers in Italian is an important skill. How else can you specify how many scoops of ‘gelato’ (ice cream) you would like, or ask what time the ‘museo’ (museum) opens, or find out how much a beautiful ‘borsa’ (bag) costs? We often learn numbers when we start learning Italian, but wherever you are on your learning journey, I hope these fun expressions using numbers will be interesting and helpful to you!
Let’s start with an expression similar to one we have in English:
Grazie mille - literally this means ‘thanks a thousand’ but would translate better as ‘thanks a million’. You would say this when you are really grateful for something someone has done.
There’s a saying in English ‘to kill two birds with one stone’, which we use to talk about achieving something without excessive effort. In Italian this is: prendere due piccioni con una fava - to catch two pigeons with one fava bean.
Here are some other idiomatic expressions using the number ‘due’ (two):
Fare due chiacchiere
Literal translation: To have two chats
Real meaning: To have a little chat
Fare due più due
Literal translation: To make two plus two
Real meaning: To put two and two together i.e. to understand something with the information you have available
Due lati della stessa medaglia
Literal translation: Two sides of the same medal
Real meaning: Two sides of the same coin i.e. two things that are very closely related even if they seem different
Let’s look at some expressions using the numbers ‘tre’ (three) and ‘quattro’ (four):
Non c’è due senza tre
Literal translation: There’s no two without three
Real meaning: If something happens twice, it is likely it will happen again
Chi fa da sé fa per tre
Literal translation: He who does it by himself, does it for three people
Real meaning: If you want something done properly, it is better to do it yourself
In quattro e quattr’otto
Literal translation: In four and four eight
Real meaning: Quickly / suddenly / immediately, also similar to ‘in less than no time’ in English
Costare quattro soldi
Literal translation: To cost four coins
Real meaning: To be very cheap
Farsi in quattro
Literal translation: To make oneself in four
Real meaning: To work really hard
Partire in quarta
Literal translation: To leave in fourth gear
Real meaning: To start something with excitement and enthusiasm
Next we’re going to look at idiomatic expressions using some larger numbers:
Abbiamo fatto trenta, facciamo trentuno
Literal translation: We have made thirty, let’s make thirty one
Real meaning: If you’ve already worked hard to complete something, you can push yourself to go even further
Note: This expression is said to come from Pope Leone X. In 1517 he elected thirty new cardinals. He then realised he had left out one he knew would be a great asset so he added him onto the list, explaining that he had made thirty cardinals, now let’s make thirty one of them.
Dirlo cento volte
Literal translation: To say it a hundred times
Real meaning: To say something over and over again
I would like to leave you with another great expression using the word ‘numbers’: ‘Dare i numeri’.
Literally this means ‘to give numbers’ but the real meaning is ‘to go crazy’ or ‘to lose your marbles’. Historically it comes from fortune tellers using various means such as astrology and dreams to predict the right lottery numbers to choose. As these often turned out to be false, the expression means someone is being silly or downright crazy!
