dictionary

In contemporary Italian language we can observe the abandonment of local vocabulary, which goes hand in hand with social mobility and changes in culture. The customs and beliefs of the traditional agricultural and pastoral world are no longer a part of the basic culture of the new generations, and are thus gradually being forgotten, along with the related terminology. But even though traditional objects and instruments have fallen into disuse, Italians nevertheless keep idioms related to that world alive. Looking at Italian proverbs and sayings, still used to comment on situations or to give advice, you can learn a lot about the Italian mentality and traditional customs. Here you have some examples:

Meglio un uovo oggi che una gallina domani – an egg today is better than a hen tomorrow, i.e. something you have really got now is better than something more or nicer you haven’t got yet. Italian equivalent of “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”.
Il vino (rosso) fa buon sangue – (red) wine engenders good blood, i.e. drinking (red) wine is good for the health.
Una mela al giorno toglie il medico di torno – an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
È come cercare un ago in un pagliaio - it is like looking for a needle in a haystack; this saying is used when someone is searching for something that is impossible to find among so many other things.
Essere l’ultima ruota del carro – to be the last wheel in the cart, i.e. to count for nothing.
Tirarsi la zappa sui piedi – to throw the hoe on one’s own feet, i.e. to cause damage to oneself, like the peasant who, hoeing, inadvertently hits his own foot.
Abbaiare alla luna – to bark at the moon, i.e. to complain uselessly about something, without any possibility of being given attention or of changing things.
Menare il can per l’aia – to take the dog around the farmyard, i.e. to avoid getting to the point, to shilly-shally. Italian equivalent of “to go round the houses”.
Prendere due piccioni con una fava – to catch two pigeons with one bean, i.e. to get two results with one action. Italian equivalent of “to kill two birds with one stone”.
Rosso di sera bel tempo si spera – (if the sky is) red at night, you can hope for good weather. Italian equivalent of “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight".
A caval donato non si guarda in bocca – Italian equivalent of “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”, which means don't be ungrateful when you receive a gift.
Tanto va la gatta al lardo che ci lascia lo zampino – Italian equivalent of “curiosity killed the cat”, which means that being too curious can get you into trouble.