Alexandra Lawrence, Francesco Stefanelli

Articles by the author

COMMUNITY

Arrotare

  Arrotare: To be run over.   Example: ‘Manca poco questo bischero m’arrota! E guarda i’ telefonino invece della strada!’ (‘That idiot was about to run me over! He’s looking ...

COMMUNITY

Empire

Empire: Florentine version of ‘riempire,’ to fill   Example: ‘Gnamo, c’è da empire i fiaschi.’ (‘Let’s go, we’ve got to fill up these bottles.’)     Vezzo: To be used to (a habit). It can also mean a

COMMUNITY

La’pisse

Your in-progress dictionary of the Florentine dialect   Lápisse: Florentine pronunciation of ‘lapis' (pencil).   Example: ‘O che la smetti di mangiatti i' lápisse e tu cominci a studiare!' (‘Would you quit chewing on your pencil and start studying already!')    

COMMUNITY

Tanghero

Tanghero: A rude or uncouth person. A boor; buffoon.   Example: ‘La figliola di Paolo se' fidanzata co' un tanghero di nulla!' (‘Paolo's daughter is dating a real buffoon!')     A' vogliaaa!: ‘Yeah right!'   Example: ‘Franco, che va' te a prendere i' pane?' &

COMMUNITY

Avvezzo

Avvezzo To be used to something. Example: ‘Gino llè troppo avvezzo a fumare, secondo me. Un ce la fa a smettere.’ (‘I think Gino is too used to smoking; he’ll ...

COMMUNITY

Conigliolo

Conìgliolo: Variation of coniglio (‘rabbit').   Example: ‘La mi dia anche un conìgliolo, così lo fo' arrosto pe' i bambini.' (‘Go ahead and give me a rabbit, too. I'll roast it for the kids.')     Ghevido: Cool. Example: ‘Oh,

COMMUNITY

Larderello

Larderello/i: ‘Love handles.'    Example: ‘Non mi piaccio in quella foto, si vedono tutti i larderelli!' (‘I don't like that picture of me: you can see my love handles!')        Formicola: Ant.   Example: ‘Eccoci! La cucina lè

COMMUNITY

Tra ninnoli e nannoli, Pela, I cami

Tra ninnoli e nannoli Between one thing and another. Example: ‘Mah, tra ninnoli e nannoli si finirà a mezzanotte.’ (‘Jeez, between one thing and another, we’ll finish at midnight.’)    ...

COMMUNITY

Beccassi

  Beccassi: To meet one another.   Example: ‘Allora ci si becca in piazza della Repubblica verso le 18! A dopo!’ (‘OK, let’s meet in piazza della Repubblica around 6pm! ...

COMMUNITY

Sistola

Sistola: Garden hose.   Example: ‘O ragazzi, ora basta bagnavvi con la sistola! Alla fine vù v'ammalate!' (‘Come on, guys, quit playing with the hose! You're going to get sick from being wet!')      Ingrullire: To be driven crazy.    Example: ‘

COMMUNITY

Essere ridotto al lumicino

Essere ridotto al lumicino During the fifteenth century, the Oratory of the Buonomini, located in the church of San Martino, was founded as a charity for poveri vergognosi, members of ...

COMMUNITY

Sicche

Sicchè: So; then.  Example: ‘Sicchè alla fine siamo andati al teatro.' (‘So, in the end we went to the theatre.')   Midolla: The soft part of the bread.  Example: ‘La midolla di codesto pane unnè bona: la si sbriciola tutta!' (‘The

COMMUNITY

Da dare e da serbare

Da dare e da serbare: Literally ‘to give and to keep.' Figuratively, the saying indicates something possessed in large quantity-so much that there is plenty to go around.   Example: ‘Sta' tranquillo che stiacciata ce nè da dare e da serbare, un t'hai visto quanto

COMMUNITY

Giovare

Giovare: To eat or to use something belonging to someone else without being disgusted. Example: 'O nini, tù te ne poi giovare di' mi' bicchiere; un l'ho usato!' (‘Little one, you can use my glass; I haven't used it!')   ‘Io un me ne giovo

COMMUNITY

Frignone

Frignone: Whiner. Cry baby.   Example: ‘Via basta, abbozzala frignone! Un tu sei un bambino, ci dovevi pensare prima di fare tutte queste bischerate!' (‘Come on, quit it, you cry baby! You aren't a kid-you should have thought about it before you did all of this

COMMUNITY

Ronciata

Ronciata To fall on the ground and hit your face hard. Example: ‘Maremma bona lè cascato di’ bicicletta e l’ha battuto una ronciata in terra sull’asfalto!’ (‘Damn! He fell off ...

COMMUNITY

Ceccotoccami

Ceccotoccami: Pest. A person (usually a child) who loves to get a rise and a reaction out of others. Imagine a kid goading or daring one of his friends, ‘Dai Cecco, toccami!' (‘Come on, Cecco, touch me!').   Example: ‘O ma guarda che i' tu' figliolo l'

COMMUNITY

Spunzonata, Curtello/curtella, Parea Pinco

Spunzonata Punch or very hard blow. Example: ‘Se sèguita gli dó una spunzonata nì viso!’ (‘If he keeps it up, I’m going to punch him in the face!’)   Curtello/curtella ...

COMMUNITY

Grullo

Grullo: A person who is a little dense or naive. There are several variations, including ‘grullerello' and ‘citrullo.'   Example: ‘Ma guarda quel grullo come crede a ogni cosa!'(‘What a dope, that guy will believe anything!') Lè passato i' bruttaio: Expression to indicate a

COMMUNITY

Si schianta da’ i’ cardo

Si schianta da' i' cardo: To be burning up from excessive heat. Example: ‘O nini, apri le finestre che si schianta da' i' cardo!' (‘Oh, little one, open the windows; it's burning up in here!')     Roba da gatti fradici: Literally, ‘stuff of wet cats.'

COMMUNITY

Dai picchia e mena

Dai picchia e mena Common phrase used to indicate resolution of a situation through dogged persistence. Example: ‘Dai picchia e mena, alla fine ci se’ fatta! Se’ trovato la strada!’ ...

COMMUNITY

Ciccia

Ciccia This word has various meanings, among them ‘meat’; it is also used as a friendly nickname, or expression of resignation.  Example: ‘Via nini, mangia la ciccia sennò un tu ...

COMMUNITY

E unne’ i’ bere

E unnè i’ bere, gliè i’ ribere! Literally, ‘It’s not the drink, it’s the drinking again!’ Expression used to describe the effects of drinking to excess. Example: ‘Gino! Come mi ...

COMMUNITY

Avellare

Avellare To stink. Example: ‘Apri le finestre e s’avella qui dentro!’(‘Open the windows! It stinks in here!’)     Stiantare Florentine pronunciation of ‘schiantare’; to break violently or to die. ...

See more articles
LIGHT MODE
DARK MODE