On of the things Terese & I love about Italy, is that they love and use proverbs often in their everyday conversations... and many times the literal translation can sound odd to Americans... Here's a few examples:
Meglio un giorno da leone che cento da pecora. It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep. (This means that it's better to live one day with courage and strength than a hundred days passively). This is just one of many proverbs that Italians often cite in everyday conversation and even live by.
Italian proverbs are a rich part of their language and culture, offering wisdom and insights into life, relationships, and human nature in Italy.
La notte porta consiglio. Meaning: This proverb translates to "The night brings advice." It suggests that one should not make impulsive decisions but rather take time to reflect and seek counsel before making important choices. In English we might say, "lets sleep on it."
Buon vino fa buon sangue... Meaning: This proverb translates to "Good wine makes good blood." It suggests that consuming quality food and drink contributes to one's health and well-being.
For example: Prendiamo una bottiglia di quel Chianti. Ricordati che il buon vino fa buon sangue! (Let's get a bottle of that Chianti. Remember that good wine makes good blood!)
Chi fa da sé fa per tre This translates to "He who does things for himself does for three." It implies that being self-sufficient and taking initiative leads to greater productivity and success. In English, we say "If you want something done, do it yourself".
Le bugie hanno le gambe corte. Lies have short legs. This means that lies won't endure or get us very far because they have "short legs.” In English, we'd say "lying will get you nowhere."
La gatta frettolosa ha fatto i figli ciechi. The hasty cat has birthed blind kittens. As the English saying goes, "Haste makes waste." This is a friendly reminder to slow down, take your time, and think things through.
and Terese's very favorite that you'll hear often in Tuscany: In Bocca al Lupo ~ literally: In The Mouth Of The Wolf. In English we say: Good Luck, break a leg!
