Florentine typical expressions (part 6)

Did you think that after 100 florentine expression it was over? ;-)

If you use some of these with a florentine audience, most probably you are going to make them laugh.

1) all’altra, it literally means at the other. It is used especially with exclamations, when you are surprised by an unexpected situation. Attento, all’altra tu caschi! (Attention, you were near to fall!).

2) brusòtto, it is the giubbòtto (jacket). This is very slang, don’t use this word when you ask for a jacket in a shop. :-) A more joking variant is the diminutive brusottìno.

3) eccoci all’acqua, it literally means here we are at the water. It is used when you have to face off a difficult or unexpected situation, to express your surprise or to indicate to pay attention. Ci siamo persi! Eccoci all’acqua! (We are lost! Here it’s the water!).

4) antepàtico, it is a variant of antipatico (unpleasant, annoying person). Come tu sei antepatico! (How annoying you are!).

5) assaettàto, it derives from saétta (arrow, flash of lightning). It has the figurative sense of being hit by an arrow. This adjective is used to strengthen another one. Quel giubbotto gl’è caro assaettato! (That jacket is very expensive!).

6) a regola, it literally means at rule. It’s used with the meaning evidently. Non c’è nessuno nel parcheggio, a regola i’ negozio gl’è chiuso! (There is nobody in the parking, the shop is evidently closed!).

7) tornare di casa, it means to take up residence (literally, house). Gl’è tornato di casa a Firenze! (He took up residence in Florence!).

8) un po’ di più, it means a bit more. It is used with the meaning very much. Penso che lei sia avara. Chi, lei? Un po’ di più! (I think she is miser. Who, her? Indeed she is too much!).

9) bracàre, it means to browse, snoop, poke around for something. Per favore smettila di bracare nella mia stanza! (Please stop snooping in my room!). Bracóne (variant of impiccióne) is a curious, nosy person that is too much interested in other’s people business.

10) bórda, it is an exclamation used to express the quickness of a just occurred event. Borda! Gl’ha rotto il bicchiere! (Ooops! He has broken the glass!).

11) brontolàre, it is a variant of rimproverare (to scold). Compòrtati bene, sennò la mamma ti bróntola! (Behave properly otherwise mom scolds you!).

12) buggeràre, it means to cheat, fool, swindle someone. Ti hanno buggerato! (They cheated you!).

13) buzzùrro, anciently it seems that this word was used to indicate someone cooking/selling castagnaccio or pattóna (that in Florence is a variant for polenta, though in Italy indicates a polenta made with chestnut flour). It is used to indicate a rough, boorish, loutish person.

14) essere di casa (stare di casa), it means to be used to doing/frequenting something/someplace, not to be confounded with the standard expression essere a casa (or stare a casa), which literally means to be at home. It is used to indicate (also in a figurative sense) someone/something that is very commonly found, or used to be in some place. Le piace molto il teatro, ci sta di casa! (She likes a lot the theatre, she is very used to going there!).

15) mettiti nei suoi panni, it literally means put yourself in his/her clothes. It is used to tell someone “try to figure out what I/he/she am/is experiencing/feeling” about a situation. Lavora dodici ore al giorno e la sera è stanca, mettiti nei suoi panni! (She works twelve hours per day, and at evening she is tired, try to understand!). Non potevo farlo, mettiti nei miei panni! (I couldn’t do that, try to understand me!). Non ha soldi per aiutarti, mettiti nei suoi panni! (She doesn’t have the money to help you, try to understand!).

16) fare un chiodo, it means to incur debt. Ho fatto un chiodo per cambiare l’auto! (I incurred debt to change the car!).

17) cocciòla, it is a sign on the skin caused by a mosquito’s (or other insect) bite. C’è pieno di zanzare! Ho una cocciola sul braccio! (It’s full of mosquitos! I have a bite on the arm!).

18) frittellóso, it derives from frittèlla (pancake). It is used to indicate someone’s dirty clothes upon having a meal. Ha mangiato gli spaghetti, l’è tutto frittelloso! (He ate spaghetti, he is dirty!).

19) mangiare i’ fumo alle schiacchiate, it literally means to eat the steam from the schiacciate (flatbreads). It is used for a very smart person that is quick to understand things or situations. Ha già capito come fare, mangia i’ fumo alle schiacciate! (He has already understood how to do, he’s smart!).

20) avere la giornata storta, it literally means to have the crooked day. It’s used to indicate a person who is in a bad mood. Non ti si può dire nulla oggi, c’hai la giornata storta! (We can’t say anything to you today, you are in a bad mood!).

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