🇮🇹 Italian Lesson 56: Advanced Idioms & Expressions | Mondosol

Italian advanced idioms expressions: what this Italian lesson covers

This free interactive lesson on italian advanced idioms expressions is part of the Mondosol Learn to speak Italian course. In about ten minutes you will meet 8 essential words and phrases about today: advanced idioms and expressions, see how they are used, and test yourself with a short quiz. Everything on this page runs in your browser, so you can practise italian advanced idioms expressions on your phone, tablet or laptop without installing anything.

What you will learn

• In bocca al lupo! — Good luck! (lit. "In the wolf’s mouth!")
• Avere le mani in pasta — To have a hand in everything (lit. “hands in the dough”)
• Non avere peli sulla lingua — To speak one’s mind (lit. “no hair on the tongue”)
• Avere il cuore in gola — To have one’s heart in one’s throat (lit.) = to be very scared
• Prendere in giro qualcuno — To tease / make fun of someone
• Essere al verde — To be broke / have no money
• Cavare i piedi dal fango — To get out of a difficult situation
• Fare il pelo e il contropelo — To scrutinize / nitpick intensely

Practice questions

1. What does “In bocca al lupo!” mean? Options: To have a hand in everything (lit. “hands in the dough”), Good luck! (lit. "In the wolf’s mouth!"), To speak one’s mind (lit. “no hair on the tongue”).
2. What does “Non avere peli sulla lingua” mean? Options: To have one’s heart in one’s throat (lit.) = to be very scared, To tease / make fun of someone, To speak one’s mind (lit. “no hair on the tongue”).
3. What does “Prendere in giro qualcuno” mean? Options: To tease / make fun of someone, To be broke / have no money, To get out of a difficult situation.
4. What does “Cavare i piedi dal fango” mean? Options: To scrutinize / nitpick intensely, Good luck! (lit. "In the wolf’s mouth!"), To get out of a difficult situation.

How the lesson works

Each card shows one item with a visual cue and a clear explanation. Tap the card to flip it, say it out loud, and move on when it feels familiar. After the cards you answer a short quiz on italian advanced idioms expressions; a wrong answer costs a heart, and if you run out you can restart the lesson for free. Finish all the cards and the quiz to earn XP and keep your daily streak alive, exactly like a language app but built around real Italian situations.

Why italian advanced idioms expressions matters

Italian opens doors in Italy and far beyond: travel, food, family conversations and work all become richer when you can say what you mean. Practising one focused topic like this for a few minutes a day is the fastest way to make the words stick.

Keep going

Ready for more? Go back to the full Learn to speak Italian course to pick your next lesson, or browse all Mondosol courses. For an authoritative reference on this topic, see Accademia della Crusca. Mondosol is free to start; Plus unlocks all courses, unlimited hearts and offline practice.