Lipari, Salina, Filicudi, Alicudi, Vulcano, Stromboli and Panarea

Aeolian Genealogy

Italian Proverbs

Some are in Italian, others in dialect.
Send in your favourite Italian proverbs so they can be added to the growing list!

Proverbs Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

<---- Previous Page Page 3

Italian	English
Cu 'na mano ni lavamo l'autra e cu tutti i dui ni lavamo a faccia	With one hand we wash the other and then with both we wash our face
L'uomu chi nun si fa i fatti sua, cu na lanterna vasci shircannu vuai	A person who does not mind his own business or sticks his nose where it does not belong is looking for trouble
pulici porta cu dormi cu cani	If you sleep with a dog you'll catch flees
quannu a yatta un potti arrivari u purmuni dissi ca fitia	When the cat was unable to reach the lung, it said it smelled
Vidiri l'uccila pi lanterna	We see the firefly as a lantern. To exaggerate something beyond proportion.
Cu yaddu o senza yaddu, u stissu fa iournu	With the rooster or without a rooster, it will still dawn
Pi manciari cu dui mano si affuco	To bite off more than you can chew
U cani non ne mancia cipudda	Dogs don't eat onion
Ama l'amicu tua, sicun'nu u vizziu sua	Accept a person for you he/she is
A casa di u patruni ogni iurnu è festa	At the owner's home, every day there's feasting
Si vo passari a vita cuntenti, statti luntanu di i parenti	If you want to live a happy life, stay away from family and relatives
A matinata fasci a iurnata	The morning makes the day
Mentra u miedicu studia, u mallatu sinni' va
Cani c' abbaia assai muzzica picca, cani c' abbaia picca muzzica assai	Dogs which bark a lot don't bite, and dogs which don't bark bite.
Prima Natale ne' friddu ne' fame, dopu Natale vene u friddu e a fame	Before Christmas it's neither cold nor one is hungry, after Christmas comes the cold weather and the hunger

<---- Previous Page Page 3

Proverbs Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10