Italiano Fuori di Testa! La Follia delle Parole Italiane!
Off-the-Wall Italian! The Madness of Italian Words!
Le parole si impara leggendo libri italiani
The words and expressions you learn reading Italian books.
Negli ultimi tempi sto leggendo tantissimo. Anzi… diciamola tutta: sto ascoltando tantissimi audiolibri in italiano. Vale lo stesso, no? In questo preciso momento sono alle prese con il mio 161º romanzo scritto da un autore italiano. Centosessantuno! Altro che matta…
Lately I’ve been reading a lot. Well… actually, listening to a lot of audiobooks in Italian. That counts too, right? At the moment I’m on my 161st novel by an Italian author. 161! Yep, call me La Matta for a reason.
Dalla notte dei tempi…espressioni notevoli!
Since the Dawn of Time… notable expressions!
Nel corso dei secoli (anzi, “dalla notte dei tempi” come direbbero gli italiani), l’umanità ha sempre trovato modi fantasiosi per descrivere i comportamenti… diciamo così… un po’ fuori dal comune.
Since the dawn of time (or as Italians say, “dalla notte dei tempi”), humankind has always found wonderfully expressive ways to describe, let’s say… “unusual” behavior.
Una delle mie espressioni preferite? Hai bevuto il cervello? Questa frase, sebbene sembri uscita da un film horror comico, significa semplicemente:
One of my recent favorites? “Hai bevuto il cervello?” (Literally: “Did you drink your brain?”) This phrase, while it might sound like a B-movie horror flick, simply means:
Il significato di “Hai bevuto il cervello.”
The meaning of “You drank your brain.”
Puoi anche dire / You can also say:
Hai perso la testa?
Have you lost your mind?
Sei impazzito?
Have you gone mad?
Sei fuori di testa?
Are you completely nuts??
Ma sei fuori di testa?! Sei matto come un cavallo?
Are You Out of Your Mind?! Are you crazy as a horse?
Ecco altri modi divertenti (e a volte esilaranti) per dire che qualcuno è un po’… fuori di testa in italiano. Ecco delle espressioni più amate dagli italiani. Stramba e meravigliosa!
Here are some other colorful, slightly unhinged, and totally delightful ways to say someone’s crazy in Italian. Here you go, couple of fan favorites. Totally weird. Totally fabulous!
Sei fuori come un balcone!
You’re outside like a balcony!
Hai una rotella fuori posto.
One of your gears is out of place. Loosely: A screw’s loose.
Hai il cervello in pappa.
Your brain’s mush.
Visuale. Teatrale. Puro italiano,
e naturalmente, il mio preferito assoluto:
Sei matto come un cavallo!
You’re as crazy as a horse!
(Who knew Italian horses were so crazy!)
Ridere a Crepapelle!
Laughing ‘Til You Burst!
Quando sento queste espressioni mi viene da ridere… ma proprio a crepapelle!
When I hear these idioms, I want to laugh out loud—like, truly, to the point of bursting!
Ma che vuol dire “a crepapelle”?
What does “a crepapelle” mean? Let’s break it down.
Crepare = scoppiare, esplodere, spaccarsi
To burst, crack open (splat like a watermelon), or even… croak
Pelle = la pelle, la tua povera pelle!
Skin, as in… your poor stretched-out skin!
Ridere a crepapelle
Ridere fino alle lacrime, alle convulsioni, al punto che ti si spacca la pelle dal ridere!
It means laughing until you cry, until your sides ache, until your skin splits with joy (metaphorically speaking, of course—no dermatological emergencies required).
Ridere a Crepapelle e nono solo!
Laughing ‘Til You Burst and then Some!
Questa espressione si usa anche in altri contesti esagerati, come: Mangiare a crepapelle o Godersi qualcosa a crepapelle.
These expressions can also be used in exaggerated contexts, like: To eat yourself silly (or until you burst) or to enjoy something to the max, without holding back
La lingua italiana non fa le cose a metà. Si vive, si ama e si esprime a crepapelle.
The Italian language doesn’t do things halfway. It lives, it loves, and it expresses itself a crepapelle—to the absolute max!
🇮🇹 Matta Italian Language Tip #1 🇮🇹
How to say “I can’t wait to do something” in Italian.
Quando sei impaziente di fare qualcosa, puoi dire
When you are impatient to do something, you say:
Non vedo l’ora!
(Literally: I can’t see the hour)
Puoi anche dire
You can also say:
Non sto più nella mia pelle!
(Literally: I can’t stay in my own skin!)
Due modi perfettamente pazzi e perfettamente italiani per dire “I can’t wait!” Provali la prossima volta che sei impaziente per un gelato, un viaggio in Italia, o una lezione matta con me.
Two perfectly crazy and perfectly Italian ways to say “I can’t wait!”Try them out next time you’re impatient for a gelato, a trip to Italy, or a “matta” lesson with me!
🇮🇹 Matta Italian Language Tip #2 🇮🇹
Boost your Italian skills—one page (or spoken word) at a time!
Reading Italian books is a fantastic way to supercharge your vocabulary, pick up idiomatic expressions, and immerse yourself in Italian culture. Choose novels or short stories that truly pique your interest—because let’s face it, you’re far more likely to finish a book when the story grabs you!
Or… take a cue from me and listen instead! Italian audiobooks are like mini-movies for your ears. The narrators bring characters to life, and as a bonus, you’ll sharpen your pronunciation just by listening along. It’s language learning meets entertainment!
Still need a little spinta to keep those pages turning or your earbuds buzzing?
Join the Matta Book Club!
We just wrapped up the Spring 2025 edition, where we read Il treno dei bambini by Viola Ardone. For five weeks, we hopped on Zoom to chat about the novel’s plot, characters, vocabulary, grammar, and cultural insights. It was bellissimo—and so much fun!
The next Matta Group Book Club kicks off in Fall 2025, but here’s the great news: you don’t have to wait! You can read a book with me any time, one-on-one. Just pick your favorite from past book club selections, and let’s dive in together.
