Common Italian Idiomatic Phrases Related to Animals

I have prepared a pdf file with all the Italian idiomatic phrases you’ll find in this post. You can find it in Your Italian Toolbox, a section of Instantly Italy where you’ll find Italian learning materials. You can get access to it by subscribing here.

Here comes another round of Italian idiomatic phrases!

Actually, it is more than one round as – exactly as it happened last time – when I started researching for common Italian idiomatic phrases, I came up with so many I had to split this post in two.

But let me explain you better. A few weeks ago, I wrote a couple of posts about Italian idiomatic phrases which have something to do with food (here’s the first one and here’s the second one – with a downloadable pdf file for you to keep if you like).

I have received quite a few positive messages regarding that series of post and I thought it would be interesting – and useful – for you if I shared another list of idiomatic phrases.

I have given a thought about possible topics and I came up with my second favorite thing after food: animals! I love them a real lot and I think they make a perfect topic for idiomatic phrases because there are endless ways of saying that involve animals and some of them are really funny.

As it happens every time, as soon as I started researching I came up with a super huge list, which somehow I had to shorten and split into two.

Therefore, this is just a selection of Italian idiomatic phrases, based on the most used ones – and funniest ones too! Here come the first 25 phrases, you’ll find the rest of the list next week.

Let’s start with some of the most common Italian idiomatic phrases related to animals, shall we?

First of all, a list of some similes.

Muto come un pesce

Literal meaning: dumb as a fish

Furbo come una volpe

Literal meaning: sly as a fox

Cieco come una talpa

Literal meaning: blind as a mole

Bagnato come un pulcino

Literal meaning: wet as a chick

Matto come un cavallo

Literal meaning: crazy as a horse

Veloce come una lepre

Literal meaning: fast as a hare

Solo come un cane

Literal meaning: lonely as a dog

Lento come una lumaca

Literal meaning: slow as a snail

Testardo come un mulo

Literal meaning: stubborn as a mule

Magro come un’acciuga

Literal meaning: thin as an anchovy

Incavolata come una iena

Literal meaning: angry like a hyena

Viscido come un serpente

Literal meaning: slimy as a snake

Ciucco come un asino

Literal meaning: drunk as a donkey

Simpatico come un riccio nelle mutande

Literal meaning: nice as a hedgehog in your pant

Fortunato come un cane in chiesa

Literal meaning: lucky as a dog in a church
Actual meaning: dogs are not allowed in churches, so you are not so lucky if you are a dog and find yourself there

Curioso come una scimmia

Literal meaning: curious as a monkey

Noioso come una mosca

Literal meaning: annoying like a fly

Let’s now move to other kinds of sayings, now.

Essere una mosca bianca

Literal meaning: to be a white fly
Actual meaning: to be different from all the others, to be the only one who is different from the others

Non vola una mosca!

Literal meaning: not a single fly is flying
Actual meaning: it is super silent, there is no noise

In bocca al lupo!

Literal meaning: in the mouth of the wolf
Actual meaning: good luck!

In culo alla balena!

Literal meaning: in the ass of the whale
Actual meaning: good luck!

Specchietto per le allodole

Literal meaning: mirror for the larks
Actual meaning: a lure, a false attraction, a way to attract someone and cheat him/her

Versare lacrime di coccodrillo

Literal meaning: to pour crocodile’s tears
Actual meaning: to behave badly and then pretend you are sad for what you did

Prendere lucciole per lanterne

Literal meaning: to take fireflies for lanterns
Actual meaning: to misunderstand

A caval donato non si guarda in bocca

Literal meaning: you must not look into the mouth of a horse you received as a gift
Actual meaning: a gift is a gift, do not question it

Here’s the first part of Italian idiomatic phrases that are related to food. Don’t forget to check back next week for a second round!

I have prepared a pdf file with all the Italian idiomatic phrases you’ll find in this post. You can find it in Your Italian Toolbox, a section of Instantly Italy where you’ll find Italian learning materials. You can get access to it by subscribing here.

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