A
A buon intenditor poche parole.
English translation: Few words to the good listener.
Idiomatic meaning: A word to the wise is sufficient.
A caval donato non si guarda in bocca.
English translation: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
A chi dai il dito si prende anche il braccio.
English translation: Give them a finger and they’ll take the arm.
Idiomatic meaning: Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile.
A ciascuno il suo.
English translation: To each his own.
A confessore, medico e avvocato non tener il ver celato.
English translation: To confessor, doctor, and lawyer do not hide the truth.
A mali estremi, estremi rimedi.
English translation: Desperate times call for desperate measures.
A nemico che fugge, ponti d’oro.
English translation: For the enemy who escapes, golden bridges.
A ogni uccello il suo nido è bello.English translation: To every bird, his own nest is beautiful.
Idiomatic meaning: There’s no place like home.
A rubar poco si va in galera, a rubar tanto si fa cariera.
English translation: Steal a little, go to jail; steal a lot, make a career of it.
A tutto c’è rimedio, fuorchè alla morte.
English translation: There is a cure for everything except death.
Acqua cheta rovina i ponti.
English translation: Silent waters run deep.
Acqua passata non macina più.
English translation: That’s water under the bridge.
Aiutati che Dio t’aiuta.
English translation: Help youself and God will help you.
Idiomatic meaning: God helps those who help themselves.
Al bisogno si conosce l’amico.
English translation: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Al contadino non far sapere quanto è buono il formaggio con le pere.
English translation: Don’t let the farmer know how good cheese is with pears.
Ama il prossimo tuo come te stesso.
English translation: Love thy neighbor as thyself.
Ambasciator non porta pena.
English translation: Don’t shoot the messenger.
Amico di tutti e di nessuno e tutt’uno.
English translation: A friend to all and a friend to none is one and the same.
Avere le mani in pasta.
English translation: To have a finger in the pie.