How hard is it to understand spoken Italian? Movies, TV series, YouTube videos… sometimes it seems impossible. The truth is that “real” Italian is very different from that of grammar books. With this article you will discover authentic Italian expressions taken from Italian TV series, organized by level from A1 to C2.
13 Italian Expressions for Every Level
Level A1 – “A Cartoon at the Museum: The Vampiretto’s Debut”
Context in the Series
In “The Vampiretto’s Debut”, an animated short film made during a creative workshop at Palazzo Traversa, a little vampire wakes up after a long sleep and reflects on his condition.
Complaining about his physical limitations, he says: “Volevo conoscere il mondo, e invece non riesco neanche a tenere gli occhi aperti. E non posso neanche correre. Mi hanno disegnato così, con le gambe rigide…” [I wanted to see the world, but instead I can’t even keep my eyes open. And I can’t even run. They drew me like this, with stiff legs…]
What Do They Mean?
- NON RIESCO (A) [I can’t / I’m unable to]: It comes from the verb “riuscire” [to manage / to succeed], which means to be able to do something, to manage. “Non riesco” indicates that I am not able, I can’t manage. It is used with the preposition “a” + infinitive.
- RIGIDO/A [stiff / strict / rigid]: It means hard, that doesn’t bend. For people, it indicates someone strict and inflexible. For the climate, it means very cold: “un inverno rigido” [a harsh winter].
Usage Examples
- Examples:
“Non riesco a trovare le chiavi.” [I can’t find the keys.] - “Non riesco a capire questo esercizio.” [I can’t understand this exercise.]
- “Ho le gambe rigide dopo la palestra.” [My legs are stiff after the gym.]
- “Il mio capo è molto rigido: non accetta ritardi.” [My boss is very strict: he doesn’t accept delays.]
Related Expressions
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Non ce la faccio [I can’t take it / I can’t manage] | Non riesco (more colloquial) [I can’t (more colloquial)] |
| Farcela [To manage / To make it] | Riuscire (“Ce l’ho fatta!” = Sono riuscito!) [To succeed (“I made it!” = I succeeded!)] |
Level A2 – “Giovanni”
Context in the Series
In “Giovanni”, a short film that tells the story of a 6-year-old boy who innocently plays with his doll at the park, the mom talks on the phone while keeping an eye on her son.
At one point she interrupts the conversation saying: “Sì, la maestra nuova è molto carina, l’abbiamo già conosciuta… Aspetta un attimo. Giovanni, vatti a sedere su quella panchina dove c’è quel signore.” [Yes, the new teacher is very nice, we’ve already met her… Wait a moment. Giovanni, go sit on that bench where that man is.]
What Do They Mean?
- UN ATTIMO [a moment / a second]: It means a very brief moment. It is a very commonly used expression to ask someone to wait: “Aspetta un attimo!” [Wait a moment!], “Arrivo tra un attimo” [I’ll be there in a moment], “Dammi un attimo” [Give me a moment].
- PANCHINA [bench]: It is a long seat, usually made of wood or metal, found in parks, at bus stops, in stadiums. Be careful: the panca [bench without a backrest], instead, has no backrest.
Usage Examples
- Examples:
“Un attimo! Ho dimenticato le chiavi.” [One moment! I forgot the keys.] - “Puoi aspettare un attimo? Finisco questa email.” [Can you wait a moment? I’m finishing this email.]
- “Ci sediamo su quella panchina al parco?” [Shall we sit on that bench at the park?]
- “Il calciatore è rimasto in panchina per tutta la partita.” [The player stayed on the bench for the entire match.]
Cultural Note
In football, “stare in panchina” [to stay on the bench] means not playing, being a substitute.
It is also used figuratively: “In questa azienda sto sempre in panchina” [In this company I’m always on the bench] = nobody involves me.
Expressions Similar to “Un Attimo”
| Expression | Register |
|---|---|
| Un momento [One moment] | Standard |
| Un secondo [One second] | Standard |
| Due secondi [Two seconds] | Colloquial |
Level B1 – “Talking Tom and Friends”
Context in the Series
In episode 1 of season 1 of “Talking Tom and Friends”, the animated series starring Tom, the famous talking cat, Angela scolds Tom for his intrusive behavior and for ruining a night out with friends. Listing all his mistakes, she tells him: “Davvero Tom? Ripensiamo a quello che hai fatto… Per prima cosa hai letto il mio diario, poi hai peggiorato le cose ficcando il naso nella mia posta elettronica e nel mio telefono, infine hai rovinato la serata del mistero dando in escandescenza davanti a tutti i nostri amici.” [Really Tom? Let’s think back to what you did… First you read my diary, then you made things worse by sticking your nose into my email and my phone, and finally you ruined the mystery night by throwing a fit in front of all our friends.]
What Do They Mean?
- FICCARE IL NASO [to stick one’s nose in]: It means being too curious, meddling in other people’s business. The image is that of someone literally putting their nose into other people’s affairs to discover secrets. The opposite is “farsi gli affari propri” [to mind one’s own business].
- DARE IN ESCANDESCENZA [to throw a fit / to fly off the handle]: It means to completely lose control, to get extremely angry with shouting and exaggerated gestures. It is a mid-to-high register expression, used to describe very strong reactions.
Usage Examples
- Examples:
“Smettila di ficcare il naso nei miei affari.” [Stop sticking your nose into my business.] - “La vicina ficca sempre il naso in quello che facciamo.” [The neighbor always sticks her nose into what we do.]
- “Quando ha visto il conto, ha dato in escandescenza.” [When he saw the bill, he threw a fit.]
- “Non dare in escandescenza per una cosa così piccola.” [Don’t throw a fit over such a small thing.]
Expressions Similar to “Dare in Escandescenza”
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Andare su tutte le furie [To fly into a rage] | Arrabbiarsi moltissimo [To get extremely angry] |
| Perdere le staffe [To lose one’s temper] | Perdere il controllo [To lose control] |
| Uscire dai gangheri [To fly off the handle] | Arrabbiarsi in modo eccessivo [To get excessively angry] |
Level B2 – “The Lady with the Black Veil”
Context in the Series
In episode 2 of season 1 of “The Lady with the Black Veil”, a period drama set in the past, the protagonist Clara discovers she is the victim of an arranged marriage and a plot to steal her inheritance. Speaking with contempt about the man she is supposed to marry, she says: “So solo che è un vile. Uno che vuole passare il resto della sua vita con me senza nemmeno conoscermi, per denaro. Un essere abietto e senza cuore.” [I only know that he is a coward. Someone who wants to spend the rest of his life with me without even knowing me, for money. A despicable and heartless being.]
What Do They Mean?
- VILE [cowardly / despicable]: It is a strong adjective from the formal register that means cowardly (someone who is afraid and runs away) or despicable (someone who commits dishonest actions). It is also used as a noun: “Sei un vile!” [You are a coward!] The related noun is “viltà” [cowardice].
- ABIETTO [abject / despicable]: It is even stronger than “vile”. It means extremely despicable, morally repugnant, something that provokes disgust. It comes from the Latin “abiectus” = “thrown away”, like something so disgusting that it is rejected. The related noun is “abiezione” [abjection].
Usage Examples
- Examples:
“Solo un vile attacca chi è più debole.” [Only a coward attacks those who are weaker.] - “La sua viltà mi ha profondamente deluso.” [His cowardice deeply disappointed me.]
- “Il suo comportamento è stato abietto.” [His behavior was despicable.]
- “Un crimine abietto che ha sconvolto la nazione.” [A despicable crime that shocked the nation.]
Linguistic Note
In old Italian, “vile” also meant “of little economic value”. From this comes the expression still used today “a vil prezzo” [at a very low price] = at a very low price, almost given away.
Level C1 – “The 30’s Are the New 60’s”
Context in the Series
In episode 5 of season 1 of “The 30’s Are the New 60’s”, a comedy series that follows Miki and Mauri, two thirty-year-old friends who are starting to feel the first aches and pains of aging, the two ironically comment on people who post old photos on social media.
One of them complains saying: “Però fermati lì, no? Perché mi devi sbattere in faccia gli anni 90, così… In pubblico, senza chiedere il permesso. – Sì, ma poi, già fotografare una foto… – Sì, infatti. Che poi è tipico di chi la posta, no? Quello che era già fighetto all’epoca ed è figo adesso.” [But stop right there, right? Why do you have to throw in my face the 90s, just like that… In public, without asking permission. – Yes, but then, taking a photo of a photo… – Yes, exactly. Which is typical of whoever posts it, right? The one who was already a pretty boy back then and is cool now.]
What Do They Mean?
- SBATTERE IN FACCIA [to throw in someone’s face]: It means to show something in a blunt and provocative way, to throw it in someone’s face without any delicacy. The image is that of “throwing” something directly in someone’s face, without kindness or tact.
- FIGHETTO/A [pretty boy / trendy person]: It indicates a young person who dresses fashionably, takes great care of their appearance and is attractive. It can have a negative nuance, as if the person were superficial or snobbish. It derives from “figo” (= cool, fashionable) with the addition of the suffix “-etto”.
Usage Examples
- Examples:
“Mi ha sbattuto in faccia tutte le volte che ho sbagliato.” [He threw in my face every time I made a mistake.] - “Non c’è bisogno di sbattermi in faccia il tuo successo.” [There’s no need to throw your success in my face.]
- “Al liceo era il fighetto della classe.” [In high school he was the pretty boy of the class.]
- “Quel bar è pieno di fighetti con le scarpe firmate.” [That bar is full of pretty boys with designer shoes.]
Expressions Related to “Figo”
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Figo/a [Cool / Good-looking] | Bello/a, fantastico/a [Beautiful, fantastic] |
| Figata [Awesome thing] | Cosa fantastica (“Che figata questa macchina!”) [Fantastic thing (“How awesome is this car!”)] |
| Fare il figo [To show off] | Darsi arie [To put on airs] |
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Context in the Series
In episode 1 of season 1 of “The Disgruntled”, also known as “Il Milanese Imbruttito”, an Italian comedy web series available on YouTube, the protagonist confides in a friend that she pretended to be a different person during a trip, and now she fears being found out.
Worried, she says: “Il problema è che mi sta venendo a trovare. – E non sei contenta? – Eh no, raga’, certo che no, perché là ho finto di essere una sciroccata come lui, era semplice. Dieci giorni, me la sono cavata con Internet, mo’ mi sgama qui.” [The problem is that he’s coming to visit me. – And aren’t you happy? – No, guys, of course not, because there I pretended to be a weirdo like him, it was easy. Ten days, I managed with the Internet, now he’ll catch me out here.]
What Do They Mean?
- RAGA’ [guys]: It is the colloquial truncation of “ragazzi” [guys]. It is used a lot in informal speech, especially among young people, to address friends. It is typical of central Italy (Rome in particular), but it is now widespread throughout Italy.
- SCIROCCATO/A [crazy / eccentric / weirdo]: It means crazy, strange, eccentric, a bit out of one’s mind. It is a colloquial and playful term. It comes from “scirocco”, the hot wind that blows from the Sahara towards Italy: it was believed that this wind caused headaches and strange behavior in people.
- MO’ MI SGAMA [now he’ll catch me out]: It is made up of two elements. “Mo'” [now] is typical of the Roman dialect and means “now”. “Sgamare” [to catch / to find out] is youth slang and means to catch someone who is lying or doing something secretly, to catch them red-handed. So “mo’ mi sgama” = “now he’ll catch me out”.
Usage Examples
- Examples:
“Raga’, stasera usciamo?” [Guys, are we going out tonight?] - “Dai raga’, non fate i difficili.” [Come on guys, don’t be difficult.]
- “Mia zia è sciroccata: parla con i gatti come se fossero persone.” [My aunt is crazy: she talks to cats as if they were people.]
- “Mi hanno sgamato mentre copiavo.” [They caught me while I was cheating.]
Expressions with “Mo'”
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| E mo’? [And now?] | E adesso? (esprime perplessità o frustrazione) [And now? (expresses bewilderment or frustration)] |
| Da mo’ [For a long time] | Da molto tempo (“Ti aspetto da mo’!”) [For a long time (“I’ve been waiting for you for ages!”)] |
Synonyms of “Sciroccato”
| Term | Register |
|---|---|
| Svitato [Nutty / Screwy] | Colloquial |
| Fuori di testa [Out of one’s mind] | Colloquial |
| Matto [Crazy / Mad] | Standard/Colloquial |
Summary: All Expressions by Level
| Level | Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Non riesco (a) [I can’t (manage to)] | Non sono capace di [I am not able to] |
| A1 | Rigido/a [Stiff / Strict] | Duro, che non si piega / Severo [Hard, that doesn’t bend / Strict] |
| A2 | Un attimo [A moment] | Un momento brevissimo [A very brief moment] |
| A2 | Panchina [Bench] | Seduta lunga nei parchi [Long seat in parks] |
| B1 | Ficcare il naso [To stick one’s nose in] | Intromettersi negli affari altrui [To meddle in other people’s business] |
| B1 | Dare in escandescenza [To throw a fit] | Perdere il controllo, arrabbiarsi molto [To lose control, to get very angry] |
| B2 | Vile [Cowardly / Despicable] | Codardo, spregevole [Cowardly, despicable] |
| B2 | Abietto [Abject / Despicable] | Estremamente spregevole [Extremely despicable] |
| C1 | Sbattere in faccia [To throw in someone’s face] | Rinfacciare in modo brusco [To reproach bluntly] |
| C1 | Fighetto/a [Pretty boy / Trendy person] | Persona alla moda (a volte superficiale) [Fashionable person (sometimes superficial)] |
| C2 | Raga’ [Guys (colloquial)] | Ragazzi (troncamento colloquiale) [Guys (colloquial truncation)] |
| C2 | Sciroccato/a [Crazy / Eccentric] | Pazzo, stravagante [Crazy, eccentric] |
| C2 | Mo’ mi sgama [Now he’ll catch me out] | Adesso mi scopre (dialetto romano + gergo) [Now he’ll find me out (Roman dialect + slang)] |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is It So Hard to Understand Spoken Italian in TV Series?
Spoken Italian in TV series is very different from that of grammar books. Actors speak quickly, use colloquial expressions, contractions, and often also regionalisms. Furthermore, natural speech includes hesitations, interruptions and overlaps that you won’t find in dialogues written for textbooks.
Which Italian TV Series Are Best for Learning the Language?
It depends on your level. For beginners, animated series or children’s programs are ideal because they have simpler language and clearer pronunciation. For intermediate and advanced levels, drama series and comedies offer a more authentic Italian that is rich in idiomatic expressions.
Is It Better to Watch with Italian Subtitles or Without?
Both options are useful. At first, Italian subtitles help you connect the sound to the written words. When you feel more confident, try watching without subtitles to really train your ear. Avoid subtitles in your mother tongue: they create a dependency on translation.
What Does “Mo'” Mean and in Which Regions Is It Used?
“Mo'” means “now” and is typical of the Roman dialect and other central-southern Italian varieties. It is widely used in informal speech and you will hear it often in TV series set in Rome or with Roman characters. Expressions like “E mo’?” [And now?] and “Da mo’” [For a long time] are very common.
Can Slang Expressions Like “Sgamare” Be Used in Formal Contexts?
No, expressions like “sgamare”, “raga'” and “sciroccato” belong to the colloquial or slang register and should only be used in informal contexts, with friends or peers. In formal situations (work, university, official contexts) it is better to use the standard alternatives: “scoprire” [to discover] instead of “sgamare”, “ragazzi” [guys] instead of “raga'”.
TV series are one of the best ways to hear real Italian, dive deeper with another one of our audio clip tests in the dedicated article
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