Italian expressions: GETTARE LA SPUGNA

We are happy to introduce you a new series of videos dedicated to the most common expressions in Italian! The first expression is GETTARE LA SPUGNA!

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Idiomatic Expressions in Italian

In Italian there are a lot of expressions that can be troublesome because they have two meanings: a literal one and a metaphorical one.

One of the most frequently used expressions in Italian is:

GETTARE LA SPUGNA (throw in the towel/sponge)

The spugna (sponge) is the object used to wash dishes and clean the house.

Gettare, instead, means “lanciare via” (throw away)

So the literal meaning of this expression is “lanciare via la spugna” (throwing the sponge away)

But , as we mentioned before, this expression has a second metaphorical meaning:

ritirarsi, arrendersi, mollare un’impresa, rinunciare a proseguire (to give up)

Example:

Basta! Non sono capace di fare questo disegno! Getto la spugna! (That’s enough! I can’t draw this picture! I throw in the towel)

Do you like Italian idioms? We have got what you need! Have a look at all our video-lessons on Italian idiomatic expressions!

Let’s see if you’ve mastered the contents of this class. Have a go at completing the exercises!

Caricamento quiz in corso…

Esercizio: Espressioni Italiane – “Gettare la Spugna”

Impara l’espressione idiomatica italiana “gettare la spugna” e altre simili. Quiz gratuito per comprendere il significato e l’uso delle espressioni italiane nel contesto quotidiano.

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