55 Italian Idiomatic phrases and expressions

1. Avere la Botte Piena e la Moglie Ubriaca : To have the wine cask full and the wife drunk: to have your cake and eat it, too.
2. Avere le mani d'oro :to be gifted in doing things
3. Attaccare il Cappello : To hang up one’s hat: used of a man who marries a wealthy woman, and (presumably) doesn’t have to work anymore.
4. A piede libero : out of jail
5. Alzare il gomito : to drink too much
6. Andarci coi piedi di piombo : to be cautious
7. Attacalo al chiodo : Hang it to the nail ( forget about it )
8. Avere le mani in pasta :to have power to influence someone else's decisions, to be powerful
9. Avere le mani legate :to have one's hands tied
10. Avere un piede nella fossa : to be almost dead
11. Buona Notte al Secchio : Literally, good night to the bucket, iIt’s used to mean …and then we’re screwed.Why there should be a bucket involved I do not know.
12. Buono Come il Pane :As good as bread.
13. Caduto dalle Nuvole :Fallen from the clouds: Completely surprised, or pretending to be.
14. Siamo incasinati : We’re in a mess(or we’re very busy”).
15. Cadere in piedi : to land on one's feet, to come out of a situation without damage
16. Cogliere qualcuno con le mani nel sacco :to catch someone red:handed
17. Dare manforte :to come to the rescue
18. Dare una mano a qualcuno :to help someone
19. Darsela a gambe : to run away
20. Essere alla mano :to be easy going
21. Dalle Stelle alle Stalle From riches to rugs
22. Dente Avvelenato – Ho il dente avvelenato : I am quite upset
23. Essere in gamba :
24. Fare man bassa : to ransack
25. Fuori di Testa : Out of your mind
26. Gallina Vecchia fa Buon Brodo : old chicken makes good soup
27. Fuori dai piedi! : clear out!
28. Il bue dice cornuto all'asino : The ox calls horned the donkey
29. Il Sangue Al Cervello – the blood on the brain (to describe that anger incrases)
30. In Bocca al Lupo : Into the wolf's mouth : good luck ( it works like Break a leg in English ) The proper response is Crepi il lupo (May the wolf die)
31. Leccapiedi : brownnose
32. Legarsela al dito : to remember a wrong bitterly
33. Man mano che : as/while
34. Metter le mani avanti (prima di cadere) : to take action to prevent later damage
35. Mettere il dito sulla piaga : to touch where it hurts
36. Mettersi le mani nei capelli : to be desperate, helpless
37. Metterci la ciliegina sopra : To place the cherry on top – To finish up something
38. Metti il sale sulla coda – Put salt on his tail / Try to catch it !
39. Mi piace un casino : I like it a lot.
40. Mordersi le mani : to regret something
41. Nella Botte Piccola C'è Vino Buono : Into a small cask there is good wine: A friendly compliment to a short person.
42. Non fare il passo piu' lungo della gamba : Don't make your step longer than your leg (or, don’t bite off more than you can chew)
43. Olio di gomito : oil from the elbow / Physical labor : Usare olio di gomito : Faticare
44. Ogni morto di papa : Every Death of a Pope : once in a blue moon.
45. Peli Sulla Lingua : non ho peli sulla lingua : I have no hair on my tongue – I speak frankly
46. Peli Sullo stomaco: ( Avere peli sullo stomaco ) :
47. Prendere qualcosa sottogamba : not to take it seriously
48. Piove sul Bagnato: It rains on what’s already wet : When it rains it pours !
49. Qualcosa bolle in pentola : Something is boiling in the pot (You are up to something) Ragionare coi piedi : to be illogical
50. Sentirsi prudere le mani : to feel like hitting someone
51. Star con le mani in mano : to be idle, to be sitting on the fence
52. Su due piedi : on the spot
53. Ti scureggia il cervello ( A fun Roman expression that mean : Your brin is farting ! / you are saying something very stupid ! )
54. Tirarsi su le maniche : Pull up the sleeves : Getting ready to work
55. Venire alle mani : to fight

Fonte: lifeinitaly.com

Quick Fix della BBC, le frasi essenziali in 40 linguaggi

Quick Fix della BBC presenta un elenco, suddiviso in 11 categorie, delle frasi più comuni in 40 linguaggi. Le categorie sono: - Basics - Accomodation  - Food and Drink - Shopping - Getting Around - Ski - Beach - Celebrations - Social Phrases

Guarda Quick Fix

27 ways to be an effective classroom Teacher

Basic Punctuation in English

Period (.)

We use a period (.)

• at the end of a sentence (always)

Hello. My name is Jim. I am a teacher at Gulf Polytechnic in Bahrain. Bahrain is a small island in the Gulf near the coast of Saudi Arabia.

• when we do not write all of a word (often)

Fri. ( = Friday)
Aug. ( = August)
A. Smith (Mr. Smith's first name begins with "A")
e.g. ( = for example; from the Latin exempli gratia)
etc. ( = and all the others; from the Latin et cetera)

Question mark (?)

We use a question mark (?) at the end of a question (but not at the beginning):

Did John find a nice apartment?
Where is Winnipeg?

Notice the question mark includes the period.

Apostrophe (')

We use an apostrophe (')

• for the genitive of nouns (Unit 49)

My brother's name is Matthew.
My brothers' names are Matthew, Edmund and Martin.

• for short forms of words (Unit 6)

Comma (,)

We use a comma (,)

• in a list

In this sentence, My brothers are Matthew, Edmund and Martin, you can understand that I have three brothers.

But in this sentence, My brothers are Matthew Edmund and Martin, I have only two brothers (one is called Matthew Edmund and the other is called Martin).

Notice that there is no comma before and: I bought some oranges, some apples, some peaches and a pear.

• at the beginning and end of some extra information

Matthew, my eldest brother, lives near Athabasca.
Matthew, who lives near Athabasca, is my eldest brother.

• after extra information at the beginning of a sentence

After three months, Matthew found an apartment.
If the weather is good, we can go to the beach.
Finally, I managed to open the door.

But we do not use the comma if we put the extra information at the end of the sentence:

Matthew found an apartment after three months.
We can go to the beach if the weather is good.

• between exact words spoken and the rest of the sentence

"Don't speak to me," he said.
She said, "I don't think you understand."

NEVER use a comma between subject and verb (Matthew, found an apartment) or between the verb and a noun phrase (Matthew found, an apartment).

Quotation marks (" ")

We use quotation marks (" ") to show that the words between them are the exact words spoken - "Just relax," the dentist told me. Notice that they are at the top of the writing (NOT _"Just relax_").

Exclamation mark (!)

We use an exclamation mark (!) to show great surprise or great interest.

Really! That is so strange!

Notice that the exclamation mark includes a period and that it cannot go at the beginning of a sentence (NOT ! Really). We do not use it for any other purpose.

Hyphen (-)

We use a hyphen (-) between two words to show that we must read them as one idea.

a second-hand car
a one-way street

source: wpeau.ca

50 video di Grammatica e Lessico Inglese

50 video riguardanti la grammatica ed il lessico della lingua Inglese proposti da Merriam Webster, una compagnia appartenente all'Enciclopedia Britannica. I video affrontano gli errori più comuni, i dubbi più frequenti ed anche aspetti storici della lingua Inglese.

Guarda i Video

Dictionary of Slang, raccolta alfabetica di slang inglesi e colloquiali

Raccolta alfabetica di slang inglesi e colloquiali attualmente in uso in Gran Bretagna, così come i collegamenti in gergo, bibliografici, e articoli affini.

54 Dizionari Inglesi online

• 123words.com
  English dictionary with lists of words sorted by their popularity on the Web. Features links to Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, Hindi, etymology, and thesaurus resources for each word.
  www.123words.com
• AllWords.com
  Online English dictionary with multi-lingual translations to or from Dutch, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Includes crossword puzzle solver features, creative writing tips, and slang words.
  www.allwords.com
• AskOxford.com
  Searchable online version of the Compact Oxford English Dictionary, as well as thesauri, quotations, foreign language dictionaries, a word of the day, and games.
  www.askoxford.com
• BambooWeb Dictionary
  Online dictionary and encyclopedia providing articles and information on a wide variety of topics. Browse encyclopedia entries by subject, or search for information by key words.
  www.bambooweb.com
• BeeDictionary.com
  Provides contextual usages of words along with roots, definitions, audio, antonyms, and synonyms.
  www.beedictionary.com
• Cambridge International Dictionaries
  Search Cambridge's free online dictionaries of English, English for students, French, Spanish, phrasal verbs, or idioms.
  dictionary.cambridge.org
• Century Dictionary Online
  Searchable American English dictionary, featuring JPEG images of the correct pages in the print version of the Century Dictionary.
  www.global-language.com/CENTURY
• CoolDictionary.Com: Audible Webster Dictionary
  Online version of Webster's American Dictionary, with audio clips of the correct pronunciation of words and quotes.
  www.cooldictionary.com
• Datasegment Online Dictionary
  Online dictionary allowing users to search and browse word definitions from multiple English dictionaries and a thesaurus.
  onlinedictionary.datasegment.com
• Definitions.net
  Online dictionary providing instant lookup and translations of word and phrase definitions, complete with images.
  www.definitions.net
• definr
  Very fast and simple dictionary which suggests possible words as you type. Good for the spelling-challenged.
  definr.com
• DICT.org
  Dictionary search site that draws on dictionaries and reference sources including Webster's, Jargon File, translation dictionaries, and Roget's Thesaurus. Created as part of an experiment to create a data exchange protocol for dictionary information.
  www.dict.org
• Dictionary.com
  Free online English dictionary site, offering word definitions, synonyms, word of the day emails, and writing resources.
  www.dictionary.com
• Dictionaryofsign.com
  Online international dictionary of sign language. Allows users to send in their own video clips of sign language for use in the dictionary.
  www.dictionaryofsign.com
• Dictonary Page
  Quick reference guide and dictionary of complicated or uncommon words that are often misspelled.
  www.dictionarypage.info
• Difficultwords
  A searchable dictionary of selected difficult or uncommon words.
  difficultwords.8-d.com
• DifficultWords.info
  Provides a searchable dictionary of selected difficult or uncommon words.
  www.difficultwordsinfo.com
• eLook.org Dictionary
  Online dictionary provides definitions, synonyms, and related words.
  www.elook.org/dictionary
• Encarta World English Dictionary
  Online English dictionary and thesaurus, featuring audio clips of words pronounced, as well as a word of the day.
  dictionary.msn.com
• English-Dictionary.us
  No-frills online English dictionary that users can search by word or phrase or browse alphabetically.
  www.english-dictionary.us
• Free Dictionary, The
  Free online dictionary search, offering English, medical, legal, and computer dictionaries as well as a thesaurus, encyclopedia, and literature reference library.
  www.thefreedictionary.com
• Grandiloquent Dictionary
  Collecting and defining the most rare, obscure, and pretentious words in the English language. Available in HTML and PDF formats.
  www.islandnet.com/~egbird/dict/dict.htm
• HyperDictionary
  Online dictionary featuring links to explanations of difficult terms within a given word's definition. Includes computer, dream, and medical dictionaries.
  www.hyperdictionary.com
• Hypertext Webster Gateway
  Online version of Webster's Dictionary, searchable by word or phrase.
  www.bennetyee.org/http_webster.cgi?
• iTools Language Tools
  Online dictionary service that includes a thesaurus, industry-specific terminology, crossword puzzle and Scrabble help, and translation tools.
  www.itools.com/lang
• KirzeN Dictionary
  Online multilingual dictionary, edited by users.
  www.kirzen.com
• Language Bin, The
  Online dictionary featuring an interface that allows users to see word definitions from multiple sources simultaneously.
  language.bin.org/ref/dict
• Lexiology.com
  Online dictionary of American English providing contextual usages of words along with meaning, audio, phonetics, antonyms, and synonyms.
  www.lexiology.com
• Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
  Online English dictionary, with photo illustrations, audio files of selected word pronunciations, example sentences, and lesson plans for teachers. Also available as a CD-ROM edition.
  www.ldoceonline.com
• LookWAYup
  Online multilingual dictionary and thesaurus search tool that can be embedded into a web page.
  www.lookwayup.com
• Macmillan English Dictionary
  Offering an award-winning dictionary for English language learners of all abilities.
  www.macmillandictionary.com
• MBA Brief
  Offers definitions of terms and phrases.
  www.mbabrief.com
• Meanings 360
  Free online English dictionary.
  www.meanings360.com
• Merriam-Webster Dictionary
  Free online version of the Merriam-Webster English dictionary, with searchable dictionary definitions, thesaurus, and a student dictionary for kids. Also offers online subscription versions of Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary and the Encyclopedia Britannica.
  www.merriam-webster.com
• Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary
  Submit and share entries that aren't already in the online dictionary.
  www3.merriam-webster.com/opendictionary
• Merriam-Webster's Word Central
  Offers kids a student dictionary, Word of the Day, and interactive word games. Includes homework help and lesson plans for parents and teachers.
  www.wordcentral.com
• Newbury House Dictionary of American English
  Free online version of the Newbury House Dictionary of American English, with simple definitions for students and English learners.
  nhd.heinle.com
• ObjectGraph Dictionary
  Free online dictionary that suggests words and phrases as you type in the search box.
  www.objectgraph.com/dictionary
• Omnificent English Dictionary In Limerick Form, The (OEDILF)
  Dedicated to writing at least one limerick for each and every word in the English dictionary.
  www.oedilf.com/db/Lim.php
• OneLook Dictionaries
  Dictionary search service that offers definitions from a variety of online English and foreign language dictionaries. Find the definition of a term, see terms that correspond to definition key words, or search for the correct spelling of a word.
  www.onelook.com
• OneLook Reverse Dictionary
  Reverse dictionary lets you enter a concept to see matching words and phrases, for those times when you remember the definition but not the word.
  www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml
• Phoebe
  Online dictionary providing word definitions and links to additional resources.
  www.phoebe2.com
• Visual Dictionary, The
  See definitions for terms from biology, anatomy, and music with the InfoVisual visual dictionary. Browse by topics and thumbnails, or search for a word or phrase.
  www.infovisual.info
• Visuwords? Graphical Dictionary
  Visuwords looks up word meanings and associations with other words and concepts. This graphical dictionary is a helpful tool for writers, journalists, students, and teachers.
  www.visuwords.com
• Vocabulary.com: Dictionary
  Free online dictionary, with engaging definitions.
  www.vocabulary.com/dictionary
• VoyCabulary
  Turns the words on a webpage into links to their dictionary definitions, so you can look them up with a single click. Includes thesauri and foreign language dictionaries.
  www.voycabulary.com
• Wiktionary
  Collaboratively produced multilingual dictionary, with meanings and definitions, etymologies, and pronunciations. From the founders of Wikipedia.
  www.wiktionary.org
• Word Assault
  Searches multiple English dictionaries for words and phrases. Includes thesaurus, place names, computing terms, a Bible dictionary, and the CIA World Factbook.
  www.wordassault.com
• WordIQ.com
  Reference resource that includes an encyclopedia, dictionary, almanac, thesaurus, and dream interpretation database as well as a general search engine.
  www.wordiq.com
• Wordsmyth Dictionary-Thesaurus
  Online dictionary, thesaurus, and other American English resources for students and the general public. Find word definitions, spellings, and synonyms, or try tools like the Wordsmyth glossary maker or anagram solver.
  www.wordsmyth.net
• WordThrill
  Online dictionary listing of definitions and synonyms, also find free word games.
  www.wordthrill.com
• WordWeb Online
  Online dictionary and thesaurus which covers American, British, Australian, Canadian, and Asian English spellings and words.
  www.wordwebonline.com
• Yahoo! Reference
  Find an online encyclopedia, quotations, and other fact-finding tools at Yahoo! Reference. Search for dictionary definitions, spelling help, thesaurus synonyms, maps, flags, and other answers.
  education.yahoo.com/reference
• YourDictionary
  Directory of online English dictionaries and thesauruses, translation dictionaries of 150 different languages, grammar help for 70 languages, and pages of linguistic fun.
  www.yourdictionary.com

fonte; yahoo.com

Red Words Game, scopri le 7500 parole più usate dai madrelingua inglesi

Il 90% delle volte i madrelingua inglesi utilizzano, nel linguaggio parlato e scritto,solo 7.500 parole, che vengono chiamate “Red Words”. In alcuni dizionari queste parole oltre ad apparire in rosso  sono classificate con le stelle. Le parole con una stella sono comuni, le parole con due stelle sono frequenti  e le parole con tre stelle sono le più frequenti. Ma si può indovinare quante stelle ogni red word vale? Metti alla prova il tuo intuito sulla frequenza delle parole con questo gioco.