Italian Idioms

23 expressions with the verb “FARE”

Other than being an irregular verb, FARE is used in Italian in a number of many useful expressions. Let’s see some of them:

Fare i compiti: to do the homework

Fare le pulizie: to do the cleanings

Fare un biglietto: to buy a ticket

Fare una passeggiata: to go for a walk

Fare un giro: to go around

Fare una fotografia: to take a picture

Fare colazione: to eat breakfast

Fare la spesa: to buy groceries

Fare shopping: to go shopping

Fare la valigia (le valigie): to pack

Fare pace: to make peace

Fare il compleanno: to have a birthday

Fare il pieno: to tank up

Fare una domanda: to ask a question

Fare la coda/la fila: to queue

Fare soldi: to become rich

Far bene: to be good (for something)

Far male: to be painful, to ache

Fare una vacanza: to go on vacation (holiday)

Fare una prenotazione: to make a reservation

Fare un errore (o sbaglio): to make a mistake

Fare tardi: to be late

FARE is also the verb used to ask information about the weather and to answer about it. In Italian, we say CHE TEMPO FA? And we answer FA bel/cattivo tempo o FA caldo/freddo.

tempo

As I was previously mentioning, FARE does not follow the regular pattern of the second conjugation, being irregular.

Presente indicativo: io faccio, tu fai, lui fa, noi facciamo, voi fate, loro fanno

Imperfetto: io facevo…

Passato prossimo: io ho fatto…

Futuro semplice: io farò…

Condizionale semplice: io farei…

Gerundio: facendo…

Congiuntivo presente: che io faccia…

Congiuntivo imperfetto: che io facessi..

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Italian proverb #1: Tutte le strade portano a Roma

‘Tutte le strade portano a Roma” is a famous Italian. Ir refers to the fact that many different roads were connecting the city with the rest of the Empire. All these roads would have led the travelers to Rome from the many various settlements of the Empire.

Nowadays, this proverb conveys the message that there are different ways to get to the same goal. Do you agree? The saying exists in English and can be translated as all roads lead to Rome. What about in your language?

If the same or a similar expression exists in your native language, please write it down in the comments.

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Italian idioms #3: Avere la testa tra le nuvole.

Avere la testa tra nuvole (literally: to have the head amongst the clouds) is a metaphorical expression describing someone that is absent-minded or someone that is lost in his/her thoughts and that results disconnected from the reality.

Anche oggi hai dimenticato di comprare il pane..hai sempre la testa tra le nuvole Matteo!
Secondo un nuovo studio avere la testa tra le nuovole stimolerebbbe la creatività.
Da bambina ero una sognatrice, avevo sempre la testa tra le nuvole.

Vocabulary checklist:

Do not forget that the verb dimenticare takes the preposition DI.

sognatore (m.), sognatrice (f.): dreamer

da bambina, da bambino: as child. Do not forget to use the imperfetto after this expression when you are talking about situations that happened that for an indefinite period of time in your past.

Do you have similar expressions in your native languages? If so, please write it down in the comments and explain its meaning in Italian!

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