Becoming Italian Word by Word

Money, Money, Money in the Italian Language

Risparmiare, fare economia

 Saving Money

“Con la crisi gli italiani tornano parsimoniosi,” a newspaper headline recently declared. (With the crisis, Italians are becoming parsimonious again.)“Parsimonious” is not a word one hears very much in the English language, but in Italian la virtù della parsimonia o frugalità economica (the virtue of parsimony or economic frugality) dates back to the fourteenth century.

Words like frugale (frugal), parco (sparing) and economo (thrifty) never have gone out of style. Now Italians are tornando ai comportamenti virtuosi dei loro genitori (returning to the virtuous ways of their parents). Risparmiatori (savers or thrify people) are determined to tighten their belts (tirare la cinghia) and pinch pennies (guardare al centesimo). 

According to a national survey, almost half—47 percent-- say they fare la spesa in modo più oculato (are grocery shopping in a shrewder way); 31 percent have ridotto le dosi acquistate (reduced the amounts they purchase); and 24 percent utilizza quello che avanza per il pasto successivo (use leftovers for the next meal). Per via della crisi (because of the crisis), Italians say they have reduced le spese per l’abbigliamento (shopping for clothing) by 51 percent and spending per le vacanze (for vacation) by 50 percent.

Rather than going on a shopping spree (spese pazze) or buying items on a whim (per sfizio), Italians are sticking to the necessities (spese essenziali). Restaurants also are doing their part. More are offering customers an American invention: il doggy bag, which an Italian journalist had to define for readers as "il pacchetto con i resti del pasto, da consegnare ben confezionato al cliente" (the package with the remains of the meal, nicely packaged to be given to the customer).

Are you doing anything to tighten the purse strings (tirare i cordoni della borsa)? Are you cutting back on shopping (ridimensionare/ ridurre le spese)? Putting penies in a piggybank (salvadanaio)? Or simply being more attentive (essere /stare più attenti) to where your money goes? Just keep in mind: Il risparmio incomincia dal centesimo. (Saving  begins with a penny, or a penny saved is a penny earned.)

Words and Expressions

spendere e spandere –- to spend money like water

Non fare il passo più lungo della gamba! -- Don’t take a step longer than your leg. In other words, be cautious! 

avere le mani bucate –- to have holes in the hands, used for someone who spends like there is no tomorrow

avere il braccino corto –- to have short arms, too short to reach one's pockets and pick up a tab

Dianne Hales is the author of LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language. 

Click here for a song singing the praises of "soldi, soldi, soldi" (money, money, money):

 

Money Talks in the Italian Language

il denaro, i soldi

money

With Italy’s financial crisis (crisi finanziaria) rattling money markets (mercati monetari) around the world, everyone is talking about il denaro. Povera Italia (poor Italy), with a huge national debt (debito pubblico). is desperately short of money (a corto di denaro). If unable to pay off the debt (estinguere il debito), the country could end up senza un soldo (without a dime)--or squattrinato (penniless).

The wealthy (ricchi or facoltosi danarosi) still seem to be rolling in money (nuotare nell’oro, literally swimming in gold). But almost everyone else is looking for ways to make money (fare soldi) and earn more “dough” (quattrini) to get out of debt (tappare un buco, or fill up a hole). Sometimes debtors (debitori)  are robbing Peter to pay Paul (fare un debito per pagarne un altro, or incurring one debt to pay off another).

Being in debt (avere un debito) is hardly unusual. Many Americans have a sizable mortgage debt (mutuo ipotecario or mutuo); most of us run up some sort of petty debt (debituccio) at times.  As Italy has discovered, getting out of debt (uscire dal debito) can be very difficult, especially when banks don’t want to lend money (prestare denaro) or one has to pay through the nose (pagare profumatamente or fragrantly) for a loan.

Usury (usura), lending at exorbitant rates, is nothing new. Centuries ago Italians coined the word strozzinaggio for such profiteering and dubbed a usurer a strozzino—both terms derived from “strozzare” for strangle or choke. In his Divine Comedy, Dante damned usurers to the seventh circle of hell, lower than murderers.

Some colorful proverbs provide other Italian perspectives on wealth and its pursuit:

*”Denaro e santità metà della metà.” Money and holiness, half of half. Statements regarding money and saintliness tend to be exaggerated, so take them with a grain of salt.

*“Chi ha mangia, chi non ha, s’arrangia." Who’s got it (money is implied ) eats. Who doesn’t makes do.  

*“Senza lilleri ‘un si lallera.” This Tuscan dialect saying is hard to translate, but basically means “no deeds without dings,” or nothing happens without money.

*“I quattrini mandan l’acqua all’insù.” Money sends water upwards--or can do the impossible.

*“Il denaro apre tutte le porte.” Money opens all doors—similar to the English “money talks.”

*“L’ultimo vestito ce lo fanno senza tasche.” The last suit (dress) is made without pockets. So even if you accumulate a fortune, you can’t take it with out.

Remember too that money can’t buy happiness. Or as the Italians say, “I soldi non fanno la felicità” (money doesn’t make happiness).

Words and Expressions

 pagare in contanti -– to pay in cash

quattro soldi –- used to refer to something cheap, worth only "two bits"

non valere un soldo bucato, non valere niente -- not to be worth a penny

Il tempo è denaro –- Time is money.

Dianne Hales is the author of LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World’s Most Enchanting Language.

Click below for an ode to what “oro” (gold) can buy: