I love my grandma, Lucia. She was born in 1936 in my hometown, Giugliano, where she still lives.
As a child, I spent a lot of time with her. I listened to her stories (and still do), took in her advice, and watched her as she ironed, cleaned the house, or worked with her incredible, heavy-duty old Singer sewing machine.
Over the years, I’ve collected many of her sayings and expressions. I’ve decided to share them — a precious trove of tradition and popular wisdom.
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Gli occhi devono confrontarsi."
English:
"Eyes must meet."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"A vesta cucita nun s'adda scosere 'cchiù."
English:
"The sewn garment must not be unstitched again."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O tten o nunn o tten, basta sul ca te vo 'bben."
English:
"Whether they have it or not, as long as they love you."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Pure l'amore s'ha da imparare."
English:
"Even love must be learned."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Quann v'atà spusà jate truann chell ca tenite, no chell c'ate cunsumat."
English:
"When the time comes to marry, you will seek what you have, not what you have consumed."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Petrienete."
English:
N.A. (it's one word meaning something like: 'Believe in your worth and make it count')
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"À vecchia teneva cient ann e dicette: <Ancora m'aggia 'mparà!>."
English:
"The elderly woman was a hundred years old and said: 'I still have to learn!'"
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Ò 'patè te fa 'mparà."
English:
"Suffering teaches you."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Cient mesure e unu taglio."
English:
"A hundred measurements and a single cut."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Ogne evera cuoglie e cundescele cu 'll'uoglie."
English:
"Pick every herb and season it with oil."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' fatt d'à pentola ò 'ssap à cucchiara."
English:
"The ladle knows the pot’s affairs."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Ogne piecco aiuta."
English:
"Every little thing helps."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Ogne ccos s'adda avè à fermezza."
English:
"In everything, one must have firmness."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Nisciuno te dice: <Lavete à faccia, ca pare 'cchiù bell e' me>."
English:
"No one will tell you: 'Wash your face so you'll look more beautiful than me.'"
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Nella vita ci sono tante cose che non vorresti proprio scrivere a calendario.
Ma nella ristrettezza dei fatti, chi ti può essere d'aiuto, se non i genitori?"
English:
"In life, there are many things you’d rather not mark on a calendar.
But when reality tightens, who can help you, if not your parents?"
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Cca ò 'ffacimme e cca ò scuntamme."
English:
"Here we do it, and here we pay for it."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O posto fisso stev sul o' cimitero. E mò manc cchiù llà."
English:
"A permanent job was only at the cemetery. Now, not even there."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Poche parole e cavere e' panne nun faje maje danno."
English:
"Few words and warm clothes are never harmful."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O munno se fa nu mattone à vota."
English:
"The world is built one brick at a time."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O 'pparlà è 'mmericina."
English:
"Speaking is medicine."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O sang nuosto ten na vena amara."
English:
"Our blood has a bitter vein."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Ll'anne fanno è panne."
English:
"The years make the clothes."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Scupate à casa, ca nun saje chi trase. Fatt o' liett, ca nun saje chi aspiett."
English:
"Sweep the house, for you don’t know who might come in. Make the bed, for you don’t know who you might be expecting."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chi nun se scet e' matina nun s'abbosca o' carlino."
English:
"He who doesn’t wake up early doesn’t earn the carlino."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O primmo solco nunn è solco."
English:
"The first furrow you dig is not a furrow."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Pure 'nda sacca ce vò 'll'ordine."
English:
"Even in your pocket, there must be order."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Eppure l'America è solo una parola."
English:
"And yet, America is just a word."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"L'omm è comm e o' carbone: vivo te coce e muorte te tegne."
English:
"Man is like coal: when lit, he burns you; when extinguished, he stains you."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"È caruto 'ngoppa a l'evera vasciulella."
English:
"He fell on low grass."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chi tira e chi spezza."
English:
"Some pull, and some break."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Male a chella pecora ca nun fa à lana soja."
English:
"Woe to the sheep that doesn’t produce its wool."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Quann arriva 'll'ora, scatta comm e à vrola."
English:
"When the moment comes, it snaps like a hot chestnut pan."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Comm a nu cane arraggiato, c'a primma perzona ca sconta a' mozzica.
'Ccussì so e' perzone che non stanno sulla retta via."
English:
"Like an angry dog that bites the first person it meets, so are those who are not on the right path."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"S'è unito o' strummolo a tiriteppolo e a' funnicella corta."
English:
"The blunt spinning top and the short string have come together."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O sazio nun crede all'affamato."
English:
"The full person doesn’t believe the hungry one."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Che vulisse fa'? Annella 'ndu stipo?"
English:
"What are you trying to do — Annetta hidden in the cupboard?"
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O ciuccio s'appiccica e e' varrille se scassano."
English:
"The donkey gets angry and the barrels break."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O vino buono se venne senza a frasca."
English:
"Good wine sells without the leaf."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"E problem gruosse so chille ca nun risolvi."
English:
"Big problems are the ones you don’t solve."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"A 'llu friere se sente a' 'ddore."
English:
"When you fry it, you smell it."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Pericule 'nderra. Pericule 'ndo mare. Pericule pure e' pier e' Cristo."
English:
"Dangers in the sea, dangers on land, dangers even at the feet of Christ."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chist tene a' galletta sette canne."
English:
N.A.
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chi se beruglia se sberuglia."
English:
"Who complicates things on their own, must resolve them on their own."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chi è 'bbuon, à casa torna."
English:
"Who is good, returns home."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"A' via longa s'à mangiano e' spine."
English:
"The long road is eaten by brambles."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"A' 'lleccatura nun sazia e' cane."
English:
"What’s left to lick doesn’t satisfy the dogs."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Ricco comm e o' mare."
English:
"Rich as the sea."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Cornelia Gracchi presentò i suoi figli: <Questi sono i miei gioielli>."
English:
"Cornelia Gracchi presented her sons: 'These are my jewels.'"
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Faje chelle ca te rincresce e vire che te riesce."
English:
"Do what you’re reluctant to do, and see how well it turns out."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"A' ricamatrice sconceca e a' stiratrice aggiusta."
English:
"The embroiderer roughs up the garment, and the ironer fixes it."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' mobile è bell e a' pittura è 'ffine."
English:
"The furniture is beautiful and the paintwork is refined."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Quando il fiore si discosta dalla pianta dice che vuole essere colto."
English:
"When the flower moves away from the plant, it says it wants to be picked."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Meglio appartené a' cana ca o' cane."
English:
"Better to be related to the bride than to the groom."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Dimme a 'cchi si 'ffiglie e te dico a 'cchi sumiglie."
English:
"Tell me whose child you are, and I’ll tell you who you resemble"
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"A letto stretto, cucchete 'mmiezzo."
English:
"In a narrow bed, lie in the middle."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Si appicce à cannela, fà o' fummo."
English:
"If you light the candle, it smokes."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Acqua passata non macina mulino."
English:
"Water that has passed doesn’t grind the mill."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Muntagna e muntagna nun se scontano."
English:
"Only mountain and mountain do not meet."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Si vire e brucià o' pagliaro, virete o pagliaro tuojo."
English:
"If you see a haystack burning, think of your own haystack."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Agg luate a' taverna à nanze à Carnevale."
English:
"We’ve removed the table from in front of Carnival."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Si riesco a' 'ssci a' chesti botte nunn'esco 'cchiù a chesta porta e' notte."
English:
"If I manage to get through this situation, I’ll never go out the front door at night again."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' muto è male servuto."
English:
"The mute is poorly served."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Pure Gesù Cristo 'ngoppa a' croce etta accettà."
English:
"Even Christ on the cross had to accept."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' ppoco abbasta e assaje guasta."
English:
"A little is enough, and too much spoils."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Jeve 'lla e truavo casale sacchiato."
English:
"I went there and found a looted farmhouse."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Beata quell'erba che cresce e cresce nella buona terra."
English:
"Blessed is the grass that grows and grows in good soil."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"A' sera lucene e a' matina fà vergogna."
English:
"At night they sparkle, in the morning they bring shame."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Aspettaveme e' grazie e' Pasqua e so arrivar l'avvise e' arresto."
English:
"We were expecting Easter pardons, and instead arrest warrants arrived."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' ciuccio ten 36 chiaje e pure a' cora fraceta."
English:
"The donkey has 36 wounds and a rotten tail."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Tene o' serpe 'ndo manicone!"
English:
"He has a snake up his sleeve."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' strizzico fitto fà o' pertuso a' selice."
English:
"The fine trickle makes a hole in flint."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Miercurì à merculella
Gioverì chest e chella
Viernarì se cant o' pass
Sabbat se scioglie a 'loria
e Dummeneca o' banchettorio."
English:
"Wednesday, the “little Wednesday”
Thursday, this and that
Friday, the Passion is sung
Saturday, the Gloria is sung
And Sunday, the grand banquet."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' contadino tene e' scarpe vecchie e a cerevella fine."
English:
"The farmer wears old shoes but has a refined mind."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Un bambino andava a scuola
senza voglia e volontà.
All'andata della scuola
vide un pollo e lo chiamò:
'Ma perché non sono nato
pollastrello come te?'.
Al ritorno della scuola
una donna prese il pollo
gli tirò ben bene il collo
e poi lo appese al chiò.
'Non voglio essere più un pollastro
ma a scuola voglio andar'."
English:
"A child went to school without desire or will.
On the way to school, he saw a chicken and said:
'Why wasn’t I born a little chick like you?'
On the way back from school,
a woman grabbed the chicken,
wrung its neck thoroughly,
and hung it on a hook.
'I no longer want to be a chick,
I want to go to school!'"
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Addò mettimme o' pere mettimme a' cape."
English:
"Where we place our foot, we place our head."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Vene a' morte e te chiure a' porta."
English:
"Death comes and shuts the door on you."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Si uno nun more n'ato nun gode."
English:
"If one doesn’t die, another doesn’t enjoy."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Male sempe chi more e Paraviso nun trove.
Chi resta sempe minestra."
English:
"Woe to those who die and don’t find Paradise.
For those who remain, it’s always soup."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Quann è 'ffesta, sciuglimee o' manifesto."
English:
"When it’s a holiday, we open the posters."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Pasqua marzata, o murea, o famatica."
English:
"Easter in March — it’s either death or hunger."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Scarta, scarta, vaje 'ndo scarto."
English:
"Keep discarding, and you’ll end up in the discard pile."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' capone mbuttunato nun ce cape 'ndo pignato."
English:
"The stuffed cockerel doesn’t fit in the baking pan."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chiacchiere e parachiacchiere, o' banco nun s'è piglia."
oppure
"Chiacchiere e parachiacchiere o' banc e' Napule nn'e' 'mpigna."
English:
"Talk and empty talk — the Bank of Naples doesn’t accept them as collateral."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chesta è a' zita e se chiamma 'Sabella."
English:
"This is the spinster, and her name is Isabella."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Vieste ciccone che pare barone."
English:
"Dress like a rich man and you'll look like a baron."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Mmiezz o' mare nun ce stanno taverne."
English:
"In the middle of the sea, there are no taverns."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' cuffiato pure m'Paraviso va."
English:
"Even the deluded goes to Heaven."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"<<E va bene>>
dicette Marco a Maddalena
quanno vedette
a' mamma, o' pate
e a' figlia prena."
English:
"‘All right then,’
said Marco to Maddalena,
when he saw the mother, the father,
and the pregnant daughter."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Ciccibacco 'ngoppe a' votte: chi o tira e chi o votta."
English:
"Ciccibacco on the barrel: some pull him, some push him."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"A' banca o' sciulio nunn'à tenimme."
English:
"We don’t have an inexhaustible bank."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Cient nemici fuori e no uno dentro."
English:
"A hundred enemies outside, and not one inside."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Na mano lava a nata e tutt e duje lavan a' faccia."
English:
"One hand washes the other, and together they wash the face."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O' posto mije ce sta Dio."
English:
"In my place, there is God."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Dio se ne pasce dei cuori."
English:
"God delights in hearts."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Basta la buona volontà e Dio ti segue."
English:
"All it takes is goodwill, and God will be with you."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O Signore annanze e tu areto."
English:
"God goes before you, and you follow."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Nu diavolo caccia à n'ato."
English:
"One devil drives out another."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Dio ci ha dato e noi diamo."
English:
"God has given to us, and we give."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Marì ea ringrazià a Dio ca t'ha dato e' cerevelle."
English:
"Maria, you must thank God for giving you reason."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Ciò che è scritto in cielo in terra non manca."
English:
"What is written in heaven will not be missing on earth."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Nu detto antico dice: <S'essa fa primma a vecchiaia e po' a gioventù>. Ma Dio ha fatt tutt cos buon."
English:
"An old saying goes: 'Old age should come before youth.' But God has made everything well."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Nun m'aggio maje pittato niente. A me m'ha pittato Dio."
English:
"I’ve never painted myself. God painted me."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"O male guvernatore o' guverna Dio."
English:
"The incapable ruler is governed by God."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Addò vede a' neve, Dio spanne o' sole."
English:
"Where He sees snow, God spreads sunshine."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chi vò e' grazie à Dio nunn adda ije e' presso."
English:
"Those who seek God's blessings must not be in a hurry."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Scenne o' diavolo à copp e' titt e se piglia e' stuorte e e' deritte."
English:
"The devil comes down from the rooftops and takes away both the crooked and the straight."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Quando vedi che fai dei passi avanti è segno che la Madonna ti sta accompagnando."
English:
"When you see that you're making progress, it's a sign that the Virgin Mary is walking with you."
Neapolitan dialect or Italian:
"Chi c'ha criato nunn'è puveriello."
English:
"He who created us is not poor."