Italian grammar
Modi di dire dell'inganno
Say that someone is trying to trick you, with five everyday idioms.
From the scene Gatta ci cova (There's something fishy going on)
In short
Idioms for deceit: qui gatta ci cova, vendere lucciole per lanterne, vendere fumo, prendere in giro.
Your turn
Which one goes with to con someone (fireflies for lanterns)?
Options: qui gatta ci cova · vendere fumo · vendere lucciole per lanterne
Show answer
to con someone (fireflies for lanterns) → vendere lucciole per lanterne
How it works
Qui gatta ci cova (there's a cat brooding here) means something fishy is going on.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Quel signore vende (blank). Tante foto e poco edificio.
Options: pelo · gatto · fumo
Show answer
Quel signore vende fumo. Tante foto e poco edificio.
That man sells empty promises. Lots of photos, not much building.
Good to know
Vendere lucciole per lanterne (to sell fireflies as lanterns) is to con someone with a fake for the real thing.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
Sei mesi? Ci sta (blank) in giro.
Options: prende · prendendo · preso
Show answer
Sei mesi? Ci sta prendendo in giro.
Six months? He's pulling our leg.
Good to know
Vendere fumo is selling empty promises, prendere in giro is pulling someone's leg, and questa non attacca! means "that won't work on me / pull the other one".
something fishy is going on qui gatta ci cova
Elena
Che belle foto... Qui gatta ci cova.
What lovely photos... Something fishy's going on here.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Che belle foto... (blank).
Options: Vendere fumo · Qui gatta ci cova · Vendere lucciole per lanterne
Show answer
Elena
Che belle foto... Qui gatta ci cova.
What lovely photos... Something fishy's going on here.
to con someone (fireflies for lanterns) vendere lucciole per lanterne
Nuria
Ci vogliono vendere lucciole per lanterne!
They're trying to con us!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Ci vogliono (blank)!
Options: vendere fumo · vendere lucciole per lanterne · qui gatta ci cova
Show answer
Nuria
Ci vogliono vendere lucciole per lanterne!
They're trying to con us!
to sell empty promises vendere fumo
to pull someone's leg prendere in giro
Your turn
What goes with prendere in giro?
Options: to con someone (fireflies for lanterns) · to pull someone's leg · something fishy is going on
Show answer
prendere in giro → to pull someone's leg
pull the other one! questa non attacca!
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| something fishy is going on | qui gatta ci cova |
|---|---|
| to con someone (fireflies for lanterns) | vendere lucciole per lanterne |
| to sell empty promises | vendere fumo |
| to pull someone's leg | prendere in giro |
| pull the other one! | questa non attacca! |
More lines from the story
- TomásQuel signore vende fumo. Tante foto e poco edificio.That man sells empty promises. Lots of photos, not much building.
- NuriaSei mesi? Ci sta prendendo in giro.Six months? He's pulling our leg.
- ElenaQuell'edificio non è il nostro. È uno di Barcellona.That building isn't ours. It's one in Barcelona.
- ElenaTranquilli. A me nessuno vende lucciole per lanterne. Faccio la spesa al mercato da settant'anni.Relax. Nobody cons me. I've been shopping at the market for seventy years.