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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Italian expression of the day: ‘Buon Natale’

There's no better time of year to learn this festive phrase.

Published: 25 December 2019 09:58 CET
Updated: 25 December 2022 09:54 CET
Italian expression of the day: 'Buon Natale'
Photo: DepositPhotos

We pretty sure you can guess what this one means: buon Natale is Italian for ‘merry Christmas’.

It’s all pretty straightforward: buon is ‘good’ and Natale is ‘Christmas’. But word geeks (ourselves included) will be interested to see that the Italian word for Christmas comes from the Latin for ‘day of birth’.

It’s not just anyone’s ‘birthday’ – that’s compleanno, the day you ‘complete the year’ – but one birthday in particular: natalis dies Domini, or ‘the day the Lord was born’. It’s the same root that gave English the word ‘Noel’.

Nat King Cole got the translation right in his 1959 song about “a quaint little town” in Italy where “the Christmas season is celebrated all year”: as he sings, “Buon Natale in Italy means a Merry Christmas to you”.

But his pronunciation isn’t quite on point. Here’s the proper way to wish it:

Or if you’re looking for a few alternatives, you can also say buone feste (‘happy holidays’) or more formally, ti auguro un Natale pieno di amore, pace e felicità (‘I wish you a Christmas filled with love, peace and happiness’).

And with that, all of us at The Local wish buon Natale a tutti!

Do you have an Italian word you’d like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.

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ITALIAN WORD OF THE DAY

Italian word of the day: ‘Baffi’

You'll be licking your chops over this word.

Published: 16 May 2024 10:47 CEST
Italian word of the day: 'Baffi'

A word that can feel particularly satisfying to say in Italian is baffi: a moustache, or, on an animal, whiskers.

It takes the plural form in Italian, as it’s referring to the two halves of a moustache.

In fact English at one time did the same – moustache (which comes from the archaic Italian mostaccio) used to be used in the plural, but became standardised as singular in around the 19th century.

Ha dei baffi enormi.
He has an enormous moustache.

You don’t need impressive upper facial hair to talk about your baffi, though, as the word also features in certain everyday expressions.

Leccarsi i baffi is to lick your chops – if something is delicious or mouthwatering it’s da leccarsi i baffi.

Si stavano leccando i baffi.
They were licking their chops.

Ha preparato una cena da leccarsi i baffi.
He’s made a mouthwatering dinner.

Buonp Buonissimo Delizioso Da Leccarsi I Baffi Simpson Ned Flunders GIF - Yummy So Good Moustache GIFs
Source: Tenor

And ridere sotto i baffi (‘to laugh under your moustache’) is to laugh or snicker under your breath.

Ti ho visto ridere sotto i baffi.
I saw you snickering.

La smettete di ridere sotto i baffi!
Wipe those smirks off your faces!

The next time you want to express appreciation for a well-cooked meal or tell someone off for sniggering, you’ll know what just to say.

Do you have an Italian word you’d like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.

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