Essere in gamba
Meaning: To be sharp, capable and on the ball.
Language: Italian
Literally: To be in leg
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: Standing firmly and steadily on one's legs pictures someone competent and full of vigor.
Equivalents in other languages
- English: sharp as a tack — literally: sharp as a tack
More idioms — Body & Senses
- Fare orecchie da mercante — To turn a deaf ear deliberately.
- Chorar de barriga cheia — To complain when you have nothing to complain about.
- Положить зубы на полку (Polozhit' zuby na polku) — To go hungry; to tighten your belt.
- 顔から火が出る (kao kara hi ga deru) — To burn with embarrassment.
- 발 벗고 나서다 (bal beotgo naseoda) — To throw yourself into helping wholeheartedly.
- Met de mond vol tanden staan — To be tongue-tied and lost for words.
More Italian idioms
- Non sapere che pesci pigliare — To be at a complete loss what to do.
- Avere un chiodo fisso — To be obsessed with one idea.
- arrampicarsi sugli specchi — to attempt to defend an indefensible position or grasp at straws.
- per amore o per forza — by any means necessary; whether one wishes it or not.
- mettere radici — to settle in a place permanently or commit to something long-term.
- tirare l'acqua al proprio mulino — to act in self-interest, redirecting resources or advantage to oneself.
From our tongue twisters
- Trentatré trentini entrarono a Trento tutti e trentatré trotterellando. — An unbroken stampede of 'tr' and 't'.
- Tigre contro tigre, tigre contro un'altra tigre. — Pure 't/ig/re' drill — short and merciless; the double-g demands a crisp Italian stop.
- Apelle figlio di Apollo fece una palla di pelle di pollo e tutti i principi della città di Capua la palpeggiarono. — A wall of 'p/ll/l/a' that seems to grow longer as you speak it faster.