In this short lesson, we will learn the meaning of the Italian idiom Andare in oca along with its pronunciation. If you are often distracted, this expression is for you!
Let’s get started! Iniziamo!
Andare in oca
Meaning of the idiom
Andare in oca can be literally translated as “to go in goose” (it has a horrible sound, I know). Its meaning is the same as the English expression to make a blunder or simply to be distracted, so it means “to make a mistake or wander off out of distraction”.
Linguistically speaking, it can be broken down into…
- andare (to go)
- in (preposition in)
- oca (goose)
For example, you could say…
Sono andato in oca e ho buttato la pasta anziché metterla in frigo.
I wandered off and threw out the pasta instead of putting it in the fridge.
Gaia va spesso in oca durante i compiti in classe.
Gaia is often distracted during school tests.
Pronunciation of Andare in oca in Italian
Now let’s hear how this idiom is pronounced.
Andare in oca.
To make a blunder, to wander off.
Literally: To go in goose.
If you need help with Italian pronunciation, check out the lesson on the Italian alphabet and pronunciation.
Where does Andare in oca come from?
In Italian culture, geese are considered stupid. Geese are always quacking, they are clumsy and distracted animals. Calling someone a goose in Italian is therefore very offensive.
There’s also an insulting idiom, oca giuliva (“merry goose”), which describes a superficial, stupid, and loud type of woman. That’s not a nice thing to say!
This is why “to goose” is used to describe a situation where one is distracted and confused.
And that’s the end of our lesson on the Italian idiom Andare in oca!
What next?
See all the other Italian idioms!
Now that you’ve seen what the meaning of the idiom Andare in oca is in Italian, you might want to keep learning Italian online with these free Italian resources:
Title: Italian All-in-One For Dummies
Language: English / Italian
Publisher: For Dummies
Pages: 672
Learn to speak Italian like a native? Easy.
Italian All-in-One For Dummies appeals to those readers looking for a comprehensive, all-encompassing guide to mastering the Italian language. It contains content from all For Dummies Italian language instruction titles, including Italian For Dummies, Intermediate Italian For Dummies, Italian Verbs For Dummies, Italian Phrases For Dummies, Italian Grammar For Dummies, and Italian For Dummies Audio Set.
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