What’s the meaning of “Essere un libro aperto”?

In this short lesson, we will learn the meaning of the Italian idiom Essere un libro aperto along with its pronunciation. If you can’t keep a secret, this proverb is for you!

Let’s start! Iniziamo!

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Essere un libro aperto

Meaning of the proverb

Essere un libro aperto can literally be translated as “to be an open book”. Its meaning is the same as the common English idiom to be an open book, so it’s used to describe someone who is very easy to understand and emotionally “read”.

Linguistically speaking, this idiom is very simple and can be broken down into…

• essere (to be)
• un (indefinite article)
• libro (book)
• aperto (open, from aprire, to open)

Using the same pattern, you can also use essere un libro chiuso, “to be a closed book”, to describe someone who always hides their feelings and opinions!

For example, you could say…

Luca è un libro aperto. Sai sempre quello che pensa.
Luca is an open book. You always know what he is thinking.

Matteo, invece, è un libro chiuso. Non mostra mai alcuna emozione.
Matteo, on the other hand, is a closed book. He never shows any emotion.

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Pronunciation of Essere un libro aperto in Italian

Now let’s hear how this idiom is pronounced.

If you need help with Italian pronunciation, check out the lesson on the Italian alphabet and pronunciation.

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Where does Essere un libro aperto come from?

This idiom comes from the fact that reading an open book is really easy because you only have to look at the characters on the page. In contrast, the contents of a closed book cannot be read until you pry it open.

And that’s the end of our lesson on the Italian idiom Essere un libro aperto!

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What next?

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