Italian idioms with water

In this lesson, you’ll learn the most common and interesting Italian idioms with water.

Let’s start!

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Italian idioms with water

There are many Italian idioms featuring water. Let’s take a look at them.

Fare un buco nell’acqua

The first idiom we’re going to see translates to to try in vain.

Literally, it means “to make a hole in the water”. Since you can’t actually make holes in the water, this expression is also used to mean that something is a failure such as the English verb to flop.

Questo libro ha fatto un buco nell’acqua: non ha venduto nemmeno una copia.
This book flopped: it did not sell a single copy.

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Sentirsi un pesce fuor d’acqua

This translates as to feel like a fish out of water.

Sentirsi literally translates to to feel oneself.

Mi sentivo come un pesce fuor d’acqua alla festa.
I felt like a fish out of water at the party.

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Scoprire l’acqua calda

This idiom translates to to discover America and it literally means “to discover hot water”.

Non posso stirare prima di lavare. – Bravo, hai scoperto l’acqua calda!
I can’t iron before washing. – Bravo, you have discovered America!

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Navigare in cattive acque

Navigare in cattive acque means to be in a bad situation and literally translates to to navigate bad waters.

L’azienda naviga in cattive acque. Presto dovrà chiudere.
The company is in a bad situation. Soon it will have to close down.

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Acqua e sapone

When someone is acqua e sapone, water and soap, it means they are genuine, simple and sincere kind of person. It’s a compliment.

Conosco una ragazza acqua e sapone. Non mente quasi mai.
I know a pure and simple girl. She almost never lies.

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Fare acqua da tutte le parti

This Italian idiom translates to to be full of holes. If a bag is full of holes, and you fill this bag with water, it will… “leak water from everywhere”.

Il tuo piano fa acqua da tutte le parti!
Your strategy is full of holes!

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Avere l’acqua alla gola

This idiom is not for angsty people! It literally translates to “to have water at your neck” and it means to be under pressure. If you’re neck-deep in water, and the water is rising, you can drown.

Avevamo due mesi di tempo per completare il lavoro, invece abbiamo dormito e ora siamo con l’acqua alla gola!
We had two months to complete the job, but we slept through it instead and now we are under pressure!

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Facile come bere un bicchier d’acqua

If something is “as simple as drinking a glass of water”, it means it’s a piece of cake.

Passare l’esame è stato facile come bere un bicchier d’acqua.
Passing the exam was a piece of cake.

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Acqua in bocca

Acqua in bocca! is an exclamation that means not a word to anyone and literally translates to “water in the mouth”. You can’t really talk when your mouth is full of water! 😉

Abbiamo deciso di fare una festa a sorpresa per Anna. Acqua in bocca con sua sorella!
We decided to have a surprise party for Anna. Not a word to her sister!

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Assomigliarsi come due gocce d’acqua

This Italian idiom literally means “to look like two water drops” and it’s the translation of the expression to be two peas in a pod. It can also be used to translate to be identical.

Io e mio fratello non siamo gemelli, ma tutti dicono che ci assomigliamo come due gocce d’acqua.
My brother and I are not twins, but everyone says we look like two peas in a pod.

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Affogare in un bicchier d’acqua

If you drown in a glass of water, it means you are not even trying to save yourself. This is what this idiom means: to give up easily. It literally translates to “to drown in a glass of water”.

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Ne è passata di acqua sotto i ponti

This is an interesting idiom. It literally means “so much water has passed under the bridges” and it translates to the English expression it’s been a long time.

Non vivo più a Torino dal 2001. Ne è passata di acqua sotto i ponti da allora.
I have not lived in Turin since 2001. It’s been a long time and many things have changed since.

And that’s it with the most common Italian idioms with water!

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