Gallina vecchia fa buon brodo in Italian
| Literal translation | An old hen makes good broth |
| Meaning | Wisdom comes with age, because the longer a person lives, the longer they have experienced life |
| IPA pronunciation | /ɡalˈliːna ˈvɛkkja fa bwɔn ˈbrɔːdo/ |
Gallina vecchia fa buon brodo
The old bull knows best
It can also be taken literally: even though old chickens can have very tough meat, their broth smells and tastes great. And it’s one of nonna‘s remedies for colds and the flu! 🙂
Where does this come from? This proverb is very old. It dates back to the Middle Ages. The hen is an effective metaphor for old age: an old hen must be cooked for a long time to soften its flesh and make its broth delicious. At the same time, men must live for many years in order to experience life and become wise.
For example, you can say…
La carne di una gallina vecchia è spesso dura, ma fa un buonissimo brodo!
The meat of an old hen is often tough, but it makes a great broth!
➡️ Related lessons
- Fare (to do)
- Gallina (chicken)
- Brodo (broth)
- Buon (good)
- Vecchio (old)
- Adjectives
- All Italian expressions
More free Italian resources
You might want to keep learning Italian online with these free Italian resources:
Aiuta Lingookies con un 👍!
❤️ If you liked this lesson on the expression gallina vecchia fa buon brodo, share it with your friends!