In this short lesson, we will learn the meaning of the Italian proverb Non c’è due senza tre along with its pronunciation. We will talk about a very powerful number.
Let’s get started! Iniziamo!
Non c’è due senza tre
Meaning of the proverb
Non c’è due senza tre can be literally translated as “there’s no two without three”, meaning that if something has happened twice, there’s a good chance it will happen a third time. It’s the Italian equivalent of the English saying three times is a charm.
Linguistically speaking, this idiom can be broken down into…
- non c’è (there is not)
- due (two)
- senza (without)
- tre (three)
Ci siamo già incrociati per strada due volte stamattina. – Capiterà ancora. Non c’è due senza tre.
We have already crossed paths twice this morning. – It will happen again. Three times is a charm.
Pronunciation of the proverb
Now let’s hear how this proverb is pronounced.
Non c’è due senza tre.
Three times is a charm.
Literally: There’s no two without three.
You may have trouble pronouncing the cluster tr- in tre. If you need help with Italian pronunciation, check out the lesson on the Italian alphabet and pronunciation.
Where does Non c’è due senza tre come from?
Three has been considered to be a magic number in folklore and by famous philosophers. Since three is considered the perfect number, it’s as if the balance can only be found in threes. So if something happens twice, it’s almost bound to happen a third time.
There is also the proverb Non c’è due senza tre e il quarto vien da sé, which is often used as a lucky charm: if something good has happened three times, it may very well happen a fourth time!
And that’s the end of our lesson on the Italian proverb Non c’è due senza tre!
What next?
See all the other Italian idioms!
Now that you’ve seen what the meaning of the proverb Non c’è due senza tre 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
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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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