The irony and humor typical of Tuscans are recognized throughout the country, and perhaps even beyond the borders. Partly due to the characteristics of the typical dialect and partly due to the particular sayings that circulate precisely in the territories of Tuscany. So here is a short collection of Tuscan idioms and jokes that the tradition fortunately continues to pass on.

Tuscan sayings and proverbs

Italy is a country rich in popular sayings that each region however declines in its own way, giving light to the main characteristics of its delight without changing its meaning. Here are some examples of the best Tuscan sayings:

• The classic called The ox that gives horns to the donkey, in Tuscany is declined in Cencio parla male di straccio.

• The popular Who wants nothing too tightly turns into ‘i pollo ingordo gli stiantò ‘i gozzo.

• The saying Hope is the last to die, it becomes The Sick while she expires always hopes.

• The famous Love is not beautiful if it is not a quarrel, in Tuscan it presents the variant Love is not beautiful if it is not quarrelsome.

Then there are several particularly famous Tuscan proverbs that are used by Tuscans in everyday life, for some of which we also offer a simple translation for a better understanding.

• Senza lilleri ‘un si lallera, which means that without money you get nothing.

• Who has no money has no cravings, or who has no money does not have desires.

• Saltar d’Arno in Bacchiglione, which represents jumping from one thing to another without completing anything.

• The music changes, but the players are the same.

• Prato bread, Pomino wine, Siena “potta”, Florentine “cinci”, a proverb that emphasizes that each city has its own traditions.

• Whoever makes fun of the lame, take care to be straight.

• Up to forty, people laugh and sing; from forty on, it hurts me here, it hurts me there.

Tuscan expressions

The Tuscan dialect is rich in typical expressions, sometimes even very funny ones, which make delights in general a real heritage of the country. Among the best known Tuscan expressions we find.

• Bischero is a typical expression that is very used to address a person who is not very intelligent or too naive. Many other Tuscan expressions derive from this word: You have made a bischerata, andare a bischero sciorto (to behave silly), the quarter of an hour of the bischero (or the famous five minutes of fame), the reason is of bischeri (which can coincide with the classic reason is given to the mad) and many others.

• There would still be some for everyone if the innkeeper cooked it, it is a typical Tuscan expression that means that it could continue for a long time.

• Always good cannot go, but always bad cannot last is the Tuscan version of can’t always go well but not always bad either.

• Doing good to donkeys gets kicked is a way of saying that by doing good to those who don’t deserve it, you get kicks.

• Tough with hard does not make a good wall is a typically Tuscan expression to say that two obstinate people can hardly live together.