proverbi napoletani

Neapolitan proverbs

Are you a fan of Neapolitan proverbs?
Here you will find a complete collection of the main Neapolitan proverbs, because you know that Neapolitan wisdom is always appreciated. And if that’s not enough for you, you can always read all the Neapolitan sayings.

proverbi napoletani

Neapolitan proverbs about women

Addurà’ comm’a ‘na ròsa
Smell like a rose, smell beautiful

Bella comm’a ‘na rosa /cumm’ ‘o sole
Beautiful as a rose /the sun

Feróce comm’a ‘na tìcara
Ferocious as a tiger

Janco comm’ ‘a nèva / ‘o latte / ‘no muórto / ‘o libbàsto
Snow-white / milk / corpse / alabaster

Magnà’ comm’a ‘n’ auciello
Eating as little as a bird

Pógnere comm’a ‘na spina
Stinging like a thorn

Scacatià’ comm’a ‘na gallina
Squawking like a chicken

Scippà’ comm’a ‘na gatta
Scratching like an angry cat

Suttile comm’a ‘no capillo /’no capo ‘e sèta
Thin as a hair /a thread of silk

Neapolitan proverbs about men

Brutto comm’a ‘n ‘uorco /cumm’ ‘o sole
Ugly as an ogre / sin / cancer

Capetuósto comm’a ‘no ciùccio
Stubborn as a donkey

Deritto comm’a ‘no fuso
Straight as a cypress

Fatecà’ comm’a ‘no cane
Struggling like an animal

Forte comm’a ‘no lióne
Strong as a lion

Friddo comm’ ‘a nève /comm’a ‘o màrmulo
Cold as snow/marble

Furbo comm’a ‘na vórpa
Smart as a fox

Luóngo comm’a ‘no palo / comm’ ‘a misericordia ‘e Dio
Long as a pole / immeasurable as the goodness of God

Pauroso comm’a ‘no cunìglio
Scary as a rabbit

Peluso comm’a ‘n ‘urzo
Hairy like a bear

Runfà’ comm’a ‘no puórco
Swelling like a pig

Sano comm’a ‘no pèsce
Fit as a fiddle

Sborià’ comm’a ‘no pazzo
Raving like a madman

Scappà’ comm’a ‘na sajetta
Crashing like a rocket

Umbroso comm’a ‘no cavallo
As shady as a horse

Varvuto comm’a ‘no zìmmaro
Bearded like a goat

Neapolitan proverbs about falsehood

Sfùjere ‘a mano comm’a ‘n ‘anguilla
Slipping out of hand like an eel

Vacante comm’a ‘na cucózza
Empty as a pumpkin

Vulgar Neapolitan proverbs

Jastemmà’ comm’a ‘no turco
Blaspheming like an infidel

‘Ngrifàta comm’a ‘no gallurìnio
Upright and bumptious as a turkey

Neapolitan proverbs on envy

‘Nturcigliarse comm’a ‘no sèrpe
Twitching like a snake

Rusecà’ comm’a ‘no sórece
Gnawing like a rat

Russo comm’a ‘o fuóco / comm’a ‘no puparuólo
Red as fire / like a strong pepper

Scuro comm’a ‘na vócca ‘e lupo
Dark as a wolf’s mouth

Seccante comm’a ‘na cicàla
Tedious and monotonous as a cicada

Neapolitan proverbs about love

Ardere comm’ ‘a paglia
Burning like straw

Cuntento comm’a ‘na Pasca
Cheerful as a party

Dóce comm’a ‘o zùccaro / ‘o mèle / ‘no cannamèle
Sweet as sugar / honey / julebbe

Scórrere comm’a l’acqua
Going down like water

Stà’ comm’a cane e gatte
Being at odds like cats and dogs

Sulo comm’a ‘no cane
Alone like an abandoned dog

Stà’ comm’ ‘o diàvulo e l’acqua santa
As irreconcilable as the devil and holy water

Ùtele comm’a ‘n ‘acqua ‘e maggio
Useful as summer rain

Famous Neapolitan proverbs

Appiccià’ comm’a l’esca
Burning like dust

Annùdo comme l’ha fatto ‘a mamma
Naked as he was born

A père comme a ‘no cane
Walking like a dog

Appuntùto comm’a ‘n ‘aco
Sharp as a needle

Arraggiàto comm’a ‘no cane
Angry as a dog

Cadè’ comm’a ‘no piro ‘e massa /maturo
Falling like a half-ripe/ripe pear

Còrreco comm’a ‘no ciùccio
Loaded like a donkey

Chiaro comm’a ‘o sole / ‘a luce d’ ‘o juorno / l’ambra / ‘o cristallo
Bright and transparent like sunlight / daylight / amber / crystal

Còcere comm’a ‘o fuoco
Burning like fire

Durmì’ comm’a ‘no galièro
Sleeping like a badger

Giallo comm’a ‘o zurfo / ‘a zafferàna
Sulphur / saffron yellow

Liggièro comm’ ‘na pènna
Light as a feather

Manzuèto comm’a ‘no piècuro
Mansuet as a lamb

‘Mbrugliàto comm’a ‘no pullicino dint’ ‘a stóppa
Tucked like a chick in tow

Menà’ càuce comm’a ‘no mulo
Kicking like a mule

Mórbeto comm’a ‘no velluto
Soft as velvet

Murì comm’a ‘no cane
Dying abandoned by all like a mangy dog

Natà comm’a ‘no pèsce
Swimming like a fish

‘Nchiantàto comm’a ‘no palo
Planted like a pole

Niro comm’a ‘no gravóne / ‘no tezzóne / ‘a pèce / ‘na cappa ‘e cemmenèera
Black as coal / pitch / chimney

Passà comm’a ‘no lampo
Passing as fast as lightning

Rìdere comm’a ‘no pazzo
Laughing like crazy

Stà’ azzeccàte comm’a ‘e saràche
Stretched like sardines

Tagliènte comm’a ‘no rasùlo
Sharp as a razor

Tremmà’ comm’a ‘no junco
Shaking like a reed in the wind

Verde cumm’a laglio
Green as sautéed garlic

Neapolitan proverbs on friendship

Vulèerse bene comm’a frate
Loving each other as brothers

Fuì’ comm’a ‘o viènto / ‘na sajetta
Running like the wind/lightning

Pesà’ comm’ ‘o chiummo
Weighing like lead

Ancient Neapolitan proverbs

Zumpà’ comm’a ‘n ‘arillo / ‘no ranavuóttolo
Jumping like a cricket / a frog

Neapolitan proverbs about food

Affamato comm’a ‘no cane / comm’a ‘no lupo
Hungry like a dog/wolf

Amaro comm’a ‘o fèle /vèleno
Bitter as gall/as poison

Ardente comm’a ‘na furnàce
Hot as a furnace, burning hot

Asciutto comm’a l’esca
Dry as bait

Chiatto comm’a ‘ na vacca /’no puorco / ‘na fucètola
Fat as a cow / a pig / a beakle

Gruósso comm’a ‘na balèna / ‘n’ alifànte
Big as a whale / elephant

Còrrere comm’a ‘no pazzo / ‘o viènto / ‘no lèpre / ‘na palla ‘e cannóne
Fleeing as swiftly as a madman / the wind / a hare / a shot

Cunzumarse comm’a ‘na cannèla ‘e sivo
Burning away like wax in the fire

Diùn comm’a ‘no cane
Fasting like a stray dog

Fino comm’a ‘no sfuóglio ‘e cepólle
Thin as an onion veil

Frisco comm’a ‘na rosa
Fresh as a morning rose

Lucènte comm’a ‘no spècchio
Shiny as a mirror

‘Nturzàto comm’a ‘na vótta
Swollen as a barrel

Sciapìto comm’a ‘no cetrùlo
Bland as a cucumber

Sicco comm’a ‘no spito / ‘no spruóccolo / ‘no chiuóvo / ‘no palicco / ‘no fiammifero / ‘no fièrro filato / ‘np capo ‘e spavo
Thin as a spit / a nail / a toothpick / a matchstick / a wire / a string

Tuósto comm’a ‘no cuórno /’n ‘uósso / ‘na vrèccia
Hard as a course / a bone / a boulder