Italian Vocabulary of the Day: Sasso (stone/rock)

Italian term Sasso Quite comprehensive, as it can be used to represent anything resembling rocks, from the smallest pebbles and stones to rocks, boulders, and even larger blocks.In fact, it can even refer to rock faces and mountains, especially in place names such as Gran Sassoa plot in the Italian Apennine Mountains!

Sasso is a masculine noun, so it has the following definite and indefinite articles:

There are too many stones on the promenade for me to push the stroller.

There are so many stones on the promenade that I can’t push the stroller.

A large stone blocked the way. How can we do this?

A large stone blocked the way. what should we do?

what’s really interesting about the word SassoHowever, that’s just how many metaphorical uses it has. For starters, it often appears in comparative statements as a symbol of tenacity, stubbornness, indifference or cruelty. Some of the most famous expressions include:

• rock solid = hard as a stone, insensitive
• Heart of stone = Heart of stone
• Don’t be indifferent =(literally is not made of stone)- flesh and bloodand thus susceptible to feelings, emotions, and temptations

I can’t cut bread. Hard as a rock!

I can’t cut bread. It’s as hard as a rock!

Other expressions equate the act of throwing stones with disturbing the peace or causing trouble.

• throwing/throwing stones = (literally throwing stones and hiding one’s hands) – to provoke or inflict harm without exposing yourself
• throw stones in the pond = (literally means throwing stones into the pond) – deliberately provoking controversy and undermining the peaceful situation
• Put stones! = (Light. Drop the stone!) = Say to a threatening person to calm them down.

Some expressions can even be personified Stone Such as the following idiomatic phrases:

• make the stone cry = (literally makes the stones cry) – speaks of a very touching situation or thing
• turn the stone =(literally turns the stones around) – talked about something that would turn anyone’s head
• Even the stone knows! = (Light. Even the rocks know!) – Everyone knows it!

This is a wonderful song that makes the stones cry!

This is a beautiful song that can make a stone cry!

Popular children’s games that everyone is familiar with are scissors, paper, rock, as. .to be known rock paper scissors in English.

Then we have interesting expressions stone in mouth (lit. stone in mouth). It refers to the mafia’s pathological habit of putting a stone in the mouth of a murdered spy as a way to signal to others that he should not tell or share secrets.if you say to someone Rock in your mouth!you’re telling them to shut up. Sasso in Boca Also the title of a film directed by Giuseppe Ferrara about how the Mafia conquered Sicily, all of Italy and parts of the United States.

At last, Sassi of Matera are the names of the two districts (Sasso Caviso and Sasso Barisano) in Italian cities Matera, located in the Basilicata region. It is famous for its unique landscape and ancient caves.

More Useful Idioms That Feature “sasso”

If you think we’ve done all the idioms that contain this word Sasso, Think again! Below you’ll find three more frequently used ones!

sleep like a stone

Literal translation: sleep like a rock
English meaning: sleep like wood

hold/shock

Literal translation: stay like a stone
English meaning:stunned

a stone’s throw away

Literal translation: a stone’s throw away
English meaning: a stone’s throw away