- esse an sël tòch literally: to be on the piece. to be on duty, to be at work. It ses-to già 'n sël tòch? = are you already on the piece? i.e.: are you already working?. It comes from the workshop language.
- ël color dj'aso cit literally: the color of the little donkeys. Used to refer to an unidentified and not fine color, always in an ironical sense. A l'avìa un caplin color dj'aso cit, che a fasìa un pòch sgiaj = She had a hat little donkeys colored, that was a bit terrible.
- bianch coma la coa d'un merlo literally: white as the tail of a blackbird. Indicates a black thing, or at least certainly not white.
- vate a caté 'n casul literally: go and buy a ladle . It is a way quite "kind" to tell someone to give up annoying.
- a l'é l'ùltima roa dël cher literally: it is the last wheel of the cart, i.e. it is the last thing you have to bother about, there is something else more important.
- grassios com na ronza literally: nice (kind) as a bramble, meaning very rude.
- segrét coma 'l tron literally: secret like the thunder, meaning everybody knows it Ironic comparison.
- ël rije dl'artajor cand che j'anciove a-j van a mal literally: the laugh of the delicatessen seller when his anchovies are giong rotten, meaning quite a bitter laugh, when it is necessary to dissimulate a dreadful situation..
- a l'é méj cariélo che ampinìlo literally: it is better to load him than fill him, the meaning is he is a person that eats a lot, more than what he can carry. .
- mostré ai gat a rampié literally: to teach the cats to climb, that means to give advice to someone much more skilled on the subject..
- esse nen bon a trové d'aqua an Pò literally: not being able to find water in the (river) Po, i.e. not being able to do something very easy.
- fé 'l lun-es literally: to do the monday, that means to be "out of order" for an heavy dinking. Once, manual workers were payed on saturday (the saturday was a complete working day, up to the evening). On sunday they had money to drink something in a "piòla" (usually wine) and someone of them, on monday morning, was not able to go at work. A serious man was the one who could seriously say:: I l'hai giumai fàit ël lun-es = I've never done the monday.
- da vende e da pende literally: to sell and to hang, with the meaning abundantly, how much you want, and something will remain as a spare.
- a-i son le pùles ch'a l'han la toss literally: there are the flees that have the cough , it is used to comment when a great importance is given to little things..
- avèj la blëssa 'd l'aso literally: to have the beauty of the donkey, the meaning is when a person is young, more or less is always beautyful. Included the ones who will be hopeless ugly.
- jë smens ëd curios literally: the seeds of curious, with the meaning something that doesen't matter to you.
- andé coma na barca ant un bòsch literally: to go as a boat in a wood, with the meaning something that doesen't work so much.
- ò ch'as arleva ò ch'as arlava literally: either it is going to rise again or it is going to wash again, with the meaning either the wether is going to become sunny or is going to rain. A certainy correct forecast (arlevésse is referred to the clouds that go up and away).
- pisté l'aqua ant ël morté literally: to crush the water in the mortar, with the meaning to speak to the winds, to do something useless.
- pitòst che la ròba a vansa, ch'a chërpa la pansa literally: rather than thing remains that crash the belly with the meaning nothing has to be wasted, no matter the price.
- avansé mach ij pé fòra dal lét literally: to have left only the feet out of the bed with the meaning to save nothing, to expend all.
- roa dëscàussa literally: barefoot wheel with the meaning unprovided person.
- ant la guardaròba dij can literally: in the wardrobe of the dogs with the meaning left on the ground.
- s-cianca frità literally: omelette tear(er) with the meaning rascal.
- ai temp dël mila doi e més literally: In the times of thousand two and half with the meaning a lot of time ago, too much time ago.
- cand ij giari a l'avìo ij sòco literally: when mice wore the sabots with the meaning a lot of time ago, in the tales of the past.
- a Turin a l'han rangià fin-a cola dël bur literally: in Turin they have solved also the one of butter with the meaning all can be solved. It follows from a true clamorous event of lack of butter in Turin.
- nen savèj quanti pé a intro ant n' ëstival. literally: not even know how many feet enter into a boot with the meaning to be dreadfully unacquainted, to be stupid.
- l'armanach a marca patele. literally: the calendar indicates blows with the meaning patience is going to finish.
- avèj j'euj fodrà 'd sautissa. literally: to have the eyes lined with sausage with the meaning not to notice the evidence, easy to cheat.
- buté 'n papin s'na gamba 'd bòsch. literally: to put a compress on a leg of wood with the meaning to do something useless, not pertinent.
- resté an sël pavé. literally: to remain on the pavement with the meaning to lose the work, to remain pennyless.
- buté 'l cher anans ai beu. literally: to put the cart before the oxen with the meaning to put the cart before the horse, not to follow the correct order.
- pende la saraca. literally: to hang the anchovy with the meaning to save up as hard as possible.
- dé 'd patele ant la saraca. literally: to beat the anchovy with the meaning to save up as hard as possible. Similar to the previous one
- guasté la porà. literally: to ruin the soup of leeks with the meaning to make a project fail.
- plé na pules për vend-ne la pél. literally: to skin a flea for selling its skin with the meaning to try having an advantage from every little possibility.
- dé la pignata an goerna al gat. literally: to leave the pot guarded by the cat with the meaning to rely on unreliable person or situation.
- fé set pass an 's na pianela. literally: to do seven steps on a tile with the meaning to act extremely slowly.
- butésse j'òss a baron. literally: to put his own bones to heap with the meaning to overwork hard .
- conté dla rava e dla fava. literally: to tell about the turnip and the broad bean with the meaning to chatter, to speak a lot without consistence .
- fésse brusé j'euj con le siole dj'àotri. literally: to make one's eyes burn with onions of someone else with the meaning to have troubles for problems of somebody else, to take undue troubles .
- avèj trovà la smens dij gratacuj. literally: to have discovered the seeds of the dogrose with the meaning to have discovered what was already known by everybody.
- avèj batù (la testa) (da cit) an s'na pera bleuva. literally: to have beaten the head (while baby) on a blue rock with the meaning to be stupid.
- capon che a veul canté da gal. literally: capon that wants to sing as a cock with the meaning presumptuous.
Na cativa lavandera a treuva mai na bon-a pera. literally A bad laundress does never find a good stone.. When someone doesn't want or is not able to do a job, always tries to find some pretext for not doing it.
Massé la gent e gavé la fiòca: doi mesté ch'a servo a gnente. literally Killing people and put out the snow are two useless jobs.. People will dead, sooner or later, by themselves and the snow, in spring, will melt by itself. It is better to have a bit of endurance and not do soething that could be worse than the problem.
Ògni uss a l'ha sò tabuss. literally Each door has its own door-knocker. Everywhere there are problems. None can think of not having problems and none can think that other people have no problems even if this is not evident.
A l'é méj n'aso viv che 'n dotor mòrt. literally It is better an alive donkey than a dead doctor. You don't have to risk important things for obtaining what is not necessary or not valuable.
Për gnente gnanca ij can a bogio la coa. literally For nothing, not even the dog wags its tail. None will do something for you if you do not do something for him.
Chi bél a veul ëvnì, quaicòs a l'ha da sufrì. literally Who wants to become beautiful has to suffer something . If you want to improve yourself, you have to pay some price.
Santa Lussia cèra, tuti ij mèis as vëdd për tèra. literally Saint Lucy clear, all the months you can see the ground.. This is a meteorological quotation, coming from the times befor the green-house effect, when in Piedmont snowed a lot in the winter. If the St. Lucy's day (16 december) is a fine day, the winter will not be too cold, with not so much snow. You will be able to see the ground each month.
Se a fiòca an sla feuja, l'invern a dà pòca neuja.. literally If it snow on the leaf, the wintwe will not be a trouble.. Another meteorological quatation. If the snow comes early (before the leaves are fallen down) the wintwer will not be so cold.
Méj frusté scarpe che linseuj.. literally It is better to waste shoes than sheets.. Obviously: It is better to stand and walk then to be ill in bed.
Chi a deurm con ij can as àussa con le pùles.. literally Who sleeps with dogs wakes up with flees.. It is not possible not to be influenced by people that one goes about with.
Sovens chi a l'ha da dé a ciama.. literally Often who owns (things that could give), asks for (things to others). Often a rich person behaves like a poor.
Pan e nos, mangé da spos. Nos e pan, mangé da can.. literally Bread and nuts, eating like a bridegroom; nuts and bread, eating like a dog. It is good to eat nuts with bread, but it is necessary to eat more bread than nuts. (The contrary is not so bad, but the quotation is referred to years ago, when it woulkd have been too expensive).
Mach ij còj a son cheuit e bon ampressa.. literally Only the cabbages are cooked and good quickly. For doing things in a good way you have to take the required time.
L'aqua a và tuta an Pò.. literally All the water goes into Pò (the river). The money goes always where there is no need of it.
As ciapa pì ampressa un busiard che un sòp.. literally A liar is caught quicker than a cripple. The lies don't do so much way.
Chi bin as ancamin-a,.. a l'ha 'ncora tut ël travaj da fé.. literally Who starts well... has still all the work do to. If it is important to start well, it is not enough, since it is also required to continue well, up to the end of the job.
Tre còse dolorose ant na famija: ël fornel ch'a fuma, 'l cuvercc ch'ha pieuv, la fomna ch'a crìja.. literally Three things are painful in a family: the roof that (from which) rains, the stove that smokes, the wife that yells. Self explanatory.
Le madòne a stan bin mach ant ij quàder.. literally The madonnas are good only in the paintings. It follows from the double meaning of the word "Madòna", in Piedmontese, that can mean the Holy Virgin or also the mother-in-law. The first, in paintings, is a good thing, the second ... never.
Chi a l'ha fàit ij proverbi a l'ha fàje giust.. literally Who did quotations did them correctly. Wisdom of quotations...!
Chi a l'é lest a mangé a l'é lest a travajé.. literally Who is quick at eating is quick at working. Apology of efficiency (sustained, maybe, by some lack of food)
Vardeve dai bulo, dai cavaj ch'a arculo, da l'eva dij gheu, da j'arme da feu.. literally keep away from bully, from horses that backs, from water of puddles, from fire-arms. Some dangerous things, to be learned by youngs
J'aso 'd Cavour a-i é gnun ch'a-j lauda, as laudo da lor... literally No one praises the donkeys of Cavour (a village), so they praise themselves. An invitation at not praising oneself
A fésse graté da j'àutri, ... a grato mai andova a smangia... literally To make someone scratching you, he will never scratch where it is itchy. You cannot hope that someone else will solve your problems
A venta nen déje n'escopass a tute le mosche ch'a passo.. literally It must ont to give a blow to each fly that passes. An invitation to be a bit tolerant. Don't react badly for each trifle
| In italian | that is: | In piedmontese | the meaning is: |
| pera | the pear (fruit) | pera | stone, rock |
| brusco | sudden | brusch | sour (adj.) |
| magna | eat! (in Rome) | magna | aunt |
| barba | beard | barba | uncle (masc.) and also beard (femin.) |
| baby | baby (of course) | babi | toad |
| sette | seven | set-te | sit down |
| bona | pretty (adj.) (in Rome) | bòna | fine, penalty (to pay) |
| roca | hoarse (at femin.) | ròca | rock |
| nata | born (femin.) | nata | cork |
| rapa | turnip | rapa | bunch |
| mare | sea | mare | mother |
| stop | stop (of course) | stop | corked |
| masnada | gang | masnà | little child |
| biro | ball-pen | biro | turkey |
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The word bota is read / but& / and means bottle
The word bòta is read / bot& / and means blow
The word buta is read / b[ue]t& / and means put (imperative pres. 2nd pers. sing. of the verb to put).
The word col is read / cul / and means that
The wordcòl is read / col / and means neck
The wordcul is read / c[ue]l / and means ass, buttok (used in Piedmontese with less malice than in Italian).
In Piedmontese there are words that have not a corresponding italian word, and the exact meaning can be given by an italian locution or phrase. Here we report some example, with an tialian and an english word approximating the actual meaning, then explained.
| Parola | Approx. Ital. | Approx. Engl. | Exact meaning |
| Baudëtta | scampanìo | chiming | sound of bells merrily coming from bell towers of churchs, long and rithmic, classic of great holydays |
| Bëscheuit | ----- | ----- | chestnuts made to dry in the oven |
| Fosoné | rendere | to produce | to be well used and well usable, to produce very well, to have a good ratio product to cost |
| Sguré | pulire | to clean | to clean by scratching strongly |
| Magoné | rimuginare, affliggersi | to revove in one's mind | to distress oneself in silence |
| Mitoné | ----- | ----- | to cook with a very low fire, very slowly |
| Cràcia | sporcizia | dirtiness | sticky dirtiness to be scratched away |
| Sbiriaté | cacciare | to drive away | to drive away by means of the brute force |
| English = Italian | Piedmontese = Italian | French word |
| to abridge = abbreviare, ridurre | abresé = riassunto | abréger |
| artichoke = carciofo | articiòch, arciciòch = carciofo | artichaut |
| marauder = predatore | maroda = depredazione, rubacchata | marauder (vrb.) |
| brow = ciglio, orlo | broa, brova = ciglio, orlo | ----- |
| sabre = sciabola | saber = sciabola | sabre |
| sabreur = sciabolatore | sabreur = sciabolatore | ----- |
| flatterer = adulatore | flateur = adulatore | flatteur |
| to flatter = adulare | flaté = adulare | flatter |
| to tumble = cadere | tombé = cadere | tomber |
| cheerio = un saluto generico | cerea = un saluto generico | ----- |
| address = indirizzo | adressa = indirizzo | adresse |
| to reproach = rimproverare | arprocé = rimproverare | reprocher |
| alley = viale | lèja, alèja = viale | allée |
| armourer = armaiolo | armuré = armaiolo | armurier |
| atlas = atlante | atlass = atlante | atlas |
| aubergine = melanzana | obergin-a = melanzana | aubergine |
| to await = aspettare | a l'avait = in agguato | ----- |
| amenable = riconducibile | armnàbil = riconducibile | ramener (vrb.) |
| to amuse = divertire | amusé = divertire | amuser |
| debauchery = dissolutezza | dësbàucia = dissolutezza | débauche |
| badinage = scherzo | badinagi = scherzo | badinage |
| to brave = affrontare, sfidare | bravé = sfidare, affrontare | braver |
| ballast = massicciata | balasta = massicciata (ferrovia). | ballast |
| counter = sportello di cassa | contuar = sportello di cassa | comptoir |
| tanning = concia | tanagi = concia | tannage |
| barouche = calesse | barocc = calesse | ----- |
| barnacles = occhiali | baricole = occhiali | ----- |
| bassoon = fagotto (mus.) | basson = fagotto | basson |
| vulture = avvoltoio | voltor = avvoltoio | vautour |
| bind = nastro, bordo di vestito | bindel = nastro (per vestiti) | bande |
| bonnet = berretto, etc, | bonet = berretto | bonnet |
| bran = crusca | bren = crusca | bran |
| brand = tizzone | brandon = tizzone | ----- |
| bray = raglio (di asino) | braj = raglio d'asino | ----- |
| broach = spiedo | bròcia = spiedo | brochette |
| buck = caprone | boch = caprone | ----- |
| to budge = muoversi | bogé = muoversi | ----- |
| busk = stecca, bacchetta | busca = bastoncino, filo di paglia | ----- |
| chagrin = dispiacere | sagrin = dispiacere, preoccupazione | chagrin |
| chaff = (anche) roba senza valore | ciarafa = roba senza valore | ----- |
| chit = bambino/bambina | cit = bambino (cita = bambina) | ----- |
| clause = clausola (anche) | clause = clausola (anche) | ----- |
| cocoon = bozzolo | cochet = bozzolo | cocon |
