Italians love to talk about food. The aroma of a simmering ragú, the bouquet of a local wine, the remembrance of a past meal: Italians discuss these details as naturally as we talk about politics or sports, and often with the same flared tempers.
The most common Italian stereotypes include a love of pasta, expressive hand gestures, love of family, passion for football, that Italians have a passion for coffee, the opera, and Dante's Divine Comedy.
For Italian families, among the most popular daily leisure activities are watching television, listening to the radio, reading newspapers, and going to the cinema; reading books and engaging in sports are less common among the majority of people.
Direct Communication: Italians are typically direct communicators . They tend to be open about their emotions and speak clearly about their point. They generally expect similar honesty from their conversation partner and hence may fail to read into understatements. Therefore, avoid ambiguity and indirect speech.
And this passion is not just reserved for love and affection. Consider the things Italy is famous for: food, cooking, fashion, design, art, politics, religion, family, opera, even the terrible driving – everything in Italy is approached with gusto, joie de vivre, energy and, of course, passion!
People's personalities and relationships matter more to Italians than technical knowledge. Senior executives are valued for their relationships and generalist thinking. Family is important to Italians. They are warm and spontaneous, even in business matters. Emotions always play a role.
After the first catchphrase, an Italian flirting strategy would usually proceed with a ton of compliments and sweet words accompanied by slow movements like holding your hand, caressing your face, blinking, winking, smiling, and looking in your eyes.
Theories persist as to the exact origin of hand gestures as a method of communication in Italy, however it is likely that they emerged through necessity as a universal, non-verbal method of communicating across different Italian local languages and dialects.
In addition to a rich history, Italian culture consistently leads the way in style and fashion. The world's best gelato, rich home-cooked meals, remnants of the Roman Empire, snow-capped Alps, or picturesque coastal towns on the Adriatic Sea help Italians truly live la dolce vita (the sweet life).
Some important values and aspects of Italian lifestyle are family and spending time with them, religion and maintaining Catholic traditions, and the pleasure of eating good meals prepared with love and dedication. Gestures and body language are important in the Italian language to emphasize certain ideas.
"Traveling" and "Reading" are the top two answers among Italian consumers in our survey on the subject of "Most popular hobbies & activities". The survey was conducted online among 12,184 respondents in Italy, in 2023.
Here are some famous Italian sayings: a caval donato non si guarda in bocca (don't look a gift horse in the mouth), chi dorme non piglia pesci (you snooze, you lose), parla bene, ma parla poco (speak well, but speak little), tutto è bene ciò che finisce bene (all is well that ends well).
They prioritize having fun and making their partners laugh, believing laughter and joy are essential in life. They are well-versed in the art of charming women and can easily make them fall for them with sweet compliments. One significant advantage of dating an Italian man is their ability to communicate effectively.
Sei unico – you are my only one (lit.) Ti amo profondamente – I am deeply in love with you (lit.) Sono follemente innamorato di te – I am crazily in love with you (lit.) Ti amo alla follia– I am crazily in love with you (lit.)
Thumbs-Up. Avoid using this gesture in: Afghanistan, Iran, parts of Italy, and Greece. The gesture of 'Thumbs-up may look cool on Facebook or USA, but in Afghanistan, Iran, parts of Italy, and Greece, it means "up yours." So, to avoid any awkwardness, next time you must reconsider what you are doing.
One of the most famous gestures, the so-called “chin flick” means “Non mi interessa!” – I don't care, and is formed by flicking the back of one's fingers under the chin.
"what do you want?"), alternatively described as ma che vuoi?, ma che dici?/ma che stai dicendo? ("what are you talking about?"), or simply che? ("what?"), is one of the best known hand gestures of Italy. In English, it is sometimes referred to as "pinched fingers" or "finger purse" (Italian: mano a borsa).
Don't wander around alone: Moving freely around someone else's home is considered rude and inappropriate. Accept something they offer: Leaving a house without having a coffee, a piece of cake, or even just a glass of water might disappoint your host. Let them welcome you.
In trains taking off one's shoes is fairly accepted, but some conservative people may find it out of place. And please, do not burp or fart in public, it is considered extremely rude. Also, loud swearing and drinking alcohol from a bottle while walking the street, is frowned upon.
It is common to give air kisses on both cheeks (starting with your left) when greeting those you know well. This is called the 'il bacetto'.
One way to get someone's attention is to use the imperative command form of a verb. Two useful verbs for this purpose are ascoltare (to listen) and sentire (to hear).
Each kiss lasting a bit longer than you could hold your breath. Open mouths resting while inhaling each others' hot breaths. Perhaps a leg or forearm embracing or intertwined during the kiss. Occasional, intense eye to eye contact when moving in and out of kisses.