From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
| Neapolitan
|
English (literal)
|
English
|
| Ttiene ‘a capa fresca
|
s/he has a fresh head
|
s/he is headstrong
|
| Ttiene ‘a capa ppè spartere ‘e rrecchie
|
s/he has a head to keep his ears apart
|
s/he is foolish
|
| Chell’è l’urdemmo lampione ‘e Forerotta
|
s/he is the last lamp-post in Fuorigrotta
|
s/he is a non-entity [Fuorigrotta is a formerly outlying quarter of Naples]
|
| Addo’ t’avvii?
|
Where are you going off to?
|
Where do you think you're going? / What you just said is a flight of fancy
|
| Facimme ‘na cosa ‘e juòrne!
|
let’s do this by day[light]!
|
hurry up!
|
| Uogne ddue e ttrè
|
Every two and three
|
very often
|
| Ssì brutt’ quant’ 'o ddébbit’!
|
You are as ugly as debt
|
You are very ugly
|
| Ma cche staje facenn'? 'O ppane?
|
What are you doing? Making bread?
|
Why is this taking you so long?
|
There is also an extensive listing of Neapolitan figures of speech on the Neapolitan wikipedia
