“Skipping School” in Italian
Regional Flavors
Learning Italian is not just about memorizing words and grammar: it’s also about understanding the cultural nuances, the Italian dialects, and regional differences that shape the language.
One interesting example is how Italians express the concept of “skipping school”. While in English this expression is quite consistent, in Italian there are multiple ways to say it, depending on the region or area.
The Standard Expression: “Marinare la scuola”
The most commonly recognized phrase for “skipping school” across Italy is marinare la scuola. This expression is very versatile, meaning you can use it in various settings, from casual conversations to written language.
However, some native speakers, including myself, find marinare la scuola somewhat old-fashioned. This is probably why each region, and sometimes even each area within each region, have different way to express this concept.
A Dive into Regional Expressions
As I mentioned, there are different regional alternatives to express the traditional concept of marinare la scuola. Here, I will list some of these examples, based on my personal experience and that of close friends or colleagues.
Notice that, although I will translate some of the words belonging to these expressions, their literal translation does not really play a role for the meaning of these idiomatic expressions.
- Napoli: fare filone
The word filone literally means a “long loaf of bread”, but here, of course, it is used with a different meaning. - Roma: andare a sega
While sega literally means “saw”, it is often used with a quite vulgar meaning. - Toscana: fare forca
Forca means “pitchfork”. - Veneto: bruciare
The verb bruciare literally means “to burn”. This expression conveys a rebellious tone. - Emilia Romagna: fare fuga
The word fuga means “escape”. Sometimes, you can also find the expression fare buco, which translates to “make a hole”, where the “hole” metaphorically represents a gap in one’s school attendance. - Lombardia: balzare scuola
The verb balzare is the dialectal counterpart of saltare (to jump). This is a more modern expression, but a couple of decades ago people used to say bigiare, with the same meaning of today’s balzare. - Piemonte: tagliare
The verb tagliare means “to cut”.
Synonyms and Slang
Italian is a language full of synonyms and slang, and “skipping school” is no exception. Depending on where you are in Italy—or even which generation you’re speaking to—you might hear a wide range of terms.
For instance: bucare, schissare, fare forca, scavallare, far cavalletta, brasare, cabottare, salare, and many more. Do you want to know something fun? I do not know these terms at all!
These variations provide valuable insights into Italy’s cultural diversity. For example, some terms may indicate a more urban slang from younger generations, while others might be deeply rooted in a specific regional dialect.
