Meaning
Doing things carefully leads to success.
Cultural Background
This proverb is the unofficial motto of the 'Slow Food' movement, founded by Carlo Petrini. It represents a rejection of the fast-paced, industrial lifestyle in favor of quality and tradition. In regions like Sicily or Puglia, this proverb is often used to justify a more relaxed pace of life, which is seen as more 'human' and less stressful than the Northern industrial pace. In Italian family-owned businesses (PMI), there is often a preference for steady, organic growth over venture-capital-funded rapid expansion, often cited with this proverb. Teachers frequently use this to discourage 'cramming' before exams, emphasizing that long-term retention requires a slow and steady study habit.
Use it for encouragement
This is the perfect thing to say to a fellow language learner who is feeling discouraged by their progress.
Don't change the words
Proverbs are fixed. If you say 'Chi cammina piano,' it sounds wrong to an Italian ear.
Meaning
Doing things carefully leads to success.
Use it for encouragement
This is the perfect thing to say to a fellow language learner who is feeling discouraged by their progress.
Don't change the words
Proverbs are fixed. If you say 'Chi cammina piano,' it sounds wrong to an Italian ear.
The 'Sano' Secret
Remember that 'sano' here means 'without mistakes' just as much as it means 'healthy.'
Test Yourself
Complete the proverb with the missing words.
Chi va ____, va ____ e va ____.
The standard proverb is 'Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano.'
In which situation would you use this proverb?
Your friend is trying to learn 100 new Italian words in one hour and is getting frustrated.
This proverb is used to encourage patience and a steady pace.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Voglio finire questo libro stasera, ma sono stanchissimo.' B: 'Non sforzarti troppo, ricorda che...'
The proverb fits the context of advising someone not to overexert themselves to reach a goal.
What does 'sano' mean in this proverb?
In the context of 'Chi va piano va sano...', the word 'sano' implies:
In this proverb, 'sano' refers to the integrity and safety of the process.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesChi va ____, va ____ e va ____.
The standard proverb is 'Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano.'
Your friend is trying to learn 100 new Italian words in one hour and is getting frustrated.
This proverb is used to encourage patience and a steady pace.
A: 'Voglio finire questo libro stasera, ma sono stanchissimo.' B: 'Non sforzarti troppo, ricorda che...'
The proverb fits the context of advising someone not to overexert themselves to reach a goal.
In the context of 'Chi va piano va sano...', the word 'sano' implies:
In this proverb, 'sano' refers to the integrity and safety of the process.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, though often with a bit of irony or when giving serious advice to a friend about life choices.
Absolutely. Most Italians will understand the rest of the proverb even if you stop there.
No, in this context it specifically means 'slowly' or 'carefully.'
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or with your children.
For rhythm and emphasis. It makes the proverb sound more authoritative and musical.
Yes, 'La gatta frettolosa fece i gattini ciechi' (The hurried cat made blind kittens).
Yes, if you are advising a client to take more time to review a contract, for example.
It's a natural feature of Italian where many words end in '-ano,' making it easy to create rhyming folk wisdom.
Metaphorically, yes. It means reaching a distant goal or having a long-lasting result.
Yes, many Italian pop songs and rappers use it to talk about their journey to success.
Related Phrases
Piano piano
builds onSlowly, bit by bit.
La gatta frettolosa fece i gattini ciechi
similarHaste makes waste.
Festina lente
similarMake haste slowly.
Chi dorme non piglia pesci
contrastThe early bird catches the worm.
