A1 Idiom 비격식체

essere al verde

to be broke

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'essere al verde' when you have absolutely no money left in your wallet or bank account.

  • Means: To be completely out of money or 'broke'.
  • Used in: Casual chats with friends or family about finances.
  • Don't confuse: It doesn't mean you like the color green or feel sick.
Empty Wallet 👛 + Zero Balance 0️⃣ = Essere al verde 🥦

Explanation at your level:

This is a very simple phrase. 'Essere' is the verb 'to be'. 'Al verde' means 'at the green'. Together, they mean 'I have no money'. You use it with friends when you cannot buy something. It is a very common way to say 'I am broke' in Italy.
At this level, you should know that 'essere al verde' is an idiom. It doesn't mean you are the color green. It's used informally. You can conjugate the verb 'essere' in the present or past tense. For example, 'Ieri ero al verde, ma oggi ho lo stipendio'.
As an intermediate learner, you can use 'essere al verde' to sound more natural. It's better than just saying 'non ho soldi'. You can also use variations like 'rimanere al verde' to describe the consequence of an action, such as 'Ho comprato un nuovo telefono e ora sono rimasto al verde'.
At the B2 level, you should understand the register of this idiom. It's casual and perfect for social interactions. You should also be aware of its synonyms like 'essere in bolletta' and understand that 'essere al verde' is a figurative expression that adds flavor to your spoken Italian, making you sound more like a native speaker.
For advanced learners, 'essere al verde' represents a classic example of Italian idiomatic evolution. You should be able to discuss its etymological roots—such as the Florentine auction candles—and use it fluently in various tenses, including the subjunctive in complex sentences: 'Sebbene io sia al verde, vorrei comunque offrirti un caffè'.
At a near-native level, you appreciate 'essere al verde' as a linguistic marker of social solidarity. You can analyze how the chromatic symbolism of green shifts from 'hope' to 'depletion' in this specific context. You use the phrase with perfect pragmatic timing, understanding the subtle difference between this and more formal financial descriptors like 'insolvenza' or 'dissesto finanziario'.

뜻

Having no money.

🌍

문화적 배경

The idiom is deeply tied to the history of Florentine public auctions and the use of timed candles. Young Italians use this phrase frequently to discuss the 'carovita' (high cost of living) in cities like Milan or Rome. The theme of being 'al verde' is a staple of 'Commedia all'italiana,' where characters often hatch crazy schemes to get money. Many contemporary Italian songs (rap and pop) use this phrase to describe the struggle of the youth.

💡

Use it to be relatable

Italians love to complain about money in a lighthearted way. Using this phrase makes you sound very integrated into the culture.

⚠️

Don't use with your boss

Even if you are close, telling your boss 'sono al verde' might sound like you are asking for a raise in an unprofessional way.

뜻

Having no money.

💡

Use it to be relatable

Italians love to complain about money in a lighthearted way. Using this phrase makes you sound very integrated into the culture.

⚠️

Don't use with your boss

Even if you are close, telling your boss 'sono al verde' might sound like you are asking for a raise in an unprofessional way.

🎯

Combine with 'rimanere'

Use 'rimanere al verde' to explain *why* you have no money (e.g., 'Dopo le tasse, sono rimasto al verde').

셀프 테스트

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom.

Dopo aver comprato la macchina nuova, Marco ________ al verde.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: è rimasto

'Rimanere al verde' is the standard way to describe the result of an action.

Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I'm broke' in Italian?

Come si dice 'I'm broke' in italiano?

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Sono al verde.

'Sono al verde' is the correct idiomatic expression.

Choose the best response for the dialogue.

A: 'Andiamo a fare shopping?' B: 'No, mi dispiace, ________.'

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: sono al verde

Green is the only color used in this specific idiom for being broke.

Match the situation to the phrase.

You spent all your money on a concert ticket and now you have 0 euros.

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: Sono al verde.

The situation describes being broke, which matches the idiom.

🎉 점수: /4

시각 학습 자료

자주 묻는 질문

10 질문

Not necessarily. It usually means you are temporarily out of cash, like 'broke' in English. Bankruptcy is 'bancarotta'.

Yes, informally. 'L'azienda è al verde' means the company has no liquidity.

In Italian, 'essere in rosso' (to be in the red) specifically means your bank account is overdrawn. 'Al verde' is more general for having no money at all.

No, it's just informal. It's a very common, everyday expression.

It's better to say 'sono completamente al verde' or 'sono proprio al verde'.

Yes, Italians might pull out their empty pockets or tap their thumb and index finger together to signify 'zero'.

Yes: 'Se compro questo, sarò al verde'.

Yes, it is a standard idiom understood from North to South.

'Senza soldi' is literal; 'al verde' is idiomatic and sounds more like a native speaker.

No, it describes a temporary state, not a personality trait.

관련 표현

🔄

essere in bolletta

synonym

To be broke (referring to the list of the poor).

🔗

senza un soldo

similar

Without a penny.

🔗

essere in mutande

specialized form

To be down to one's underwear.

🔗

fare il passo più lungo della gamba

builds on

To overextend oneself financially.

어디서 쓸까?

🍕

Declining a dinner invitation

Marco: Andiamo a mangiare fuori stasera?

Giulia: Magari! Ma sono completamente al verde.

informal
📅

End of the month struggles

Collega 1: Hai già comprato il nuovo iPhone?

Collega 2: Scherzi? A fine mese sono sempre al verde.

neutral
🛍️

After a shopping spree

Mamma: Hai comprato troppe cose!

Figlio: Lo so, ora sono rimasto al verde.

informal
💸

Asking for a small loan

Amico A: Puoi prestarmi 5 euro per il caffè?

Amico B: Mi dispiace, sono al verde anche io.

informal
✈️

Planning a trip

Paolo: Andiamo a Londra a dicembre?

Luca: Impossibile, dopo Natale sarò al verde.

neutral
🎁

In a group chat about a gift

Sara: Mettiamo 20 euro a testa per il regalo di compleanno?

Matteo: Ragazzi, io sono al verde, possiamo fare 10?

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a salad: it's all green, but there's no meat (money) in it!

Visual Association

Imagine opening a beautiful leather wallet and seeing only the green fabric lining inside, with no coins or bills to cover it.

Rhyme

Se spendi ogni soldo che hai, al verde presto resterai!

Story

In old Florence, auctions were timed by a green candle. When the flame hit the green wax, the bidding stopped. If you were 'at the green,' your time to buy was over.

Word Web

soldiportafogliopoverospendereguadagnarestipendiobancaconto

챌린지

Try to tell a friend (in Italian) about a time you spent too much money and ended up 'al verde' by the end of the week.

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Estar a dos velas

Spanish uses 'candles' while Italian specifies the 'green' part of the candle.

French partial

Être fauché

French focuses on the action of losing money, Italian on the state of the wallet.

German low

Abgebrannt sein

German is more dramatic, implying total loss by fire.

Japanese none

金欠 (Kinketsu)

Japanese is more literal and less idiomatic than the Italian 'green'.

Arabic partial

مفلس (Muflis)

Arabic focuses on the currency unit, Italian on the color/candle.

Chinese none

吃土 (Chī tǔ)

Chinese is much more humorous and hyperbolic.

Korean low

알거지 (Al-geoji)

Korean emphasizes the social state of poverty more harshly.

Portuguese low

Estar teso

The physical sensation of 'stiffness' vs the Italian visual of 'green'.

Easily Confused

essere al verde 대 essere verde dalla rabbia

Both use the color green.

If it's about money, it's 'al verde'. If it's about anger, it's 'dalla rabbia'.

essere al verde 대 essere nel verde

The preposition 'nel' vs 'al'.

'Nel verde' means in nature/park. 'Al verde' means no money.

자주 묻는 질문 (10)

Not necessarily. It usually means you are temporarily out of cash, like 'broke' in English. Bankruptcy is 'bancarotta'.

Yes, informally. 'L'azienda è al verde' means the company has no liquidity.

In Italian, 'essere in rosso' (to be in the red) specifically means your bank account is overdrawn. 'Al verde' is more general for having no money at all.

No, it's just informal. It's a very common, everyday expression.

It's better to say 'sono completamente al verde' or 'sono proprio al verde'.

Yes, Italians might pull out their empty pockets or tap their thumb and index finger together to signify 'zero'.

Yes: 'Se compro questo, sarò al verde'.

Yes, it is a standard idiom understood from North to South.

'Senza soldi' is literal; 'al verde' is idiomatic and sounds more like a native speaker.

No, it describes a temporary state, not a personality trait.

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