Significado
To be reluctant to spend money.
Contexto cultural
There is a long-standing Italian joke that people from Genoa are the stingiest in the country. You will often hear 'braccino corto' used in jokes about Genoese people. In Tuscany, the phrase is sometimes replaced by 'essere taccagno', but 'braccino corto' remains the most popular way to tease friends during the 'aperitivo' hour. In the South, hospitality is so sacred that being called 'braccino corto' is a significant insult to one's honor and family reputation. With apps like Satispay and Splitwise, young Italians use 'braccino corto' to describe friends who take weeks to settle a 2-euro debt online.
Use the diminutive
Always use 'braccino' instead of 'braccio'. It makes the idiom sound authentic and less like a medical condition.
Watch the context
Don't use this with your boss unless you have a very close, joking relationship. It's informal!
Significado
To be reluctant to spend money.
Use the diminutive
Always use 'braccino' instead of 'braccio'. It makes the idiom sound authentic and less like a medical condition.
Watch the context
Don't use this with your boss unless you have a very close, joking relationship. It's informal!
The 'Offrire' Rule
In Italy, if you are accused of having the 'braccino corto', the best way to fix it is to immediately offer to pay for the next round of drinks.
Teste-se
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the idiom.
Marco non paga mai il conto, ha proprio il _______ _______.
The correct idiom is 'braccino corto'.
Which of these people is a 'braccino corto'?
Chi ha il braccino corto?
A 'braccino corto' avoids paying, especially in social situations.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Andiamo a cena fuori?' B: 'Sì, ma non invitare Stefano...' A: 'Perché?' B: 'Lo sai che lui _______.'
The context implies Stefano is not wanted because he doesn't pay his share.
Match the idiom to the situation.
Match: 1. Avere le mani bucate, 2. Avere il braccino corto. Situations: A. Spending 500€ on a hat. B. Refusing to pay 1€ for a coffee.
'Mani bucate' is for big spenders; 'braccino corto' is for stingy people.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosMarco non paga mai il conto, ha proprio il _______ _______.
The correct idiom is 'braccino corto'.
Chi ha il braccino corto?
A 'braccino corto' avoids paying, especially in social situations.
A: 'Andiamo a cena fuori?' B: 'Sì, ma non invitare Stefano...' A: 'Perché?' B: 'Lo sai che lui _______.'
The context implies Stefano is not wanted because he doesn't pay his share.
Match: 1. Avere le mani bucate, 2. Avere il braccino corto. Situations: A. Spending 500€ on a hat. B. Refusing to pay 1€ for a coffee.
'Mani bucate' is for big spenders; 'braccino corto' is for stingy people.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasIt depends on the tone. Among friends, it's a common tease. To a stranger, it's quite rude.
Yes, you can say 'Lei ha il braccino corto'. The phrase 'il braccino corto' doesn't change gender.
The most common opposite is 'avere le mani bucate' (to have holey hands/spend too much).
99% of the time, yes. Occasionally it's used for someone stingy with their time or effort, but money is the primary context.
The diminutive '-ino' adds a touch of irony and makes the 'shortness' seem more specific to this idiom.
Absolutely. It's a timeless classic in Italian slang.
Yes, 'avere le braccine corte' is a very common and even more emphatic variation.
Yes! People sometimes touch their elbow with the opposite hand to indicate a 'short' arm.
No. Use 'parsimonioso' or 'attento alle spese' instead.
Yes, it is understood and used from Milan to Sicily.
Frases relacionadas
essere un tirchio
synonymTo be stingy
avere le mani bucate
contrastTo spend money like water
essere uno spilorcio
synonymTo be a miser
stare a guardare il centesimo
similarTo count every penny
