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"sedi sfalzate e degli emi viadotti"
Giunta dell'Ordine al Merito

Glossary entry

Italian term or phrase:

tritare le palle

English translation:

get bored shitless

Added to glossary by KayW
Mar 28, 2009 10:23
15 yrs ago
Italian term

tritare le palle

May offend Italian to English Art/Literary Slang
From a screenplay: "Visto che al ministero me trito le palle, ogni tanto m’assento e faccio ‘na rapina."
I understand it means to be bored, but I need something rather stronger than "to twiddle one's thumbs". Can anyone think of an equivalent (US) English expression?
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 get bored shitless
3 +2 bores the arse off me
3 +1 to bore the fuck out
4 get pissed off
3 (when) I am feeling my oats

Discussion

KayW (asker) Mar 28, 2009:
I understand it to mean that he's bored, not "feeling his oats". This is dialogue from a screenplay that is all in Roman dialect and very strong and vulgar. I have not been asked to make it sound less vulgar, so want to keep the tone of the original.
Ellen Kraus Mar 28, 2009:
to judge by the numerous net-entries, this saying does not limit itself to <feeling bored>. to make what is meant here sound less vulgar, I would suggest < I am feeling my oats >

Proposed translations

+3
4 hrs
Selected

get bored shitless

that's what I would (and do) say. Google likes it too, with over 90,000 hits:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q="bored shitless&btnG=Se...
Peer comment(s):
agree Barbara Carrara : Like it too! Barbara
8 mins
thanks Barbara!
agree Oliver Lawrence
37 mins
cheers Oliver
agree Sylvia Gilbertson : yep, or you can change the structure and say something bores the shit out of you
6 hrs
thanks Sylvia
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "I liked both this and Oliver's suggestion, but ended up using this. Thanks!"
47 mins

(when) I am feeling my oats

would reduce the vulgar touch without being to much off the mark.
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr

bores the arse off me

this may be a bit too UK flavoured, but it's all that comes to me at the moment
Note from asker:
Thanks Oliver. Changing the "arse" to "ass" might do it. "I'm boring my ass off at the ministry"
Peer comment(s):
agree moranna (X) : é una via di mezzo
49 mins
agree Peter Cox
14 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
1 hr

to bore the fuck out

Un'altra possibilità.


http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&q="bore the fuck out of me...
http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&q="bore the fuck out"&meta...
http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&q="to bore the fuck out"&m...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-03-28 12:00:13 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

oppure "to bore the shit out of me"...

http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&q=" to bore the shit out o...
http://www.google.it/search?hl=it&q=" bore the shit out of m...
Peer comment(s):
agree Mirra_ : voto entusiasticamente la seconda :))
3 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 day 22 hrs

get pissed off

a suggestion
Something went wrong...
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