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Italian word of the day: 'Piega'

The Local Italy
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Italian word of the day: 'Piega'
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When life takes a turn, this word’s here for you.

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Taken at face value, piega is a simple word that means a fold or a crease, like you find in fabric or paper. When used in its literal sense, you’ll most often see it in verb form.

- Fare attenzione a non piegare il cavo.
- Take care not to bend the cable.

- Vieni qua e piega questi vestisti.
- Come here and fold these clothes.

When used as a noun, however, piega often refers to unexpected events leading you down a different path than the one you thought you were on.

The new path might be worse.

- Le cose stanno prendendo una brutta piega.
- Things are taking a bad turn.

Or better.

- Sto aspettando che la mia vita prenda la giusta piega.
- I’m waiting for my life to kick into the right gear.

- La sua salute ha preso una piega migliore.
- Her health’s taken a turn for the better.

Or just different.

-  Questa settimana ha preso una piega diversa.
- This week’s taken a different turn.

- La mia festa ha assunto una piega imprevista.
- My party’s gone in an unexpected direction.

There’s at least one other use, however, for this versatile word.

If a piega is a fault or an imperfection, an idea or a plan *without* a piega is airtight, or faultless.

The phrasing of this in Italian is non fa una piega – literally, something that “makes no fault” or, you might say, “doesn’t put a foot wrong”.

- Il loro ragionamento non faceva una piega.
- Their logic couldn’t be faulted.

- Il suo alibi non fa una piega.
- Her alibi’s airtight.

Do you have a favourite Italian word you'd like us to feature? If so, please email our editor Jessica Phelan with your suggestion.

 

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