Più facile dirlo che farlo
L’espressione “easier said than done“, sostanzialmente un comparativo di maggioranza, rientra benissimo tra quelle espressioni comuni inglesi che non sono particolarmente difficili da ricordare e che sono nel contempo molto caratterizzanti. Letteralmente “più facile detto che fatto“, l’espressione trova utilizzo in svariati contesti. Le formule più comuni come battuta a sé stante sono:
- That’s easier said than done
- That’s a lot easier said than done
- That’s much easier said than done
- That’s far easier said than done
Al posto di that’s all’inizio, è molto usato anche it’s.
a lot / much / far ~ sono tutti rafforzativi = molto
Vediamo adesso alcuni esempi più contestualizzati (tendenzialmente con “is” oppure “was“):
- Looking after three dogs and two cats is easier said than done.
- Prendersi cura di tre cani e due gatti è più facile dire che fare.
- Speaking in front of so many people is easier said than done.
- Parlare davanti a così tanta gente è più facile dire che fare.
- Preparing a party at home for 20 young children is easier said than done.
- Preparare una festa a casa per 20 bambini è più facile dire che fare.
- Pushing the car to the nearest garage was a lot easier said than done.
- Spingere la macchina fino al rifornimento più vivino è stato più facile dire che fare.
- Walking through the forest without a guide was far easier said than done.
- Attraversare la foresta senza una guida è stato molto più facile dire che fare.
- Finding the entrance to the campsite in the dark was easier said than done.
- Trovare l’ingresso al campeggio al buio è stato più facile dire che fare.
Ingliando 
I like this idiom as it is pleasant to pronunciate. I observe that whereas english language uses participles for the verbs to be compared, both italian and french need the infinitive forms: è più facile dirlo che farlo= c’est plus facile à dire qu’à faire
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Hi Nadine! Yes, in English we use the past participle which is the only real difference. Remember to use the article when you say “THE English language”. If you just say “English” then you don’t need it.
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Prof I really like this site !!! Here I can see three idioms ….Did you post others which maybe I ‘m not able to see ?
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No, Roberta. This is a relatively new column and so far I have only written three posts. Also, I’m very wary of explaining idioms which we don’t really use much in spoken English; it would be very easy to do but not very useful. If you have any ideas for “useful idioms”, fire away!
P.S. Have you looked at “Word-in-action”?
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of courese I did ! I like that ,too 🙂 Maybe expressions / slangs which are normally used by English natives so that we can speak like them and unerstand films better .I reckon this might be very useful prof……….what do you think?
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That’s the idea but it’s difficult to decide what is useful and frequently used, especially as I don’t live in England any more! But I’ll do what I can. 🙂
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I see and you’re right so my suggestion is : just do it if it isn’t too complicated .Don’t make your life difficult ok? no use 🙂
p.s you know ,i also printed some lessons which are in words- in -action
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Go with the flow… 🙂
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😦 what does it mean ? oh oh
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Vai col flusso… (just do it)
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🙂 ok so I knew but maybe I’m stupid I can’t understand what it means in this contest.
😦
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now I got it !!!!!! thank you 🙂
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