Episode 19 · Words That Actually Come Up
Acqua in bocca - the Italian way to keep a secret
Acqua in bocca - water in your mouth - means keep it secret. Rose thinks she is being offered a drink.
Laura has big news. Rose has a very literal mind.
Laura ·
In this lesson
| Italian | Word for word | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Acqua in bocca! | water in your mouth | keep it secret / my lips are sealed |
| Non dirlo a nessuno | don't tell anyone | |
| Ti dico un segreto | I'll tell you a secret | |
| Si sposano | they are getting married | sposarsi = to get married |
You can't talk with a mouth full of water - that's the whole idea. Say it with a finger on your lips.
The dialogue
Every line from the video, with the English meaning under the Italian.
Laura
Rose, ti dico un segreto...
Rose, I'll tell you a secret...
Laura
Marco e Giulia si sposano! Ma... acqua in bocca!
Marco and Giulia are getting married! But... water in your mouth!
Rose
Water in my mouth? Are you offering me a drink?
Laura
No! Vuol dire: non dirlo a nessuno!
No! It means: don't tell anyone!
Rose
Oh! So how do I promise?
Laura
Rispondi: acqua in bocca!
Answer: acqua in bocca! (my lips are sealed)
Rose✓ Correct
Acqua in bocca!
My lips are sealed!
Rose
...Can I tell just one person?
Laura
No!
No!
The voices in this video are synthetic and the on-screen host is generated. The Italian itself is written and checked by a native speaker.
Ready to speak, not just watch?
Practise these phrases out loud with Laura in a small group or a private lesson.
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