# a gonfie vele



## mellamarie

What does 'gonfie vele' mean? I have a general idea that it means things are going well but I'm not sure exactly.  

'Gli affari vanno a gonfie vele.'

Thank you for the help!


----------



## beppo

It means that,for example,  business or a company is flourishing, going great... Hope that helps


----------



## Paulfromitaly

'Gli affari vanno a gonfie vele.' = business is booming.


----------



## Raphillon

Like a sailing boat when the wind is blowing


----------



## antraf

It means that thing are going very well.


----------



## joanpeace

Is this a term which could be used instead of _va bene_?

Ciao, Joan!  Come stai?
Vanno a gonfie vele, grazie!


----------



## claudine2006

Joan Corcoran said:


> Is this a term which could be used instead of _va bene_?
> 
> Ciao, Joan! Come stai/ti vanno le cose?
> (Va tutto) a gonfie vele, grazie!


This is what you could say.


----------



## lsp

Joan Corcoran said:


> Is this a term which could be used instead of _va bene_?
> 
> Ciao, Joan!  Come stai?
> Vanno a gonfie vele, grazie!


Vanno bene (le cose) seems kind of mild compared to vanno a gonfie vele. 

In English we have a similar expression that perhaps isn't used much (I guess, because no one mentioned it ), "going full sail ahead."


----------



## Paulfromitaly

Events like parties can "go with a swing".


----------



## Correre

Hi!
"La serata va a gonfie vele"
I'm taking it that it means: the evening is going marvelously.
Any more colourful interpretations?
Thanks!


----------



## rrose17

What about "the evening was in full flight".


----------



## byrne

or..
the evening went/is going with a swing


----------



## Correre

Thanks for response, rrose17.
Does "in full flight" mean 'underway', 'in full swing'? Is that what 'a gonfie vele' means?


----------



## byrne

Correre said:


> Thanks for response, rrose17.
> Does "in full flight" mean 'underway', 'in full swing'? Is that what 'a gonfie vele' means?


 
In full swing here
Go with a swing here


----------



## london calling

I like _go with a swing_, Byrne.


----------



## Correre

Cool, thanks byrne. I'd never heard the expression 'go with a swing' before.
Don't know how it will go with my AE audience. Will give it a try in conversation first perhaps! Thanks again.


----------



## rrose17

Correre said:


> I'd never heard the expression 'go with a swing' before.
> Don't know how it will go with my AE audience


I'm sure a whole slew of Americans will pipe in that I'm wrong  but I've never heard this one before either.


----------



## byrne

Correre said:


> Cool, thanks byrne. I'd never heard the expression 'go with a swing' before.
> Don't know how it will go with my AE audience. Will give it a try in conversation first perhaps! Thanks again.


 
You're right Cambridge here notes it as BE. We need rose again. In AE the best I can come up with is a banal "_is was/is a hit _"

_went with a bang??_ here, again not very AE


----------



## london calling

...is a (real) ball?
...is something else?

or the dreaded "awesome"?


----------



## rrose17

I could've sworn I just posted an answer but see that it got obliterated as this thread was merged... I was saying it's very current to say _This party rocks!_ _That party rocked!_ I doubt I've ever used the expression, myself...
@ Byrne went with a bang... to me sounds VERY dated.
@ LC This party is a ball... really?


----------



## london calling

rrose17 said:


> se _This party rocks!_ _That party rocked!_ I doubt I've ever used the expression, myself...me neither.
> @ Byrne went with a bang... to me sounds VERY dated.
> @ LC This party is a ball... really? That's positively antiquated, I know.


Us Brits are very old-fashioned, doncha know. I suppose you don't say _to have a ball_, either (?)


----------



## byrne

rrose17 said:


> I could've sworn I just posted an answer but see that it got obliterated as this thread was merged... I was saying it's very current to say _This party rocks!_ _That party rocked!_ I doubt I've ever used the expression, myself...
> @ Byrne went with a bang... to me sounds VERY dated.
> @ LC This party is a ball... really?


 
Rose I'm hearing you (!). It is dated but _gofie vele_ isn't exactly _ficata_!! It's (in my humble opinion) more formal than _rock_s, but I (I admit) am oblivious to US nuances....


----------



## rrose17

london calling said:


> Us Brits are very old-fashioned, doncha know. I suppose you don't say _to have a ball_, either (?)


 
Oh we do, but it also sounded funny, like "this party's a ball, this suit's a tuxedo" you know, a ball?? A formal event? Ay if I have to explain it...


----------



## london calling

rrose17 said:


> Oh we do, but it also sounded funny, like "this party's a ball, this suit's a tuxedo" you know, a ball?? A formal event? Ay if I have to explain it...


Nooooo, I realised what you meant after!


----------



## lsp

rrose17 said:


> I'm sure a whole slew of Americans will pipe in that I'm wrong  but I've never heard this one before either.


This American is chiming in to agree with you!


----------



## elfa

One more, and continuing in the nautical vein: 

_[Business was] going full steam ahead_


----------



## You little ripper!

_The party was roaring along (at full speed/at full tilt)._


----------



## richard441

Um, does someone please know the standard English phrase for the _literal_ meaning of "andare a gonfie vele" - that is, with reference to a sailing ship. Thanks!


----------



## Verse

"Full sail"?


----------



## Blackman

Already extensively discussed _here._


----------



## Giorgio Spizzi

How did the exam go?

"A gonfie vele" = " With flying colours"

GS


----------

