# Hai detto niente!



## simcog87

Hello!
How could I translate this expression into English: ''Hai detto niente'' !
For example:
a- ''Parlo 10 lingue''
b- ''Solo 10?''
a- ''Hai detto niente!''
Any ideas??
Thank you in advance


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## underhouse

I would change slightly the example:

A Parlo solo quattro lingue.
B Hai detto niente!

A I only speak four languages.
B That's saying something!


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## Alxmrphi

Non penso di capire, è sempre d'aiuto quando si fornise altri modi da esprimere la stessa cosa, per gli stranieri a capire meglio l'accezione.
Che altre cose possono essere sostituite al posto di "_hai detto niente_" ?


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## simcog87

Alxmrphi said:


> Non penso di capire, è sempre d'aiuto quando si fornise altri modi da esprimere la stessa cosa, per gli stranieri a capire meglio l'accezione.
> Che altre cose possono essere sostituite al posto di "_hai detto niente_" ?


 

"Hai detto niente" could be replaced by: "Ti sembra poco?" "E' cosi' poco per te?" 
Is it clearer now?


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## Alxmrphi

simcog87 said:


> "Hai detto niente" could be replaced by: "Ti sembra poco?" "E' cosi' poco per te?"
> Is it clearer now?


 
MUCH clearer !
I think "Is that not enough?" or "Did you expect more?" fit well here.


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## underhouse

Alxmrphi said:


> Non penso di capire, è sempre d'aiuto quando si forniscono altri modi da per esprimere la stessa cosa, per aiutare gli stranieri a capire meglio l'accezione.
> Che altre cose possono essere sostituite al posto di "_hai detto niente_" (better: come si può rendere in altro modo l'espressione "_hai detto niente_") ?


 
Alex,
say you tell me: "I make 200,000 euros a year" and you say it low profile, as it was ordinary stuff.
I could reply to you: "Hai detto niente" (you have said nothing) meaning the opposite: that's saying something, that is remarkable.


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## Alxmrphi

Grazie underhouse, molto d'aiuto !!



> I could reply to you: "Hai detto niente" (you have said nothing) meaning the opposite: that's saying something, that is remarkable.


Then your original translation is good as well (_That's saying something!_)


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## simcog87

Thank you all!


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## GavinW

underhouse said:


> Alex,
> say you tell me: "I make 200,000 euros a year" and you say it low profile, as it was ordinary stuff.
> I could reply to you: "Hai detto niente" (you have said nothing) meaning the opposite: that's saying something, that is remarkable.


 
Well done Alex for requesting wider range of example contexts!
Well done Underhouse for providing it!
In fact, the exact idiom or fixed expression will change depending on the type of situation.

Underhouse's example above prompts me to suggest:
1) "You call that nothing!"
2) "That's hardly peanuts!" (refers explicitly to amounts of money)

But there's a richer vein to be mined on this. ;-)


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## Odysseus54

Alxmrphi said:


> Grazie underhouse, molto d'aiuto !!
> 
> 
> Then your original translation is good as well (_That's saying something!_)



I would translate it as " No joke ! " or " No shit ! "


" Mi ha promesso che mi amera' per tutta la vita "  " Hai detto niente ! "


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## GavinW

Nice one(s), Odysseus! ;-)


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## tranquilspaces

How about just - "That's it?"


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## Alxmrphi

tranquilspaces said:


> How about just - "That's it?"


 
I was thinking something like this before but looking back at the examples it doesn't fit, this would be said by the person that says the original statement, "That's it?" and "That's all?" would be said in response to the person that made the claim, which is not what it looks like "Hai detto niente!" refers to.

So going back to the first example, the person that says "Hai detto niente!" is the same person that said he speaks 10 languages, it's the non-shocked (non-impressed) response that he is referring to, like his claim deserves more of a "wow" reaction than was actually given, and in that way you wouldn't say "_That's it_?", that'd be what the person being told the fact might say if he didn't think it was enough.

In fact, I think "_Hai detto niente_!" would be what you say to someone that responds with the Italian for "_Is that it? / That's it_?"

(Italians please tell me I haven't misunderstood!)

*A: Io parlo 10 lingue*
*B: Solo dieci?*
*A: Hai detto niente!*

*A: I speak 10 languages*
*B: Is that it? / Only 10?*
*A: Is that not enough?!?*

Can anyone confirm??


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## GavinW

tranquilspaces said:


> How about just - "That's it?"


 
If I've understood Alex's point to mean the same as my own view.... then he's right on the grounds that the Italian expression means the opposite of "That's it!"/"That's all?". It's emphatic in the other direction. It's kind of litotes (if I'm remembering my rhetoric correctly...).


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## Alxmrphi

Yeah! 
Like if someone said "That's it?" and then the first speaker takes what he has said and repeats it like an emphatic quote, then that becomes the meaning of _Hai detto niente_ (I think).

*I speak 10 languages*
*That's it?*
*"THAT'S IT???"* [i.e. is that not a lot for you??] <- hai detto niente!


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## Odysseus54

Alxmrphi said:


> I was thinking something like this before but looking back at the examples it doesn't fit, this would be said by the person that says the original statement, "That's it?" and "That's all?" would be said in response to the person that made the claim, which is not what it looks like "Hai detto niente!" refers to.
> 
> So going back to the first example, the person that says "Hai detto niente!" is the same person that said he speaks 10 languages, it's the non-shocked (non-impressed) response that he is referring to, like his claim deserves more of a "wow" reaction than was actually given, and in that way you wouldn't say "_That's it_?", that'd be what the person being told the fact might say if he didn't think it was enough.
> 
> In fact, I think "_Hai detto niente_!" would be what you say to someone that responds with the Italian for "_Is that it? / That's it_?"
> 
> (Italians please tell me I haven't misunderstood!)
> 
> *A: Io parlo 10 lingue*
> *B: Solo dieci?*
> *A: Hai detto niente!*
> 
> *A: I speak 10 languages*
> *B: Is that it? / Only 10?*
> *A: Is that not enough?!?*
> 
> Can anyone confirm??




In your example I would say :  "Ti pare poco ?", "Ti sembra poco?".

Let me try with a few more examples :


" Dice che la nuova fabbrica gli costera' 20 milioni di euro di impianti "  " Hai detto niente ! "

" Dopo che ha messo la coibentazione, risparmia 40 euro al mese di bolletta elettrica"   " Hai detto niente ! "

" Dice che d'inverno arrivano a 15 gradi sotto zero "  " Hai detto niente ! "


ecc ecc

In your example, it could be :

A : Parlo dieci lingue

B : Hai detto niente !  ( Meaning " No shit ! ( jaded - who knows if it's true, and even if it is, you'll just be blabbering your usual nonsense in 10 languages instead of one etc )  )


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## Alxmrphi

Hi Ody, 

Thanks, the reason I wrote it was only to illustrate the diference of usage (rather than _supplying a good Italian / English translation_), but simcog said in post #4 that a synonym would be "_ti sembra poco?"_ so I think at least for simcog both sound fine.

I'm glad to know that I'll be safer with _'ti pare/sembra poco'_ though!


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## underhouse

Alxmrphi said:


> I was thinking something like this before but looking back at the examples it doesn't fit, this would be said by the person that says the original statement, "That's it?" and "That's all?" would be said in response to the person that made the claim, which is not what it looks like "Hai detto niente!" refers to.
> 
> So going back to the first example, the person that says "Hai detto niente!" is the same person that said he speaks 10 languages, it's the non-shocked (non-impressed) response that he is referring to, like his claim deserves more of a "wow" reaction than was actually given, and in that way you wouldn't say "_That's it_?", that'd be what the person being told the fact might say if he didn't think it was enough.
> 
> In fact, I think "_Hai detto niente_!" would be what you say to someone that responds with the Italian for "_Is that it? / That's it_?"
> 
> (Italians please tell me I haven't misunderstood!)
> 
> *A: Io parlo 10 lingue*
> *B: Solo dieci?*
> *A: Hai detto niente!*
> 
> *A: I speak 10 languages*
> *B: Is that it? / Only 10?*
> *A: Is that not enough?!?*
> 
> Can anyone confirm??


 
Alex,

I suggest you to forget about the first example because in my opinion is a little misleading: B is not impressed about A speaking ten languages (I think he should have been) and now it's A who is shocked because B is not shocked and says "Hai detto niente". I think it is a little twisted.

Think of the example as I put it in the second post or any example in the following pattern: A makes quite a statement and B is impressed and says "Hai detto niente!".

A I have Van Gogh painting.
B Hai detto niente!


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## Odysseus54

Alxmrphi said:


> Hi Ody,
> 
> Thanks, the reason I wrote it was only to illustrate the diference of usage (rather than _supplying a good Italian / English translation_), but simcog said in post #4 that a synonym would be "_ti sembra poco?"_ so I think at least for simcog both sound fine.
> 
> I'm glad to know that I'll be safer with _'ti pare/sembra poco'_ though!



Not in your example.  Let me try to explain :

A :  Parlo 10 lingue, ti sembra poco ? 

but 

A : Parlo 10 lingue, hai detto niente 

and

A : Parlo 10 lingue.
B : Hai detto niente !  ( meaning " It's a lot ! "  or  " No kidding ! " )

and 

A : Parlo solo 10 lingue
B : Ti sembra poco ? / Hai detto niente ! (  meaning " Do you think it's not enough ? " )

I hope it is a bit clearer now.


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## Alxmrphi

Odysseus54 said:


> I hope it is a bit clearer now.


 
Yes it is


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## You little ripper!

Odysseus54 said:


> I hope it is a bit clearer now.


I must be obtuse because I still don't get it.  Odysseus, can you give some other examples unrelated to speaking languages to help me understand it. Just pretend I'm a five-year-old (that shouldn't be too difficult ).


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## Odysseus54

Perhaps it helps if you go back to the literal translation :

" Hai detto niente ! "  =  " You have said nothing ! "  =  " You have said a lot " ( meaning is inverted through sarcasm ) 

Grammatically, in spite of the sarcastic inversion, the subject is still 'you' , the sentence does not become a standalone idiom. it still has to grammatically tie in to another sentence.

It is generally used to ironically remark on someone else's statement , to either express mild disbelief, or surprise, or to underscore the importance and magnitude of what has been said before by the other person.

" Tre mesi fa mi hanno operato per una peritonite - sei ore in sala operatoria  "  " Hai detto niente - mi dispiace "  ( meaning " damn ! that's a long-ass surgery ! sorry to hear that , bud ( or 'mate' )  )  

" Erano in quattro, li ho presi a schiaffoni tutti e quattro "  " Hai detto niente ! - non ti fanno male le mani ? "  ( mild disbelief, critical )

" 450 km, e li ho fatti in tre ore "  " Con una Guzzi ?  Hai detto niente ! " ( mild surpries, supportive )

Better ?


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## You little ripper!

Odysseus54 said:


> Perhaps it helps if you go back to the literal translation :
> 
> " Hai detto niente ! "  =  " You have said nothing ! "  =  " You have said a lot " ( meaning is inverted through sarcasm )
> 
> Grammatically, in spite of the sarcastic inversion, the subject is still 'you' , the sentence does not become a standalone idiom. it still has to grammatically tie in to another sentence.
> 
> It is generally used to ironically remark on someone else's statement , to either express mild disbelief, or surprise, or to underscore the importance and magnitude of what has been said before by the other person.
> 
> " Tre mesi fa mi hanno operato per una peritonite - sei ore in sala operatoria  "  " Hai detto niente - mi dispiace "  ( meaning " damn ! that's a long-ass surgery ! sorry to hear that , bud ( or 'mate' )  )
> 
> " Erano in quattro, li ho presi a schiaffoni tutti e quattro "  " Hai detto niente ! - non ti fanno male le mani ? "  ( mild disbelief, critical )
> 
> " 450 km, e li ho fatti in tre ore "  " Con una Guzzi ?  Hai detto niente ! " ( mild surpries, supportive )
> 
> Better ?


I think so; thanks Odysseus.  Would, "You don't say?!!!" work in those examples?


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## Leo57

Charles Costante said:


> I think so; thanks Odysseus.  Would, "You don't say?!!!" work in those examples?



This is exactly what I thought!

"Oh really, Leo!  ...you don't say!"

(Yes, I do!)

Ciao
Leo


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## You little ripper!

Leo57 said:


> This is exactly what I thought!
> 
> "Oh really, Leo!  ...you don't say!"
> 
> (Yes, I do!)
> 
> Ciao
> Leo


I'm glad someone thinks like me, Leo! (I thought I was going round the twist!  ) Now let's see what Ody thinks about the conclusion we've both come to.


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## Murphy

What about a simple "really??"

Eg:
"Really?"
"Really?"

Or am I being too simple?


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## You little ripper!

Murphy said:


> What about a simple "really??"
> 
> Eg:
> "Really?"
> "Really?"


That's what I first thought. 



> Or am I being too simple?


That was my second thought!


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## Murphy

It's nice to know that I'm not on a completely isolated wave-length....


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## Odysseus54

I am not trying to walk away from this one, but the closest I can get , based on my purely empirical knowledge of AE, is " No shit ! ", or even " Wow ! ".

"Really ?" does not change the meaning but it is not as 'playful' as the Italian expression.

As to " You don't say ! " , I have never heard it here and I can't say, honest .


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## You little ripper!

Odysseus54 said:


> I am not trying to walk away from this one, but the closest I can get , based on my purely empirical knowledge of AE, is " No shit ! ", or even " Wow ! ".
> 
> "Really ?" does not change the meaning but it is not as 'playful' as the Italian expression.
> 
> As to " You don't say ! " , I have never heard it here and I can't say, honest .


You don't say!


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## underhouse

Charles Costante said:


> You don't say!


 
To me this seems to be equivalent to _addirittura_ when it is said on its own in a sarcastic way.

Example: A, a very lazy guy who never does sport, tells his friend B that he will take part in the next NY marathon.

A _Il prossimo anno voglio correre la maratona di NY._
B _Addirittura..._


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## Odysseus54

Charles Costante said:


> You don't say!



Is that BE ?


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## Alxmrphi

Odysseus54 said:


> Is that BE ?


 
I think so, sometimes I get surprised at what I think is BE but is also used in AE, but at times my instinct is right.... I actually think in its sarcastic sense it could very well be AE as well, definitely BE though, in its sarcastic sense, I don't think I've heard it in the non-sarcastic way


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## Odysseus54

underhouse said:


> To me this seems to be equivalent to _addirittura_ when it is said on its own in a sarcastic way.
> 
> Example: A, a very lazy guy who never does sport, tells his friend B that he will take part in the next NY marathon.
> 
> A _Il prossimo anno voglio correre la maratona di NY._
> B _Addirittura!_



Yes - but it does not have to be sarcastic either :

" Pensa un po', sono caduto e mi sono rotto il femore , una clavicola e una tibia "   "  Hai detto niente ! / Addirittura ! "

No sarcasm here.


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## underhouse

Odysseus54 said:


> Yes - but it does not have to be sarcastic either :
> 
> " Pensa un po', sono caduto e mi sono rotto il femore , una clavicola e una tibia " " Hai detto niente ! / Addirittura ! "
> 
> No sarcasm here.


 
Actually, I was talking about "you don't say" and trying to translate it.

It seems to me that "you don't say" is always said in a sarcastic way.


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## Bookmom

From the Macmillian Dictionary/Thesaurus: you don’t say


used for saying that you are surprised by what someone has told you

From Webster's: really
interj. 
indeed? honestly? for a fact? yes? is that so? what? are you sure? no fooling? no kidding?* cross your heart and hope to die?* on your honor?* you don't say?* the deuce you say!* blow me down!* ain't it the truth?* you said it!* do tell?*

This expression, a shortening of *you don't say so*, may be used straightforwardly or ironically. [Late 1800s]


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## GavinW

Bookmom said:


> From the Macmillian Dictionary/Thesaurus: you don’t say
> 
> 
> used for saying that you are surprised by what someone has told you
> 
> From Webster's: really
> interj.
> indeed? honestly? for a fact? yes? is that so? what? are you sure? no fooling? no kidding?* cross your heart and hope to die?* on your honor?* you don't say?* the deuce you say!* blow me down!* ain't it the truth?* you said it!* do tell?*
> 
> This expression, a shortening of *you don't say so*, may be used straightforwardly or ironically. [Late 1800s]


 
Absolutely. By no means necessarily sarcastic. The original meaning is, of course, not sarcastic (but "straight" or "literal"), and this original ("sincere" and "innocent") meaning is very much alive and well.
You don't say is looking BE to me. 
The Webster's entry helps (thanks BM). But some of the "glosses" it gives are old-fashioned ("the deuce you say", "for a fact"). One gloss/near-synonymous phrase which is not old-fashioned, which is very common, and which I believe is not BE, is: "Is that a fact?"


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