# Non capisci niente



## Einstein

_Non capisci niente = you don't understand anything,_

but Italians use the expression in a particular situation:

- Quel film non mi è piaciuto.
- *Non capisci niente*, è un capolavoro!

- La polenta cos'ha di così speciale?
- *Non capisci niente*, la mangio sempre!

Can anyone think of an English equivalent? Just curiosity...


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## elfa

Hi Einstein 

How about

_You just don't get it_/_you don't get it all, do you?_


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## nagoyano

In daily conversation, "No way!" may be quite close.


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## Einstein

Hi elfa, yes, that comes close, but I'm not 100% convinced.

Thanks also to nagoyano, but "No way!" is different:
"Did you like that film?"
"No way! It was awful!"
and here the first person could say, "Non capisci niente!"

*Non capisci niente* means you have no culture, no understanding, you don't know how to appreciate good things.


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## alicip

> - Quel film non mi è piaciuto.
> - *Non capisci niente*, è un capolavoro!


You don't understand movies at all/anything. 



> - La polenta cos'ha di così speciale?
> - *Non capisci niente*, la mangio sempre!


You can't make head or tail of it.


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## Einstein

alicip said:


> You don't understand movies at all/anything.


This is more literal and specific for this case.


alicip said:


> You can't make head or tail of it.


I don't think so; we usually say it about ourselves: _I can't make head or tail of it = Non ci capisco niente_. But we say *Non capisci niente* when we think the person is not even interested in understanding.

I'm wondering about *You have no taste!* in some cases.


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## DrSalvapetti

Einstein said:


> _Non capisci niente = you don't understand anything,_
> 
> but Italians use the expression in a particular situation:
> 
> - Quel film non mi è piaciuto.
> - *Non capisci niente*, è un capolavoro!
> 
> - La polenta cos'ha di così speciale?
> - *Non capisci niente*, la mangio sempre!
> 
> Can anyone think of an English equivalent? Just curiosity...




Hi Einstein !  I think that the phrase 'non capisci niente', if we want to avoid making a literal translation, can be translated manifestly in the same way we translate  'sei un babbuino' ('you're such a monkey'?)     I'm sorry if my english's bad, I'm still learning ..bye!


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## alicip

Einstein said:


> This is more literal and specific for this case.
> 
> I don't think so; we usually say it about ourselves: _I can't make head or tail of it = Non ci capisco niente_. But we say *Non capisci niente* when we think the person is not even interested in understanding.
> 
> I'm wondering about *You have no taste!* in some cases.



Thanks.  What about: *"You're such an outsider/a **layperson**!"* or *"You're such an ignorant person!"*


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## Tunalagatta

Ciao 

_You don't know what you're talking about__!
You don't know nuffin!
Whaaat?! _(incredulous + disdainful tone)


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## Mary49

What about "You're clueless"?


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## Einstein

To Dr Salvapetti: I don't think we use _monkey _this way (and even less _baboon_).

To alicip: maybe _You're just ignorant_, that wouldn't be bad.

I like Tunalagatta's suggestions, they're quite natural.

To Mary: I think _clueless _means something else. A clueless person doesn't know how to organise, what to do. Really I think _Non capisci niente _is more a judgement of the person's opinions.


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## aefrizzo

_Non capisci nient_e..


Polemico, ma non volutamente offensivo, il senso qui è:_ Sei assolutamente incompetente in fatto di cinema, di cibo etc.
*Io invece sì.*_
A mio avviso, questa di Tuna è l'espressione più vicina.



Tunalagatta said:


> _You don't know what you're talking about__!
> _


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## alicip

Einstein said:


> To Dr Salvapetti: I don't think we use _monkey _this way (and even less _baboon_).
> 
> To alicip: maybe You_'re just ignorant_, that wouldn't be bad.
> 
> I like Tunalagatta's suggestions, they're quite natural.
> 
> To Mary: I think _clueless _means something else. A clueless person doesn't know how to organise, what to do. Really I think _Non capisci niente _is more a judgement of the person's opinions.



Da I figli della mezzanotte di Salman Rushdie:
Con la sua fragile voce, Mary Pereira descrive la susseguente collera di Ioseph D'Costa, il quale le disse: «Tu *non capisci niente*, Mary, l'aria viene dal nord ora, ed è aria di morte. L'indipendenza è solo per i ricchi; 
In a fragile voice Mary Pereira describes the ensuing rage of Joseph D’Costa, who told her, “_*You don’t know nothing*_, Mary, the air comes from the north now, and it’s full of dying. This independence is for the rich only; 

Forse: "What do you know about it, anyway?"


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## Paulfromitaly

alicip said:


> Da I figli della mezzanotte di Salman Rushdie:
> Con la sua fragile voce, Mary Pereira descrive la susseguente collera di Ioseph D'Costa, il quale le disse: «Tu *non capisci niente*, Mary, l'aria viene dal nord ora, ed è aria di morte. L'indipendenza è solo per i ricchi;
> In a fragile voice Mary Pereira describes the ensuing rage of Joseph D’Costa, who told her, “_*You don’t know nothing*_, Mary, the air comes from the north now, and it’s full of dying. This independence is for the rich only;
> 
> Forse: "What do you know about it, anyway?"



Non direi che il fatto che UN singolo esempio in tutto il web in cui un traduttore italiano decide di tradurre _*You don’t know nothing *_con_* "tu non capisci niente" *_sia molto indicativo, tanto meno del fatto che la miglior traduzione di "non capisci niente" sia _*You don’t know nothing.*_


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## rrose17

I'd go with a version of alicip's "What (the hell) do you know? It's a masterpiece!"


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## alicip

Paulfromitaly said:


> Non direi che il fatto che UN singolo esempio in tutto il web in cui un traduttore italiano decide di tradurre _*You don’t know nothing *_con_* "tu non capisci niente" *_sia molto indicativo, tanto meno del fatto che la miglior traduzione di "non capisci niente" sia _*You don’t know nothing.*_



Era solo un suggerimento. Cercavo solo di dare una mano. Se ciò non è stato gradito, allora non mi rimane che scusarmi con tutti voi. Buon weekend.


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## Einstein

Alicip, sono graditi tutti i suggerimenti. Quando c'è un modo di dire con una certa sfumatura non è facile trovare un equivalente e si fa un po' di brainstorming.

Thanks everyone!


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## GavinW

Hi Albert ;-)
Good question, but we're dancing in the dark a bit until we realize (and say explicitly) that the expression is polysemous. In other words, it's got more than one meaning (depending on the connotations of the situation). I think we've seen this already in the variety of the suggested translations, some of which clearly work, but some of which are not compatible with others. I've tried to group most of them below, in a suggested sense division:

1) The example of the film, ie the context which you set out from, or indeed the polenta: here, yes, we're talking about someone's taste (culinary or artistic) and/or culture, or their opinions: in other words, their _sensibility regarding a subject connected with some form of art _(or, yes food, why not). Here, as suggested, we might say: 
Shows how much you know!
What do you know about it? 
You don't know the first thing about it!
You don't know what you're talking about.
It's obviously beyond you.
It's completely above your head.
etc 

2) The literal scenario (not really discussed yet in this thread, I don't think): literally, someone's _(lack of) understanding of a particular subject_, or their _opinion_ regarding a question of fact (including politics, for example). Here we might say:
You don't know anything. 
You haven't got a clue.
(etc)

3) The "moral" sense: you show no _sensibility in your relations_ towards other people (and an understanding of people's feelings):
Example:
(Paolo) What's the mattter? What did I say? (When Alessandra walks away, in tears)
(Daniela, Paolo's wife, and Alessandra's friend) Stupido! Non capisci niente! Dovevi pensare prima di parlare! Eppure te l'ho detto di non toccare l'argomento dei figli davanti a lei.

Here, we might say:

You haven't got a clue, have you?
You just just don't get it, do you.
You're just so thick.
How can you be so stupid?
(etc)

HTH. Don't feel you have to agree with me, or anything, but I always prefer it when you do... ;-)


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## L'Enrico

_You know nothing_. As in, _You know nothing, Jon Snow_.

E.


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## london calling

alicip said:


> «Tu *non capisci niente*, Mary...., “_*You don’t know nothing*_, Mary...


Yes, but it must be said that  'You don't know nothing' is bad grammar and should only be used in very specific contexts to render a specific style of speech.

Having read all the various suggestions, Tuna's 'You don't know what you're talking about' is the one I prefer, although I might well say 'You don't know what you're going on about'.

However, I agree we'd probably say different things in different contexts.


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## aefrizzo

Una sfumatura, forse non più attuale, e più generale rispetto al post#1 .
_*Tu* (you) non capisci niente._.. OK, il *tu* presume confidenza, se non amicizia.
_*Le*i (you) non capisce niente_.. invece può suonare scortese nei riguardi di un anziano o di un prof suscettibile. 
Vale anche per la traduzione di Tuna?


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## Nellieuk

"You're such an ignoramus" or "you're such a dunce"


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## london calling

aefrizzo said:


> Una sfumatura, forse non più attuale, e più generale rispetto al post#1 .
> _*Tu* (you) non capisci niente._.. OK, il *tu* presume confidenza, se non amicizia.
> _*Le*i (you) non capisce niente_.. invece può suonare scortese nei riguardi di un anziano o di un prof suscettibile.
> Vale anche per la traduzione di Tuna?


Non avendo questa distinzione (tu/Lei) in inglese, si gioca tutto sull'intonazione ecc. Tutte le frasi suggerite qui possono sembrare (o meno) scortesi.


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## aefrizzo

Grazie, London.


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## chipulukusu

I don't take any stance here, but as a native I feel _"non capisci niente" _like a pretty aggressive remark, not something I would say to anyone outside my family/strict friends circle.
It's something closer to the English "_you shut up" _if even not 100% so blatant.


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## GavinW

Did anyone see anything particularly wrong with my earlier sense division (and suggested translations)? There has been a deafening silence. I don't want praise or blame. I just want to know if there's any space for actually trying to answer the OP, and cover all the angles.
(If I'm unfairly bumping, shout me down...)


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## Matrap

Gavin, in my view, you've provided the most comprehensive answer(s) so far.


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## GavinW

Phew! So I'm not going completely mad (yet...).
Thanks! ;-)


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## giginho

Essendo io uno che non capisce molto di molte cose mi sono sentito spesso dire:

Gigi: "bello il film, vero?"
X: "ohh, shut up! it was awful!"

Pensate che possa andare?

Ciao ciao!


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## giovannino

Gavin, I agree with Matrap. I think that your list of suggested translations covers every possible context/sense in which the Italian phrase is used


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## Einstein

Another one, in answer to my own question:

Just shows how much you know
Just shows how much you understand (about films, food etc.)

PS Apologies to Gavin, who had already made this suggestion. I'm lazy about reading long posts thoroughly ...


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## alicip

Einstein said:


> Another one, in answer to my own question:
> 
> Just shows how much you know
> Just shows how much you understand (about films, food etc.)



That says it all about how much you understand/know (about movies, food, ...)


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## Einstein

aefrizzo said:


> Una sfumatura, forse non più attuale, e più generale rispetto al post#1 .
> _*Tu* (you) non capisci niente._.. OK, il *tu* presume confidenza, se non amicizia.
> _*Le*i (you) non capisce niente_.. invece può suonare scortese nei riguardi di un anziano o di un prof suscettibile.
> Vale anche per la traduzione di Tuna?


Ho letto adesso questo post. Il fatto è che "non capisci niente" nei contesti che stiamo discutendo qui non è *mai *cortese! Non lo userei con una persona con cui non ho confidenza.


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## sound shift

Tunalagatta said:


> _You don't know what you're talking about__!_


 I was thinking of "What _*are *_you talking about? It's a masterpiece." Also:
"What *are *you saying!?"
"Get away!"


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