Learn the proverb "Chiodo scaccia chiodo"

Hi, there! I am Luca and this wonderful video is aimed at those people who wish to improve their Italian.

This video is geared toward both those people who studied Italian at school, I mean in a language school, or at university, and those people who are learning Italian or in any case who would like to speak Italian better.

In particular, this video is aimed at those people who would like to expand their vocabulary and to use the phrases used by Italian native speakers.

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That being said, in this episode I'd like to explain the idiom "chiodo scaccia chiodo".

Please note that I said "chiodo scaccia chiodo" - not "chiodo schiaccia chiodo". Alright! I for one prefer this version, the one with the verb "scacciare". You may hear people who say "chiodo schiaccia chiodo". That is, who use the verb "schiacciare". Honestly, I prefer the version with "scacciare" and later I'm gonna explain to you why.

First of all, let's try to understand what the word "chiodo" means.

Alright! "Chiodo" refers to a small metal object which is usually driven in a wall, see? Using a hammer. We hammer a nail into the wall and then use this nail to hang a picture. So, that small object is called "chiodo".

Please don't to mix up "il chiodo" and "la vite". "La vite" refers to a different object, which can be screwed. That is, after we've put the screw in, we can turn it and screw the screw.

In particular, to screw a screw we use an object which in Italian is called "cacciavite".

The noun "cacciavite" is a bit peculiar, because it is a masculine compound noun ending in -E. But still, its forms are "un cacciavite", "dei cacciavite". You may hear some people say "i cacciaviti".

In addition, some people, instead of saying "cacciavite", say "giravite". In any case, this noun works the same way. Technically speaking, the word "giravite" would be more correct, because "cacciare" actually means putting something through. While the verb "girare" - well, you know what "girare" means.

Nevertheless, the noun is "cacciavite". Some people may say "giravite".

So, please, don't mix up the words "chiodo" and "vite". A screw can be screwed, whereas a nail is typically hammered in. Nails can't be screwed. Nails are driven in using a hammer. The nail is driven in by hitting it with a hammer.

Like I said, there are 2 versions of this idiom. Some people say "chiodo schiaccia chiodo", while other people say "chiodo scaccia chiodo".

Alright! The verb "schiacciare" is probably more common. "Schiacciare" essentially means pressing something (down).

If we have a can and "la schiacciamo", it means that we do this. The can... we squeeze, see? the top part and the can becomes flattened.

In a similar fashion, if this were, I don't know, a bottle of water, - we squash it, and the bottle of water becomes flatter. Ok, it doesn't become like this, for example it may become like so.

Similarly, "schiacciare" can be used for instance when we step on something, right? We can say "lo schiacciamo". For example, if someone steps on your foot, you can say: "Ahia! Mi hai sciacciato il piede".

Another use of the verb "schiacciare" is, for example, let's consider a remote control, see? We can say "premere il pulsante" or "schiacciare il pulsante". Because the finger pushes the button down.

Another example with the verb "schiacciare" could be, I dunno, let's say that there's an ant moving on the ground, I let a book fall down, the books falls into the ant and crushes it ("la schiaccia").

Similarly, if I'm walking through the streets and a meteorite falls into my head - "il meteorite mi schiaccia". That is, I am like this, and the meteorite grinds me into the ground.

Basically, "schiacciare" means pushing something down.

You probably know the noun "schiaccianoci". "Lo schiaccianoci" is that object used to crack nuts. Because the nut is placed inside this object, we push it and the two extremities of the object crack the nut open. Or rather, not the two extremities, the two parts of the object crack the nut open.

Well, this is "schiacciare". Its forms are: io schiaccio, tu schiacci, lui schiaccia, noi schiacciamo, voi schiacciate, loro schiacciano. This is "schiacciare".

Next, there's also "scacciare", which means driving away. The verb "scacciare" is clearly less common than "schiacciare".

An example could be: "C'era una persona che disturbava e l'hanno scacciata". What does it mean? They drove this person away.

So "scacciare" means driving or shooing away.

So let's try for a moment to understand the 2 scenarios.

If we use the verb "schiacciare", the imagery is this: a nail has been driven in the wall and another nail is pounded into the first nail. That is, a nail is put on another nail.

So there's a nail in the wall, we place another nail on it, we hammer on it and in theory this second nail should push the first nail down. That is, it should push it further into the wall.

Well, such scenario in my opinion is not very likely, because it is almost impossible to do that. Because, if a nail has been driven in the wall, you put another nail on it, and hammer on it over and over again, it's impossible, well, to drive a nail in with another nail. For this reason I don't like this version.

The alternative scenario is this: a nail has been driven in the wall and we drive it away with another nail. That is, let's pretend that this nail hasn't been properly driven in, see? Let's say that it has been driven, but only partially, in the wall, see? If we add another nail to the side and hammer on it, this second nail will shoo away, that is, drive away, the first nail - I guess.

Of course, both things are quite difficult to put into practice. But in my opinion driving in a nail with another nail is outright impossible, whereas driving a nail away using another nail is theoretically feasible.

It's possible that many people say "chiodo schiaccia chiodo" because, for phonetic reasons, "schiaccia" comes more natural. Because there's the word "chiodo", so it's natural to say "schiaccia". Also because "schiacciare" is much more common, hence many people say "chiodo schiaccia chiodo".

Alright! That is the imagery on which this idiom is based. But let's try to understand when and how this phrase is used.

Usually, in most cases, this phrase is used when there is somebody who for instance has been broken up with by their husband, wife, and is sad for this reason. So they spend their days thinking about that.

So this person feels sad because they have been left by their husband or wife, or boyfriend or girlfriend. So for example this person doesn't go out, feels sad, is down in the dumps.

This person is advised to go out and meet new people. That is, to make new acquaintances. Why? In the hope that this person will meet another person, another young man or woman, fall in love with this new person and this way will "forget" (quotations) the person who broke up with them.

So the new person should be understood as the nail driving away the nail which had been driven in the wall. That is, the second nail shooing away the first nail.

So we can use this phrase in a sentence such as: "Come on, you shouldn't spend all day at home, you should go out, meet new people. In the end, you know that, chiodo scaccia chiodo".

Meaning: the best way to get over the sadness which typically follows a break-up is to meet new people. And to start a new relationship which in a way will "replace" (quotation marks) the previous one.

You know better than I do, if someone has been broken up with and keeps thinking about the person who broke up with them, that's not a situation that will be easily solved. However, if this person meets another person and falls in love with this new person, the situation is easier, so to speak.

Well, in this sense, this idiom is very similar to another idiomatic phrase. Or rather, to an Italian proverb, which is "Morto un papa, se ne fa un altro".

Some time ago I made a video about this saying. If you don't know it, you might wanna check it out. Up here I'm gonna add a card to it. Because these two idioms are quite similar.

Well, that is it! I hope that you like this idiomatic phrase.

That being said - Till next time!