"Qualcosa è andato storto" and other Italian idioms with the word "storto"

In this video I'm gonna talk about the idiomatic phrase "ANDARE STORTO".

This video is for those who are learning Italian as a second language. If you are looking for videos to learn Italian well, you have come to the right place!

(Channel Intro)

Hi, everybody! I am Luca and in this epic video I wanted to talk about the Italian idiom "andare storto". We have two components: the verb "andare" and the word "storto".

You may not know this word.

Alright. First of all, let me say that in Italian we have the adjective "STORTO", which has 4 forms. Its forms are: "storto" (masculine singular), "storta" (feminine singular), "storti" (masculine plural) and "storte" (feminine plural). So far so good.

Generally speaking, "storto" is the opposite of "dritto". So if I say that something is "storto", I mean that it's not straight. For example, if I say that a tree branch is "storto", I mean that this branch is not straight. Similarly, if I say that a nail is "storto", I mean that it's not straight, but curved.

Basically, the first meaning of the word "storto" is this. That is: something, instead of being straight, like a straight line, is curved or crooked.

In theory, "storto" could also mean not straight in this sense: that is: if something is supposed to be like this (aligned), "storto" means that it is like so, not in a straight line.

For example, let's pretend that this were a picture, right? In fact, well, it's not a picture. What is this one called in Italian? It's called "foglio", "un pezzo di carta". More specifically: "la pagina di un'agenda". See? Here you can see date numbers. Anyways, "la pagina di un'agenda".

Let's pretend that this were a picture. Or better, pictures are typically hung like so. If the picture is aligned to the wall, it is "dritto". If the picture is hung like so, though, we can say that it is "storto".

The word "storto" is often used together with the word "tutto". So I could say: "Questo quadro è tutto storto". The word "tutto" apparently reinforces the idea.

Similarly, if I have these, right? These are called "occhiali", "occhiali da sole". If I wear them like this, they should be straight. If they stay like this, though, I can say "sono storti".

So, if I ask someone: "Sono dritti?", and they reply: "No, sono storti". What does it mean? It means they are not aligned like they should.

So, like we saw, "storto" could mean both crooked, curved, and not aligned, not straight.

Please pay attention: don't mix up the phrase "un chiodo storto" with the phrase "mettere un chiodo storto". Or "mettere qualcosa storto".

I mean, in the first case the adjective "storto" refers to the fact that this item is crooked, it's not straight. By contrast, if I say "mettere storto", it means that the nail itself is straight, but it is not set straight. Instead of being set like this, it is set like so.

Please don't mix up "storto" with two similar adjectives: "CONTORTO" and "DISTORTO".

"Contorto" is an adjective which is typically used in reference to a line of reasoning, a speech, argumentation, or explanation.

If I say that a line of reasoning is "contorto", I mean that it's not straightforward or consequential. In other words, I mean that it's quite difficult to understand. That is, it's not a line of reasoning going from point A to point B. But it's a line of reasoning going round in strange circles and moving back and forth. In a word, it's difficult to follow.

I referred to a line of reasoning, but the same could be said about an explanation. And I could say, for instance: "La tua spiegazione mi sembra piuttosto contorta". In this sense the adjective "contorta" is the opposite of "chiara", "semplice" and "logica".

I could also say: "Luigi spiega le cose in modo contorto". What does it mean? He explains in a way that makes it impossible to understand. Basically, explaining something "in modo contorto" is the opposite of explaining something clearly.

Then we have the adjective "distorto"

I'll give one an example right away!

"Marco percepisce la realtà in modo distorto". What does it mean? He perceives reality in a strange way. That is, he doesn't perceive reality like it is, but he has a deformed perception of reality. A distorted perception.

Just to be clear, you surely know what happens if you watch something through a glass, right? What happens?

You see things in a distorted way. That is, in a deformed way. I mean, depending on the type of glass used a lens, a square could appear to you as a rectangle. Or straight lines could appear curved. The verb "distorcere" refers precisely to such effect.

In addition to that, the verb "distorcere" could be used also when someone tells something in a way that doesn't match reality. That is, they tell something untrue, that doesn't match reality.

If I say that someone presents things "in modo distorto", I mean that they don't speak the truth. They don't report facts objectively, but they deform them, so to speak.

So in Italian we have these 3 adjectives: "storto", "contorto" and "distorto". Here we are most interested in "storto", so let's focus on this one.

I would say that the word "storto" is found in several Italian idioms.

For example, the idiom "AVERE LA LUNA STORTA" comes to my mind. For example: "Martina ha la luna storta". Some time ago I made a video about this idiom as well. I'll add a card in the top corner. If you want to learn this amazing phrase too, please take a look at it!

There's also another very common phrase: "GUARDARE QUALCUNO STORTO". What does it mean? Giving someone a dirty look.

For example, if you say something inconvenient, I mean, if you say something that you shouldn't say, or make a joke that is out of place, or say something unpleasant, and someone gives you the devil eye, you can say: "Mi ha guardato male". Or you can say: "Mi ha guardato storto". So, well, these phrases are equivalent.

For example, I could say: "Le ho chiesto il numero di telefono e mi ha guardato storto". What does it mean? She gave me a dirty look.

I'm not gonna explain to you what "guardare male qualcuno" means. "Guardare male qualcuno" essentially means staring at someone in an unfriendly or hostile way. Just to be clear, when someone "ci guarda male", they typically don't smile.

So, well, from this idiom you get that "storto" literally means not straight, while figuratevely suggests something negative.

And it's precisely with this meaning that the word "storto" is used in the phrase "andare storto". What does "andare storto" mean? It means going wrong.

Let me say right off the bat that the most common phrase is probably: "Qualcosa è andato storto". This is a true set phrase which is used like this. "Qualcosa è andato storto".

Why is "storto" masculine? Because the word "qualcosa" is grammatically masculine. So: "Qualcosa è andato storto".

What does it mean, if I say "qualcosa è andato storto"?

It means that something went wrong. In other words, I mean that something didn't go as expected. Something didn't go according to plan. Specifically, if I use the word "qualcosa", I don't specify what.

Another common phrase is: "è andato tutto storto". So in place of the word "qualcosa" we have the word "tutto". What does it mean? Everything went wrong.

I could use the present tense and say: "Sta andando tutto storto". What does it mean? Everything is going wrong. This phrase could be used, for instance, to refer to projects or initiatives. If someone says "sta andando tutto storto", they mean that these projects or initiatives are failing. Or in any case they are going wrong.

In theory, one could say: "Il mio tentativo è andato storto". But I would say that the word "storto" is mostly used together with words such as "qualcosa" and "tutto".

If we want, we could also add a pronoun. Instead of saying: "sta andando tutto storto", we can say, for example: "mi sta andando tutto storto". That is, all the things that I'm doing are going wrong.

Similarly, if I talk about a woman, about her projects or initiatives, I could say: "Le sta andando tutto storto".

Well, I would say that this idiomatic phrase underlines the difference between expectations and reality. That is, between how one wanted things to go and how in actual fact things went or are going.

Another very common phrase, alternative to "va tutto storto", "mi va tutto storto" and "mi sta andando tutto storto" is: "Mi vanno tutte storte". What does it mean? All the things that I'm doing are going wrong.

Then there is another very, very common phrase, which is "una giornata storta". What does "giornata storta" mean? A day when everything goes wrong for us. In other words, a day during which we are very unlucky.

And you will often hear: "Oggi è proprio una giornata storta!". What does it mean, if someone says this phrase? It means that everything is going wrong for them in that day.

There is an Italian saying which is very appropriate for such days. The proverb is: "Le sfighe non vengono mai da sole". Or: "Le sfighe non vengono mai sole".

This proverb is very, very funny and true. This saying is also universal and I guess it holds true for all human beings.

Not long ago I made a video about this saying. In the top corner I'll add a card to this video. You might wanna check it out!