Popular Italian beliefs are deeply rooted in Roman Catholicism, emphasizing family, tradition, and a strong sense of honor (fare la bella figura), alongside numerous folk superstitions about luck, saints, and protecting against evil, even as the nation becomes more secular, with significant Muslim and non-religious populations. Key beliefs include venerating patron saints, the importance of making a good impression, avoiding specific unlucky actions (like placing hats on beds or spilling salt), and a cultural heritage intertwined with Catholic rituals and history.
Today, about 80 percent of Italy's population continues to practice Roman Catholicism. The nation is also home to a sizable population of Muslims and smaller communities of religions like Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. The remainder claim no religion.
In 2016 the Pew Research Center found that 81.7% of the population of Italy was affiliated with the Catholic Church, out of a Christian population of 85.1%; non-religious people comprised the 11.6% of the total population and were divided in atheists (3.1%), agnostics (2.5%) and "nothing in particular" (6.0%).
This fear stems from the fact that the number 17's Roman numeral, XVII, is an anagram of VIXI, which means “I have lived” in Latin. Some consider this a bad omen as it implies that death is just around the corner. By the same token it could mean that you are alive and are living it to the full.
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Remember to use polite phrases like "buongiorno" (good morning) and "buonasera" (good evening). Politeness: Italians appreciate politeness and respect. Use "per favore" (please) and "grazie" (thank you) where appropriate.
The 5 Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) in Italian are Chi (Who), Cosa (What), Quando (When), Dove (Where), and Perché (Why). These are fundamental question words used for gathering information, similar to their English counterparts, and often include "Come" (How) as a bonus.
In some Italian regions (e.g. Tuscany) four means coffin and thus it is feared.
The country code for calling Italy from abroad is 39. For calling foreign destinations from Italy, the international call prefix is 00, as is standard in most European countries. Italian regulations prescribe no fixed rules for grouping the digits of telephone numbers for printing or display.
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For most Italians, family is the foundation of their identity and a source of lifelong support. The family's strong bonds and sense of loyalty are deeply valued and maintained across generations. The Italy family structure highlights the importance of multigenerational living and balancing work with family commitments.
The number 13 is considered lucky in Italy. Associated with the Great Goddess, fertility and the lunar cycles, the number is thought to bring prosperity and life — quite the opposite view than that of the western world.
When it comes to authentic Italian craftsmanship, leather goods stand out as a true symbol of luxury and style. Rome, with its rich history in artisanal leatherwork, offers an array of exquisite handbags, belts, gloves, and shoes that make for remarkable souvenirs.
TOCCARE FERRO
“Toccare ferro” literally means “to touch iron“. This expression is similar to the English phrase “knock on wood“. Italians believe that touching iron – rather than wood – helps to ward off bad luck after mentioning something positive, or when discussing a hopeful situation.
Italy offers wifi in most places, but the free wifi is not always quick or suitable for social media or video calls. Hotels and Airbnbs are the safest place to guarantee a free, fast internet. Some restaurants and cafes have free wifi that is good, but probably not as fast as what you are used to at home.
In Italy, the number 17 is considered unlucky because its Roman numeral, XVII, can be rearranged to spell “VIXI,” meaning “I have lived,” a phrase associated with death.
For Italians, rather than wood, they say 'tocca ferro' which means 'touch iron'. This idea originated from the belief that horseshoes can deflect evil spirits - remember 'malocchio?' . So, you might find that Italians may keep nails in their pockets so that they always have iron within reach!
In Italian culture, the number 17 is considered unlucky, primarily due to its association with death. This belief stems from the Roman numeral representation of 17, XVII, which can be rearranged to form the Latin word "VIXI," meaning "I have lived," implying "I am dead".
TIL Tetraphobia is the fear of the number 4 and is most common in East and Southeast Asian regions, as the word “four” sounds similar to “death”. In China, special care is taken to avoid occurrences of the number 4 during everyday life including elevator floors, phone numbers, and property prices.
There are two sounds of the Z: Dz (Sonora, vibrates the vocal chords) and Tz (Sorda, doesn't vibrate the vocal chords). Different from all others consonants, we write zz or z just for historic motives and the only variation is between dz and tz. So, pizza and azione have the same tz sound.
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"So, Tutto Pepe means 'all pepper.' And it's slang - it's a saying they use in Italy to describe someone that is very outgoing. It means you're very lively, outgoing and charming.