Italian · Behind the Wheel
Ma vai a piedi!
mah VYE ah PYEH-dee · /ma ˈvai a ˈpjɛ.di/
You should be walking, not driving!
1/5 Grandma-safe
mild, playful; fine on daytime TV
Literally
"Go on foot!"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
The verdict on a driver so hopeless they've lost the privilege of an engine — go walk. Light, almost affectionate mockery, cleaner than the ass-based options. Pairs well with "ma vai a lavorare!" (go get a job!) when someone's blocking the road to chat.
Heard in the wild
Non sai parcheggiare, ma vai a piedi!
You can't park, just walk!
Where it lands
Universal across Italy
Quick answers
- What does "Ma vai a piedi!" mean?
- In Italian, "Ma vai a piedi!" means "You should be walking, not driving!". Literally it's "Go on foot!". The verdict on a driver so hopeless they've lost the privilege of an engine — go walk. Light, almost affectionate mockery, cleaner than the ass-based options. Pairs well with "ma vai a lavorare!" (go get a job!) when someone's blocking the road to chat.
- Is "Ma vai a piedi!" offensive?
- It's on the mild end — 1/5 (Grandma-safe) on the Punch-o-Meter. mild, playful; fine on daytime TV.
- How do you pronounce "Ma vai a piedi!"?
- Say it "mah VYE ah PYEH-dee" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ma ˈvai a ˈpjɛ.di.
Related in Italian
Pirla! PEER-lah Idiot / dumbass (Milanese) Leva 'sto culo! LEH-vah sto KOO-lo Move your ass! / Get out of the way! L'hai presa alla lotteria la patente?! lye PRAY-zah AHL-lah lot-teh-REE-ah lah pah-TEN-tay Where'd you get your license, a cereal box?! Metti la freccia! MET-tee lah FRET-chah Use your blinker! Ma smettila di strombazzare! mah ZMET-tee-lah dee strom-baht-TSAH-ray Quit leaning on your horn! Ma dove vai?! mah DOH-vay VYE Where the hell do you think you're going?!
The same idea, elsewhere
Via concepts like "Road rage".
- French Quelle galère ! What a hassle / What an ordeal
- Greek κόλλησα στην κίνηση I'm stuck in traffic — the eternal Athens lament.
- Polish niedzielny kierowca Sunday driver — the road-rage taxonomy's gentlest species.
- Portuguese Que saco! What a drag! / So annoying! / Ugh!
- Russian Твою мать! Damn it! / Son of a bitch! / For crying out loud!
- Spanish Estar hasta la madre To be fed up / sick and tired — or packed full
- German Hau ab! Get lost! / Clear off! / Beat it!
- Japanese 死ね Drop dead / go die
Reviewed by native speakers. Rate it differently? Tell us what we got wrong.