essere giù di morale

/ˈɛs.se.re ˈdʒu di moˈraː.le/◆idiom
to feel down

Dopo la sconfitta, Marco era giù di morale per giorni.

After the defeat, Marco felt down for days.

◆ What It Really Means
To experience a period of sadness, discouragement, or emotional heaviness, often without a specific cause or following a negative event.
Literal Meaning
To be down in one's spirits/moral state.
Literal Breakdown
essereto be+giùdown (physically)+di moraleof morale (spirits)
◇ Mental Image
A mental picture of a person standing on a downward slope, their posture slumped as if carrying an invisible weight on their shoulders, representing low emotional energy.
◈ When to Use
Imagine someone who just received bad news at work. They slump in their chair, avoid eye contact, and speak quietly. A friend might say, 'Non preoccuparti, è solo giù di morale per oggi.' (Don't worry, he's just feeling down today.)
◉ Cultural Note
This idiom reflects Italy's cultural emphasis on emotional expressiveness and interpersonal relationships. The concept of 'morale' as a collective emotional state is deeply rooted in Italian social psychology, where family and community bonds play a central role in individual well-being.
informal

To feel sad, discouraged, or emotionally low; to be in low spirits.

Non uscire stasera, sono un po' giù di morale.

Don't go out tonight, I'm feeling a bit down.

Dopo la rottura, era giù di morale per settimane.

After the breakup, he was feeling down for weeks.

Commonly used to describe a temporary emotional state rather than clinical depression.

Related Phrases

avere il morale a terraidiom
to have one's spirits crushed
essere su di moraleidiom
to be in high spirits

Pro Tip

Context matters

This idiom describes a temporary emotional state, not clinical depression. Use it for everyday moods like sadness after bad news or a tough day.

Gold Rule

Avoid literal translation

Never translate 'essere giù di morale' as 'to be down of morale'. The correct English equivalent is 'to feel down' or 'to be feeling low'.

Word Origin

The phrase combines 'essere' (to be) with 'giù' (down) and 'morale' (moral/spirits). 'Morale' derives from Latin 'moralis' (relating to manners/customs), which in Italian evolved to mean 'emotional state' or 'spirits'. The idiom likely emerged in the 19th century as a metaphor for emotional low points.

Usage Notes

Used in both casual and semi-formal contexts. More common in spoken Italian than written formal texts. Often paired with time expressions (e.g., 'per giorni', 'per settimane') to indicate duration.

Word Breakdown

essere
to be
verb
+
giù
down
adverb
+
di morale
of spirits/mood
prepositional phrase
Dizionario Italiano-Inglese
Browse more Italian→English words →