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non dire niente
/non ˈdiːre njenˈte/
to say nothing
Non dire niente a Maria, per favore.
Don't say anything to Maria, please.
informal
To refrain from speaking or revealing information.
Ha visto tutto, ma non ha detto niente.
He saw everything but didn’t say anything.
Non dire niente a nessuno di questo.
Don’t tell anyone about this.
Often used to emphasize secrecy or discretion. The phrase is literal but functions as a fixed expression in context.
Collocations
non dire niente a nessunodon't tell anyonenon dire niente di importantenot say anything important
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Contextual Meaning
In Italian, 'non dire niente' is often used to emphasize secrecy or discretion. It’s not an idiom but a literal phrase that functions as a fixed expression in context.
Gold Rule
Literal vs. Figurative
This phrase is literal but may be misinterpreted by learners as idiomatic. It simply means 'to say nothing' or 'to keep quiet.'
Word Origin
The phrase combines the negation 'non' (not) with the verb 'dire' (to say) and the pronoun 'niente' (nothing). It emerged as a natural construction in Italian to express the act of withholding speech or information.
Usage Notes
Common in everyday conversation to instruct secrecy or discretion. The phrase is straightforward but may be confused with idiomatic expressions in other languages.
Word Breakdown
non
not
adverbdire
to say
verbniente
nothing
pronounDizionario Italiano-Inglese