dirne quattro [a qualcuno]

Parola del giorno | Word of the Day

Today’s Parola del Giorno is the idiomatic expression, dirne quattro [a qualcuno], which means to tell someone off.  

I love this expression for a number of reasons! Most of all, there’s a lot of grammar happening in just these four words.

First, pay attention to the word ne (I’ll have some grammar on this little particle the week after next, too)! Second, in the compound past tenses, detto is used in its plural form because of the ne and quattro (see below).

See the expression used below in its context:

L’altro giorno ho visto mia zia in un negozio di scarpe e la commessa urlarle contro perché mia zia non riusciva a decidere quale scarpe comprare. Sono entrato al negozio e ne ho dette quattro alla commessa. Non sopporto quel tipo di comportamento!

The other day I saw my aunt in a show store and saw the saleswoman shouting at her because my aunt wasn’t able to decide which shoes to buy.  I entered the store and told off the saleswoman.  I cannot stand that kind of behavior!