Prendere in castagna
To catch in a chestnut
This Italian idiom is used when someone is caught in the act of doing something wrong or making a mistake, often by surprise. The origin of this phrase is debated, but one popular theory links it to an old story about people trying to steal chestnuts and being caught red-handed. The imagery of the chestnut represents the situation where someone is caught off guard, much like being surprised with their hand in the chestnut jar. It’s similar to the English phrase “to catch someone red-handed.”
Esempi
- L’ho preso in castagna mentre cercava di copiare durante l’esame. – I caught him red-handed while he was trying to cheat during the exam.
- Sei stato preso in castagna a raccontare una bugia. – You were caught in the act of telling a lie.
- Non puoi negarlo, ti abbiamo preso in castagna! – You can’t deny it, we caught you red-handed!