You know when something is just so good that it’s scary good?! Well that, in Italian, is da paura! When you want to describe some thing, or some event, or some whatever, that is just so awesome that it’s frightfully awesome, throw a da paura! out there.
This is another one with unsure etymology, but my friend Matteo Gr. (ciao Matteo!) tells me that it is primarily a Roman phrase, but understood throughout Italy. Literally, da paura means ‘from fear.’ Da, meaning ‘from,’ and paura, meaning ‘fear.’ It is always used with the [conjugated as needed] verb essere, or to be. Something is… da paura.
Examples:
1) Gli articoli di Young in Rome sono da paura! – Young in Rome’s articles are awesome!
2) Ho visto Modeselektor dal vivo, sono da paura! – I saw Modeselektor live, they are bleeping awesome!
3) Le cene di Sam sono sempre da paura! – Sam’s dinners are always terrific!
