tra sé e sé

Italian

Alternative forms

• fra sé e sé

Etymology

Literally, “between oneself and oneself”.

Prepositional phrase

tra sé e sé

1. to oneself

   pensare tra sé e sé ― to think to oneself

   • 2021, F. Scott Fitzgerald, chapter 1, in Alessandro Fabrizi, transl., Il Grande Gatsby [The Great Gatsby], Neri Pozza:

     Avevo un cane (rimase soltanto qualche giorno, poi scappò), una vecchia Dodge e una finlandese che mi rifaceva il letto, preparava la colazione e mormorava fra sé e sé parole di finnica saggezza davanti al fornello elettrico.

     I had a dog, at least I had him for a few days until he ran away, and an old Dodge and a Finnish woman who made my bed and cooked breakfast and muttered Finnish wisdom to herself over the electric stove.

     (literally, “I had a dog (he stayed only for a few days, then he escaped), an old Dodge and a Finnish woman who made my bed, prepared breakfast and murmured to herself words of Finnish wisdom before the electric burner.”)