What does “Prendere un granchio” mean?
Prendere un granchio
Word for word
To catch a crab
What it really means
To make a clumsy mistake, to get it completely wrong. Said of someone who blamed the wrong person or drew a bad conclusion.
How we say it in English
To bark up the wrong tree — or to get the wrong end of the stick
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In bocca al lupo
Break a leg — and, like "break a leg", you never answer with "thank you"
Prendere due piccioni con una fava
To kill two birds with one stone
Avere una fame da lupi
To be so hungry you could eat a horse
Essere una gatta da pelare
A thankless task — or, closer to the tone, a real headache
Campa cavallo che l'erba cresce
Don't hold your breath
Menare il can per l'aia
To beat around the bush