Italian slang and idiom

Learn Italian in Song: Giovanna e Angiolino

November 3, 2011

I noticed people were looking for this on my site, so I discovered a cute new song. Singer/songwriter Roby Santini “the Country Boy” is obviously writing about his parents – they play themselves in the video. And apparently the family is from Pollutri, Provincia di Chieti, Abruzzo. Si sveglia tutti i giorni di buonora la [...]

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Italian Animal Idioms

July 20, 2007

In Italian, as in any language, there are many popular sayings and metaphors using animals, based on human perceptions of those animals’ lives and habits. Cats It seems that, in Italian culture, the distinguishing feature of cats is their greed for food. Non c’e’ trippa per gatti “There’s no tripe for cats.” This is used [...]

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Italian SMS-Speak

May 11, 2007

“Texting” – sending text messages via cellphone – has been popular in Italy far longer than in the US, in part because it’s cheaper than calling. When I can’t reach someone by email, I use SMS for non-urgent communications – it’s less intrusive than a call, and I have a phobia of disturbing people. Italian [...]

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Italian Idiom and Sayings

April 20, 2007

Note: See the Italian slang section for stronger language (if you’re not easily offended…). Note: Some of the new phrases added here are rude! Alla Come Viene, Viene [To do something] sloppily, literally “it comes out as it comes out.” Alla Meglio [To do something] as best one can, in a hurry or under constraint, [...]

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Non Ci Sono Piu’ Le Mezze Stagioni: Talking About the Weather in Italy

April 5, 2007

“There are no more middle seasons” is the Italian equivalent of “Things ain’t what they used to be” – more than a truism, it’s a cliché of people complaining about the modern world, and resistance to change in general. Taking it at face value, I don’t think the “middle seasons” have disappeared: I’ve rarely seen [...]

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Italian Slang: B

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Balle [BAHL-lay] Balls. Usually synonymous with “Bullshit!” Mi ha raccontato un sacco di balle – “He/she told me a whole bunch of lies” (literally, “a bag of balls”). Can also [...]

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Italian Slang: C

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Caca [ca-ca] Means poop, of course. Used with/by children, or ironically. Cacchio [KAHK-yo] A mild replacement for cazzo. Cagare [cah-GAR-ay] To shit. Si stanno cagando sotto – “They’re shitting themselves [...]

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Italian Slang: E

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Erba [AIR-ba] Grass, as in your lawn, but also used for marijuana, exactly as in English.

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Italian Slang: F

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Fancazzista [fahn-cahz-ZEES-tah] Someone who doesn’t do shit; derived from cazzo. Farabutto [FAR-a-boot-toe] Sly person. Farsi [FAR-see] Reflexive form of fare, “to do”, in slang used as “to make out with” [...]

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Italian Slang: I

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Incazzato/a [in-caht-ZAH-toh / ah] Derived from cazzo, used to mean extremely pissed off (masculine/feminine). Incazzato nero / incazzata nera – “Pissed off black” (masc./fem.). (No, this has nothing to do [...]

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Italian Slang: G

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Gesú [jeh-ZOO] Jesus, sometimes used as an exclamation of shock. Gnocca [NYOCK-ah] Cute slang for vagina, but also used to indicate a hot female. Laila sei la + gnocca + [...]

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Italian Slang: L

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Leccaculo [LEK-ah-COOL-oh] leccare “to lick” + culo = “Ass licker”, what Americans would call a brown-noser. A variant is leccachiappe [LEK-ah-KYAHP-pay] – butt cheeks licker. Lumare [loo-MAR-ray] To ogle. (Northern/Lombard/Milanese.)

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Italian Slang: M

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Maccheronico [makh-kair-RON-ikko] “Maccaroni-ish”. This is the term Italians themselves use for heavily Italianized and very poor English. Not rude, except to the person/discourse to whom you are applying it. Madonna, [...]

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Italian Slang: N

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Noia [NOY-ah] Boredom or irritation. Che noia – “What a bore”, “what a pain”. Can be used in polite company.

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Italian Slang: P

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Pacco [pahk-ko] Literally “package,” but also used in the sense shown here (“Your package is in good hands”), just as it is in English. Palle [PALL-lay] Balls. Che palle! – [...]

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Italian Slang: R

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Rimorchiare [ri-mor-KYA-ray] Literally, to pull a trailer (rimorchio), but used to mean to go hunting for someone to seduce. “Da giovane, ho imparato l’inglese rimorchiando le turiste Americane.” – “When [...]

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Italian Slang: S

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Sacco, Un “A bag, a sackful” – used for “a lot.” Slangy but not rude. Mi piace un sacco – “I like him/her/it a lot.” Carlo Verdone made a film [...]

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Italian Slang: T

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Tacchinare [TAHK-kee-NA-ray] To hit on, attempt to seduce. What the young people use today instead of rimorchiare. Tette [TET-tay] Tits. Not to be confused with tetto, roof. Tirare un Pacco [...]

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Italian Slang: V

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Vaccona [vahk-CONE-ah] Big cow. Used similarly to porcona. Vaffa’nbagno [vah-fahn-BAHN-yo] “Go do it in the bathroom” – polite paraphrase for vaffanculo. Vaffanculo or ‘ffanculo [vah-fahng-COOL-oh] Va a far[lo] in culo [...]

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Italian Slang: Z

November 6, 2006

Italian Slang Dictionary: intro A B C D E F G I L M N O P Q R S T U V X Z Zinne [TZIN-neh] Tits. Zittire, Zitto [zit-TEAR-ay, ZEET-toh] To shut (someone else) up, adjective for shut up. Fairly rude when used as a command.

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