100+ Italian Slang Words and Expressions You Need to Know

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100+ Italian Slang Words and Expressions You Need to Know

Table of Contents

Textbook Italian will get you a table at a restaurant, but Italian slang is what you'll hear the moment friends start talking among themselves. Italians mix hand gestures, regional dialect words and borrowed English into a language that sounds very different from your grammar book. This guide covers 100+ Italian slang words and expressions that are actually used today, from words you can use with anyone to regional favorites from Rome, Milan, Naples and Sicily. If you're still working on the basics, start with our basic Italian phrases for tourists and come back here when you're ready to sound like a local.

Common Everyday Slang

  • Boh: I dunno, no idea (often with a shrug). "Dov'è Marco?" "Boh." ("Where's Marco?" "No idea.")
  • Mah: Well, who knows (doubt or mild disapproval). Mah, non sono convinto. (Hmm, I'm not convinced.)
  • Dai!: Come on! / No way! Dai, andiamo! (Come on, let's go!)
  • Figo: Cool (said of things or people). Che figo il tuo telefono nuovo! (Your new phone is so cool!)
  • Che figata!: How cool! / That's awesome! (very informal). Il concerto è stato una figata. (The concert was awesome.)
  • Ganzo: Cool (Tuscan origin, understood everywhere). Questo posto è proprio ganzo. (This place is really cool.)
  • Mitico: Legendary, awesome. Sei mitico, grazie! (You're awesome, thanks!)
  • Pazzesco: Crazy, incredible. È stato un viaggio pazzesco. (It was an incredible trip.)
  • Magari!: I wish! / Maybe. "Hai vinto alla lotteria?" "Magari!" ("Did you win the lottery?" "I wish!")
  • Figurati: Don't mention it / Not at all / As if! "Grazie mille!" "Figurati!" ("Thanks a lot!" "Don't mention it!")
  • Ci sta: Fair enough, that works. Pizza stasera? Ci sta. (Pizza tonight? Sounds good.)
  • Tipo: Like (filler word). Era tipo mezzanotte quando è arrivato. (It was like midnight when he arrived.)
  • Cioè: I mean / like (filler). Cioè, non ci posso credere! (I mean, I can't believe it!)
  • Un sacco: A lot. Mi piace un sacco questa canzone. (I like this song a lot.)
  • Un casino: A mess / a ton of. Ho un casino di cose da fare. (I have a ton of things to do.)
  • Sbatti: Hassle, effort (from sbattimento). Che sbatti andare fino in centro. (What a hassle going all the way downtown.)
  • Spaccare: To rock, to be amazing. Questa canzone spacca! (This song rocks!)
  • Una bomba: Amazing, a bomb (in a good way). Questa pizza è una bomba. (This pizza is amazing.)
  • Da paura: Awesome, insane (literally "scary"). Abbiamo fatto una festa da paura. (We had an insane party.)
  • Alla grande: Great, in style. "Come va?" "Alla grande!" ("How's it going?" "Great!")
  • Sfigato: Loser, unlucky person. Che sfigato, ha perso il treno di nuovo. (What a loser, he missed the train again.)
  • Secchione: Nerd, swot (someone who studies too much). Il secchione della classe ha preso dieci. (The class nerd got full marks.)
  • Tamarro: Tacky show-off, chav. Guarda quel tamarro con la macchina truccata. (Look at that chav with the souped-up car.)
  • Imbranato: Clumsy, awkward. Sono un imbranato in cucina. (I'm hopeless in the kitchen.)
  • Rosicare: To be jealous or bitter (Roman origin, now national). Hai perso? Stai rosicando, eh? (You lost? You're salty, huh?)
  • Gufare: To jinx someone. Non gufare, la partita non è ancora finita! (Don't jinx it, the match isn't over yet!)
  • Sgamare: To catch someone out, to see through. Mia madre mi ha sgamato subito. (My mom caught me right away.)
  • Beccare: To catch / to bump into. Ti ho beccato! (Caught you!)
  • Cannare: To mess up, to fail. Ho cannato l'esame di storia. (I bombed the history exam.)
  • Sclerare: To freak out, lose it. Sto sclerando per la tesi. (I'm freaking out about my thesis.)
  • Sbroccare: To lose your temper. Il prof è sbroccato quando ha visto i telefoni. (The teacher lost it when he saw the phones.)
  • Fuori di testa: Crazy, out of your mind. Sei fuori di testa? (Are you out of your mind?)
  • Gasato: Hyped, pumped / full of yourself. Sono gasatissimo per domani! (I'm so pumped for tomorrow!)
  • Tirarsela: To act stuck-up, to show off. Da quando è famoso se la tira un sacco. (Since he got famous he's been so stuck-up.)
  • Non rompere: Stop bugging me. Non rompere, sto lavorando! (Stop bugging me, I'm working!)
  • In fissa: Obsessed with something. Sono in fissa con questa serie. (I'm obsessed with this show.)

Youth and Internet Slang

  • Raga: Guys (short for ragazzi). Raga, ci vediamo alle otto? (Guys, see you at eight?)
  • Bella!: Hey! / Nice! (greeting or approval). Bella, come stai? (Hey, how are you?)
  • Zio/Zia: Dude (Milanese origin, used nationwide). Bella zio, tutto a posto? (Hey dude, all good?)
  • Fra/Frate: Bro (from fratello). Tranquillo fra, ci penso io. (Relax bro, I'll handle it.)
  • Amo: Babe, darling (short for amore, also between friends). Amo, mi passi il caricabatterie? (Babe, can you pass me the charger?)
  • Scialla: Chill, relax (Roman origin). Scialla, abbiamo tempo. (Chill, we've got time.)
  • Che ansia!: That's so stressful! Domani ho l'orale, che ansia! (I have my oral exam tomorrow, so stressful!)
  • Top: Great, the best. La cena era top. (Dinner was great.)
  • Cringe: Cringe (borrowed from English). Il suo video è troppo cringe. (His video is so cringe.)
  • Ghostare: To ghost someone. Dopo due appuntamenti mi ha ghostato. (After two dates he ghosted me.)
  • Flexare: To flex, show off. Sta flexando con le scarpe nuove. (He's flexing his new shoes.)
  • Triggerato: Triggered, annoyed. Si è triggerato per un commento. (He got triggered by a comment.)
  • Shippare: To ship (want two people together). Io li shippo da sempre. (I've shipped them forever.)
  • Droppare: To drop (release new music). Ha droppato un nuovo singolo. (He dropped a new single.)
  • Boomer: Boomer, old-fashioned person. Non fare il boomer! (Don't be such a boomer!)
  • Svalvolare: To go crazy, lose it. Dopo otto ore di studio ho svalvolato. (After eight hours of studying I lost it.)
  • Tvb: Love you (text abbreviation of ti voglio bene, for friends and family). Buonanotte, tvb! (Good night, love you!)
  • Cmq / xké / nn: Text shorthand for comunque (anyway), perché (why/because), non (not). Cmq nn vengo, xké sono stanco. (Anyway I'm not coming, because I'm tired.)

Expressions and Idioms

  • In bocca al lupo!: Good luck! (literally "into the wolf's mouth"; reply Crepi!). "Domani ho il colloquio." "In bocca al lupo!" ("I have my interview tomorrow." "Good luck!")
  • Acqua in bocca: Keep it secret (literally "water in the mouth"). Te lo dico, ma acqua in bocca! (I'll tell you, but keep it to yourself!)
  • Non vedo l'ora: I can't wait. Non vedo l'ora di andare al mare. (I can't wait to go to the beach.)
  • Che ne so: How should I know? Ma che ne so dove ha messo le chiavi! (How should I know where he put the keys!)
  • Non me ne frega niente: I don't care at all. Del calcio non me ne frega niente. (I couldn't care less about football.)
  • Fare bella figura / brutta figura: To make a good / bad impression. Ho fatto una brutta figura con i suoi genitori. (I made a bad impression on her parents.)
  • Essere in gamba: To be smart, capable. Tua sorella è molto in gamba. (Your sister is really capable.)
  • Prendere un granchio: To make a blunder (literally "to catch a crab"). Ho preso un granchio con le date. (I got the dates totally wrong.)
  • Non ci piove: No doubt about it (literally "it doesn't rain on it"). È il migliore, non ci piove. (He's the best, no doubt about it.)
  • Avere un diavolo per capello: To be furious (literally "a devil for every hair"). Oggi il capo ha un diavolo per capello. (The boss is furious today.)
  • Ogni morte di papa: Once in a blue moon (literally "every death of a pope"). Ci vediamo ogni morte di papa. (We see each other once in a blue moon.)
  • Fare le ore piccole: To stay up very late. Ieri abbiamo fatto le ore piccole. (We stayed up really late last night.)
  • Rompere le scatole: To annoy (polite version of a ruder phrase). Smettila di rompere le scatole! (Stop being so annoying!)
  • Avere la puzza sotto il naso: To be snobbish. Quella ha la puzza sotto il naso. (She's such a snob.)
  • Cascare a fagiolo: To come at the perfect moment. La tua telefonata casca a fagiolo. (Your call comes at just the right moment.)
  • Stai fresco!: Dream on! / You're in trouble! Se pensi che ti presti la macchina, stai fresco! (If you think I'll lend you my car, dream on!)
  • Fare un salto: To drop by. Faccio un salto da te dopo il lavoro. (I'll drop by your place after work.)
  • Fare lo gnorri: To play dumb. Non fare lo gnorri, so che sei stato tu. (Don't play dumb, I know it was you.)
  • Fuori come un balcone: Completely crazy (literally "out like a balcony"). Quel tipo è fuori come un balcone. (That guy is totally nuts.)

Food and Drink Slang

Italians take food seriously, so it's no surprise there's plenty of slang around it. For the polite version, see our guide on how to order food in Italian.

  • Apericena: An aperitivo so big it replaces dinner (aperitivo + cena). Stasera apericena sui Navigli? (Apericena by the canals tonight?)
  • Spaghettata: An impromptu spaghetti dinner with friends. Facciamo una spaghettata a mezzanotte? (Shall we make spaghetti at midnight?)
  • Pizzata: A pizza night out with a group. Venerdì pizzata con la squadra. (Pizza night with the team on Friday.)
  • Fare la scarpetta: To mop up sauce with bread. Il sugo era così buono che ho fatto la scarpetta. (The sauce was so good I mopped it up with bread.)
  • Abbiocco: The drowsiness after a big meal. Dopo il pranzo della domenica mi viene l'abbiocco. (After Sunday lunch I get the food coma.)
  • Ammazzacaffè: A digestif drunk after coffee (literally "coffee killer"). Un limoncello come ammazzacaffè? (A limoncello to finish off?)
  • Buttare la pasta: To put the pasta in the boiling water. Arrivo tra dieci minuti, butta la pasta! (I'll be there in ten minutes, put the pasta on!)
  • Avere una fame da lupi: To be starving (literally "wolf hunger"). Ho una fame da lupi, mangiamo? (I'm starving, shall we eat?)
  • Un goccio: A drop, a little drink. Ne vuoi un goccio? (Want a drop?)
  • Brillo: Tipsy. Dopo due spritz ero già brillo. (After two spritzes I was already tipsy.)
  • Sbronzo: Drunk. Era completamente sbronzo. (He was completely drunk.)
  • Sbronza: A drinking binge, getting drunk. Ieri ho preso una sbronza pazzesca. (I got wasted last night.)
  • Scroccare: To mooch, freeload. Scrocca sempre le sigarette agli altri. (He's always bumming cigarettes off people.)
  • A sbafo: For free, at someone else's expense. Ha mangiato a sbafo tutta la sera. (He ate for free all night.)
  • Fare il bis: To have seconds. La lasagna era buonissima, faccio il bis! (The lasagna was delicious, I'm having seconds!)

Love and Relationships

  • Avere una cotta: To have a crush. Ho una cotta per il mio compagno di banco. (I have a crush on my deskmate.)
  • Fare il filo a qualcuno: To court, chase someone. Le fa il filo da mesi. (He's been chasing her for months.)
  • Provarci: To hit on someone. Ci sta provando con te, non vedi? (He's hitting on you, can't you see?)
  • Limonare: To make out. Li ho visti limonare alla festa. (I saw them making out at the party.)
  • Il mio ragazzo / la mia ragazza: My boyfriend / my girlfriend. Ti presento la mia ragazza. (Let me introduce my girlfriend.)
  • Mollare: To dump. Mi ha mollato per messaggio. (She dumped me by text.)
  • Dare due di picche: To turn someone down (literally "to give the two of spades"). Le ho chiesto di uscire ma mi ha dato due di picche. (I asked her out but she turned me down.)
  • Mettere le corna: To cheat on someone (literally "to put horns on"). Le ha messo le corna con la sua migliore amica. (He cheated on her with her best friend.)
  • Dare buca / paccare: To stand someone up. Mi ha dato buca all'ultimo momento. (He stood me up at the last minute.)
  • Fare gli occhi dolci: To make eyes at someone. Ti fa gli occhi dolci da tutta la sera. (He's been making eyes at you all night.)

Money and Work

  • Grana: Money (informal). Sono senza grana fino a fine mese. (I'm broke until the end of the month.)
  • Essere al verde: To be broke (literally "to be at the green"). Non posso uscire, sono al verde. (I can't go out, I'm broke.)
  • Costare un occhio della testa: To cost an arm and a leg. Questa borsa costa un occhio della testa. (This bag costs an arm and a leg.)
  • Avere le mani bucate: To be a big spender (literally "to have holes in your hands"). Mio fratello ha le mani bucate. (My brother can't hold on to money.)
  • Sgobbare: To work or study hard, to slog. Ho sgobbato tutto il weekend. (I slogged all weekend.)
  • Svoltare: To hit a turning point, to make it. Con questo lavoro ho svoltato. (This job changed everything for me.)
  • Bufala: A hoax, fake news (literally "buffalo"). Quella notizia è una bufala. (That news story is fake.)
  • Spaccone: A braggart. Non ascoltarlo, è uno spaccone. (Don't listen to him, he's all talk.)

Regional Variations

Italy has dozens of dialects, and a lot of national slang started out in one city. Here are the regional words you're most likely to hear.

Rome (Romanesco)

  • Daje!: Come on! / Let's go! / Yes! Daje Roma! (Come on, Roma!)
  • Mo': Now. Mo' arrivo. (I'm coming now.)
  • Ammazza!: Wow! (literally "kill"). Ammazza quanto sei cresciuto! (Wow, you've grown so much!)
  • Annamo: Let's go (andiamo). Annamo, se fa tardi. (Let's go, it's getting late.)
  • Fratè: Bro. Che dici, fratè? (What do you say, bro?)
  • Pischello: Kid, youngster. È solo un pischello. (He's just a kid.)
  • Coatto: Tacky show-off (the Roman tamarro). Quel locale è pieno di coatti. (That club is full of show-offs.)
  • Sòla: A rip-off, a con. Quel ristorante è 'na sòla. (That restaurant is a rip-off.)
  • Accollo: A clingy person or a situation you get stuck with. Che accollo, non se ne va più! (What a drag, he won't leave!)
  • Fare sega: To skip school. Domani famo sega? (Shall we skip school tomorrow?)

Milan

  • Uè: Hey! Uè, come va? (Hey, how's it going?)
  • Pirla: Idiot (mild, very Milanese). Non fare il pirla! (Don't be an idiot!)
  • Bauscia: Braggart (also a nickname for Inter fans). È il solito bauscia. (He's the usual braggart.)
  • Ganassa: Show-off. Fa il ganassa con le ragazze. (He shows off in front of girls.)
  • Sciura: A posh older Milanese lady. Al bar c'erano solo sciure in pelliccia. (The café was full of posh ladies in fur coats.)
  • Cumenda: A wealthy businessman (from commendatore). Arriva il cumenda con la Mercedes. (Here comes the big boss in his Mercedes.)
  • Bigiare: To skip school. Ieri abbiamo bigiato. (We skipped school yesterday.)

Naples (Napoletano)

  • Guagliò: Hey kid, hey guy (from guaglione). Uè guagliò, tutto a posto? (Hey man, all good?)
  • Jamme: Let's go. Jamme, che è tardi! (Let's go, it's late!)
  • Scugnizzo: Street-smart Neapolitan kid. Da piccolo era un vero scugnizzo. (As a kid he was a real street urchin.)
  • Ammuina: Commotion, fuss. Che ammuina stamattina al mercato! (What a commotion at the market this morning!)
  • Chiattillo: Posh, spoiled kid. Fa il chiattillo con la Vespa nuova. (He's playing the rich kid with his new Vespa.)
  • Statte buono: Take care (goodbye). Ciao, statte buono! (Bye, take care!)
  • Fare filone: To skip school. Oggi facciamo filone? (Shall we skip school today?)
  • Cazzimma: Cunning, ruthless street smarts (derived from a vulgar word, but widely used). Per giocare così ci vuole cazzimma. (You need real guts and cunning to play like that.)

Southern Italy and Sicily

  • Mannaggia!: Damn it! (mild, used everywhere but especially in the South). Mannaggia, ho perso l'autobus! (Damn, I missed the bus!)
  • Tengo fame: I'm hungry (southern use of tenere instead of avere). Mamma, tengo fame! (Mom, I'm hungry!)
  • Amunì: Let's go (Sicilian). Amunì, picciotti! (Let's go, guys!)
  • Talìa!: Look! (Sicilian). Talìa chi c'è! (Look who's here!)
  • Camurria: A nuisance, a pain (Sicilian). Chi camurria stu trafficu! (What a pain this traffic is!)
  • Bedda/Beddu: Beautiful, lovely (Sicilian). Bedda Matri! (Holy Mother! / Good heavens!)
  • Picciriddu: Little kid (Sicilian). Quannu era picciriddu... (When I was a little kid...)

Tuscany and Veneto

  • Bimbo/Bimba: In Tuscany, used for any young person, not just children. O bimba, che fai stasera? (Hey girl, what are you up to tonight?)
  • Schei: Money (Venetian, also spelled sghei). No go schei. (I've got no money.)
  • Ostrega!: Gosh! / Wow! (Venetian). Ostrega, che freddo! (Gosh, it's cold!)
  • Cicchetto: A small bar snack, usually with a glass of wine (Venice). Andiamo a fare un giro di cicchetti? (Shall we go for a round of bar snacks?)

Vulgar Slang (Use With Care)

Warning: these words are very common in casual Italian, but they are swear words. Use them only with close friends, never at work, with strangers or with older people. Italians also have blasphemous swearing (bestemmie) that many people find deeply offensive; it's best to avoid it entirely.

  • Cazzo: Literally "dick"; used like "damn" or "f*ck." The most common Italian swear word. Cazzo, ho dimenticato le chiavi! (Damn, I forgot my keys!)
  • Cazzata: Nonsense, a stupid thing. Non dire cazzate! (Don't talk nonsense!)
  • Incazzato: Pissed off, furious. È incazzato nero. (He's absolutely furious.)
  • Cazzeggiare: To goof off, waste time. Ho cazzeggiato tutto il pomeriggio. (I goofed off all afternoon.)
  • Non me ne frega un cazzo: I don't give a damn. Della sua opinione non me ne frega un cazzo. (I don't give a damn about his opinion.)
  • Sticazzi: Who cares! or Wow! depending on tone (Roman). "Ha comprato una Ferrari." "Sticazzi!" ("He bought a Ferrari." "Wow!" / "Who cares!")
  • Vaffanculo / Vaffa: F*ck off. Strongly offensive when said to someone; the polite version is va' a quel paese (go to that country). Ma vaffanculo, va'! (Oh, f*ck off!)
  • Merda: Shit. Merda, sta piovendo di nuovo! (Shit, it's raining again!)
  • Stronzo/Stronza: Asshole, jerk. Non fare lo stronzo. (Don't be a jerk.)
  • Che palle!: What a drag! (literally "what balls"; mildly vulgar, very common). Che palle, domani si lavora. (What a drag, we work tomorrow.)
  • Rompipalle / Rompicoglioni: Pain in the neck (the second is much ruder). Il mio vicino è un rompipalle. (My neighbor is a pain.)
  • Coglione: Idiot, jerk (vulgar). Che coglione, ha lasciato la porta aperta. (What an idiot, he left the door open.)
  • Che culo!: What luck! (literally "what an ass"). Hai trovato parcheggio subito? Che culo! (You found parking right away? Lucky you!)
  • Porca miseria! / Porca puttana!: Damn it! The first is mild and fine almost anywhere; the second is vulgar. Porca miseria, è tardissimo! (Damn it, it's really late!)
  • Minchia: Sicilian (and widely used in the North) for "dick"; used as "wow" or "damn." Minchia, che caldo! (Damn, it's hot!)
  • Mortacci tua: Roman curse aimed at someone's dead relatives. Can be jokey among friends but is offensive to strangers. Mortacci tua, m'hai fatto paura! (Damn you, you scared me!)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common Italian slang word?

Boh (I dunno), dai (come on) and figo (cool) are among the most common everyday slang words, and you'll hear them all over Italy. Among swear words, cazzo is by far the most common, but use it only with close friends.

Is Italian slang the same everywhere in Italy?

No. Many words started in one city and spread, like rosicare and scialla from Rome or zio from Milan, but others stay regional. A Roman says daje, a Neapolitan says jamme and a Sicilian says amunì. Even skipping school has a different word in almost every region.

Is "figo" a bad word in Italian?

Figo (cool) is informal but not rude, and che figata is fine among friends. Be careful with the feminine figa, though: in much of Italy it's a vulgar word, so don't use it to call a woman cool or attractive.

How can I learn Italian slang?

Watch Italian series and YouTubers, listen to Italian rap, and most of all talk to people. Slang sticks when you use it in real conversations. If you're choosing a tool, see our guide to the best app to learn Italian, and if you're curious about slang in other Romance languages, check out our Spanish slang words.

Ready to try these out? Practice real conversations in Italian for free on PolyChat, with unlimited practice and no hearts or energy limits.

Author Jean-Baptiste Bolh

Jean-Baptiste Bolh

Co-Founder

Applied AI