Like any other language, Italian has its own parolacce, curse words, too. Often accompanied by funny Italian gestures, they are used in many different situations, including everyday conversations, to communicate what you are feeling, to indicate times you are frustrated or generally to insult someone during a quarrel. However, young generations employ them to mock their friends, to express admiration towards other people and even to start a conversation.
Most Used Italian curse words
According to Vito Tartamella’s article, a famous Italian jounalist, the most used Italian curse words are cazzo (fuck!), Madonna (oh, mother!), stronzo (asshole!), coglione (idiot!) and merda (shit). Surprisingly, the less used curse word is vaffanculo (fuck off!).
Now it’s time to give a look at the following list showing the most common swear words Italians principally use when they are stuck in traffic, argue with each other or express their feelings according to the context.
| Italian / English | Use |
| Cazzo! / Minchia! Fuck! | When your intention is to indicate surprise, anger, disappointment and, in some cases, appreciation |
| Testa di cazzo! / Testa di minchia! Dickhead! / Prick! | When you refer to an unkind, disagreeable and rude man or woman |
| Cazzone! / Minchione! Idiot! | When your desire is to report a jerk, stupid or lunkhead person |
| Cavolo! (Literally: cabbage) Holy crap! | When you express amazement, wonderment and, in certain circumstances, annoyance |
| Vaffanculo! Fuck off! / Fuck you! | When you invite somebody to stop doing something or to leave |
| Porca puttana! / Porca troia! / Porca miseria! Bloody hell! / Damn! / Dammit! | When you need to communicate anger, frustration and also pain |
| Merda! Shit! | When you wish to underline you are furious or something is going wrong |
| Figlio di puttana! Son of a bitch! | When you just want to insult someone or, in other cases, state that you are a smart and foxy guy |
| Stronzo! Asshole! | When you point out a bad, hateful and reprehensible person |
| Madonna! / Madonna santa! Oh, mother! | When you are surprised, happy, nervous or bothered |
| Che palle! What a pain in the ass! | When something bothers or bores you |
| Che figata! That’s awesome! / That’s cool! | When you see or do something pleasant, great and amazing |
| Morto di figa! Poonhound! | When you mention a man who really enjoys to ask women for sex in a compulsive way |
| Rincoglionito! / Rimbambito! Numbnuts! | When you identify a guy who is mainly fool, heedless and with his head in the clouds |
| Rompicoglioni! / Cagacazzo! Ball breaker! / Ballbuster! | When you describe a really irritating and troublesome person |
| Leccaculo! / Leccapiedi! / Lecchino! Ass licker! Kiss-ass! | When you speak of a man or a woman who pretends to appreciate someone’s deeds for personal gain |
| Coglione! Idiot! | When you are talking about an incompetent, dumb and naive person |
| Pezzo di merda! Piece of shit! | When you name an awful and wretched person |
| Cornuto! Cuckold! | When you refer to a man whose wife is cheating on him. Be careful when you use it! |
Italian Curse Words in Context
Ma di che cazzo stai parlando? Io non c’entro niente con questa storia!
What the fuck are you talking about? I had nothing to do with that!
Merda! Ho dimenticato di nuovo le chiavi di casa da Katy e Steven!
Shit! I forgot my keys at Katy and Steven’s again!
Lo sai che Michael quest’estate ha fatto bungee jumping nel Grand Canyon? Che figata!
Do you know Michael went bungee jumping in the Grand Canyon this summer? That’s awesome!
Davvero hai speso 500 dollari in un fine settimana? Sei proprio un coglione!
Did you really spend 500 dollars on a weekend? You are such an idiot!
Pezzo di merda! Ho dovuto fare tutto da solo perché non c’eri in quel momento!
Piece of shit! I had to do it all by myself because you weren’t there in that moment!
3 reasons you should know Italian curse words
Before moving forward to more expressions, I want to show you three main reasons why you need to learn Italian curse words.
1. Swearing is good for your health
In her book “Swearing is Good for You: the Amazing Science of Bad Language”, British PhD scientist Emma Byrne refers to the latest research from prominent neuroscientists, psychologists and sociologists to prove that cursing is a good thing for your physical and mental wellness. That’s because it can help you reduce stress, better tolerate any type of pain and release vivid emotions that make you feel stronger. Furthermore, it boosts human sociality and team spirit, too.
Instead, some experts assert the act of cursing could be even considered a sign of verbal fluency and intelligence.
2. Italian curse words are used in everyday life
If you are in Italy and want to settle in more easily, then you better learn Italian curse words. Seen as Italians do not always make use of a formal language in their daily routine, it could help you know them for various reasons: not only to break the ice in a conversation, make some friends or catch something during small talks, but mainly to embrace the opportunity to find out other sides of Italian lifestyle.
Naturally, the use of curse words usually occurs when your Italian friend and you become closer after seeing each other on several occasions.
3. Curse words belong to Italian culture
If you just look at Italian songs , movies and even politics, you are already able to understand the critical role that curse words take on specific social contexts. Famous songs like “È venerdì, non mi rompete i coglioni” and “Bella stronza”, respectively by Italian singers Luciano Ligabue and Marco Masini, are clear examples proving that a significant occurrence of curse words in Italian language. Even Italian stand-up comedian and political activist Beppe Grillo, as well as art historian Vittorio Sgarbi, became very popular for their excessive usage of swear words after taking part in the most well-known Italian talk shows.
Most common expressions with Italian curse words
Beyond single bad words, there are also a lot of idioms related to curse words you might hear if you witness or get involved in a disagreement or a fight among Italians.
To make sure you clearly understand what is going on in case of an argument, probably you should check out the following expressions:
| Italian / English | Meaning |
| Rompere i coglioni / Rompere il cazzo (Literally) to crack the balls / to crack the dick | Being really annoying |
| Dire cazzate / dire minchiate (Literally) to say bullshit | Saying stupid things |
| Andare a puttane (Literally) to go whoring | Something going bad or failing |
| Stare sui coglioni / stare sul cazzo (Literally) to stand on testicles / to stand on dick | Finding someone or something annoying |
| Girare i coglioni (Literally) testicles are turning around | Being angry, in a bad mood |
| Non capire un cazzo / non capire una sega / non capire un tubo (Literally) not to understand a dick / not to understand a saw / not to understand a pipe | Not understanding anything |
| Levarsi dai coglioni / levarsi dalle palle (Literally) to get out from the balls | Not getting in someone’s way |
| Averne le palle piene (Literally) to have the balls full of something | Not being able to take it anymore |
| Fare cagare (Literally) to make shit / to suck | Being lousy, incapable to do something |
| Avere culo (Literally) to have butt | Being lucky |
| Avere i coglioni / avere le palle (Literally) to have the balls | Being strong, determined and brave to do something |
Italian Curse Words in Context
Ma perché stanno urlando quei tipi? Stanno davvero rompendo il cazzo!
Why are those guys yelling? They’re being really annoying!
Ti prego, oggi evita di parlarmi perché mi girano i coglioni di brutto!
Please, avoid talking to me because today I’m in a truly bad mood!
Stai zitto! Come al solito, non hai capito un cazzo di quello che ho detto!
Shut up! As usual, you didn’t understand anything of what I’ve said!
Sto facendo tardi! Anziché restare lì impalato, perché non ti levi dai coglioni?
I’m getting late! Instead of standing right there, why don’t you stop getting in my way?
Basta, questa situazione non mi piace per niente! Ne ho le palle piene!
That’s enough! I don’t really like this situation! I can’t take it anymore!
Using curse words in Italy
Italian curse words are widely known and used throughout the country without any particular distinction of age, generation and social class. Nevertheless, there is a huge difference from a geographical point of view linked with the type of swear words and the frequency of use.
Starting with typology of curse words, in some regions of North Italy like Veneto and Tuscany people are likely to mix profanities with ordinary swear words without causing much offense. During the years, this “particular” type of curse words turned into real filler words and stereotypes.
On the contrary, you will hardly ever hear Southern Italians using blasphemies since there is a strong religious faith to be respected.
While profanities are firmly disliked, other curse words are smoothly accepted. As regards the frequency of use, recent studies show that Northern Italians resort to curse words to a greater extent than Southern Italians.
The importance of Italian Curse Words
As we already mentioned above, Italians often use curse words on several occasions: when an intense conflict occurs, when they feel stressed out, impatient or furious, when they want to laugh at other people and even when they joke around with each other in a familiar context.
Learning Italian curse words basically gives you the possibility to know more about Italian culture and its “colourful” shades. Beyond that, you can have the chance to understand other “Italian-shaped ways” of approaching and talking during everyday life.
An important thing to remember is that you cannot always use curse words in Italian, especially in case you are not sure of the type of relationship you have with an Italian man or woman; for this reason, it is necessary to check this out in advance. Actually, in Italy it is quite unusual to listen to a guy you barely know expressing himself with swear words after a few times you saw each other. Obviously, things can be different according to the situation. Anyway, you’d better use Italian curse words sparingly and chiefly in very informal contexts.
Therefore, if scientists state that cursing is good for our health, don’t be afraid of cursing at someone from time to time when you are uptight or terribly vexed. But remember not to exaggerate!
