Sound Like a Local With 109 Italian Slang Words

Understanding native Italian speakers talking at full speed—whether in conversation or a movie—takes practice and a trained ear. But even when you perfectly grasp what they are saying, you might still struggle to understand what they actually mean. If that happens, chances are you’ve encountered Italian slang in the wild.

Italian slang words are essential to fully understanding everyday Italian conversations. These words and phrases can range from slang used by teens and regional dialects to casual expressions and even vulgar terms. So, exploring slang words while you learn Italian is the best way to avoid misunderstandings and perfect your journey to Italian proficiency.

What is Italian slang and why is it important?

The word “slang” is widely used in Italian to refer to the gergo, a type of informal language used by specific groups of people. Learning it is like opening Pandora’s box; it includes parolacce (swear words), regional expressions, youth slang, casual greetings, and short informal responses.

Knowing as many Italian slang words as possible is essential for two reasons:

Understanding native speakers. Italians often simplify their language when talking to a non-native speaker based on the listener’s level. However, some expressions are so natural for Italians that speakers may not even realize they are using slang:
- Ma dai! = Come on!/No way!
- Ci sta! = It’s ok!
Knowing when it’s appropriate to use specific expressions. Some Italian slang words sound funny but are inappropriate in many contexts. For example, one of the most used slang words in Italian is figo (something cool/handsome men), but it doesn’t work well in a formal environment. (In addition, the feminine form is considered vulgar despite being used as a filler word in Milan!)

Most common Italian slang words

Filler words and short answers can make a big difference when speaking with a native Italian speaker. This is where slang in Italian comes into play, helping you sound instantly more natural and filling those pauses that can slow down a conversation in a second language.

Mammamia/mamma mia (my goodness/wow)

Meaning: It literally means “mother of mine,” but it’s an exclamation to express surprise, frustration, admiration, or excitement.

Mamma mia is probably the most used slang word by Italian natives (and ABBA fans!), so feel free to use it every time it feels right.

Mamma mia, che buona questa pizza! = Oh my God, this pizza is so good!
Mammamia, lasciami in pace. = My goodness, leave me alone!
Mamma mia, che bello! = Wow, how beautiful!

Boh!/bo (I don’t know)

Meaning: Short slang answer for “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand.”

It’s a quick way to say you’re unsure of something, and you’ll hear it frequently in informal contexts:

Cosa vuoi per cena? = What do you want for dinner?
Boh! = I don’t know!

Italians use it also to express disbelief:

Boh, mi sembra incredibile. = I don’t know; it seems incredible to me.

Allora (so/then)

Meaning: As one of the most used Italian adverbs, allora translates to “so”, “in that moment”, or “at that time”. As a conjunction, it means “then”.

Even though it’s more of a filler than a slang word, it’s essential in everyday spoken Italian. So, it’s a great addition to your sentences like this:

Starting a story
- Quindi cos’hai fatto? = So, what did you do?
- Allora, innanzitutto l’ho chiamato. Poi… = So, first I called him. Then…
Summing up a discussion
- Allora, decidiamo: cosa facciamo stasera? = So, let’s decide: what are we doing tonight?
Casually prompting a response (even as a standalone word).
- Allora, che mi dici? = So, what do you say?
- Allora? = Well?
Referring to a time in the past.
- Allora si viaggiava a cavallo. = Back then, people traveled on horseback.
- Da allora, ho iniziato a fare sport tutti i giorni. = Since then, I’ve started working out every day.
At the end of a sentence when something is set:
- Ti passo a prendere, allora. = I’ll pick you up then.

Dai (come on/really?)

Meaning: Italian colloquial expression used to encourage someone, express excitement, or show surprise.

Dai! Usciamo stasera! = Come on! Let’s go out tonight!
Dai che ce la fai. = Come on, you can do it.
Ma dai? Non ci posso credere. = Really? I can’t believe it!

Don’t confuse it with the second-person singular of the verb to give (tu dai = you give).

Cavolo/cavoli (damn/crap/nothing)

Meaning: It literally means “cabbage/cabbages” in Italian.

However, this word is quite versatile and can appear in many Italian slang expressions, often with different connotations depending on the context.

Cavolo, arrivo di nuovo tardi. = Damn, I’m late again.
Fatti i cavoli tuoi./Sono cavoli miei. = Mind your own business./It’s my business.
Non capisco un cavolo quando parlano in dialetto. = I understand nothing when they speak in dialect.
Centra come i cavoli a merenda. = It’s totally irrelevant. (literally, like cabbages for snack)

Magari (if only/maybe/I wish)

Meaning: The word magari can express a wish, regret, or a possibility, depending on the context.

Parli bene l’italiano? = Do you speak Italian well?
- Magari! = I wish!
Magari potremmo andare al cinema. = Maybe we could go to the movies.
Magari scrivimi quando arrivi. = If possible, text me when you arrive.
Magari avessi iniziato prima! = If only I had started earlier!

Figurati! (you’re welcome/no way/you can imagine)

Meaning: Most of the time, it’s slang for “don’t mention it.”

It’s a useful alternative to the Italian word prego.
- Grazie per avermi accompagnato. = Thanks for accompanying me.
- Figurati! = Don’t mention it!/You’re welcome.
You can also use it to politely refuse an offer:
- Hai bisogno di un passaggio? = Do you need a ride?
- Figurati, faccio una passeggiata. = No need. I’ll take a walk.
It works to firmly reject a situation:
- Figurati se mi faccio fregare ancora! = No way I’m getting tricked again!
It often expresses disbelief:
- Ho sentito che pioverà. = I heard it’s going to rain.
- Ma figurati! Non vedi che sole? = Impossible! Can’t you see how sunny it is?
However, it can also mean the exact opposite—expressing lack of surprise:
- Figurati, fa sempre così. = Of course, he always does that.
Finally, figurati means “you can imagine/believe” when telling a story:
- Figurati che ci ha messo più di un’ora ad arrivare! = Can you believe it took him over an hour to get here?

Common Italian Slang	English Meaning
Avoglia!	For sure!
Basta!	Enough!
bordello or casino	mess (literally, “brothel”)
ciaone	Yeah, sure! (ironic; literally, “big bye”)
figata	(something) cool
Occhio!	Watch out! (literally, “eye”)
paglia/siga/sizza	cigarette
roba	stuff or drugs
sciallo	relaxed situation
sfiga	bad luck
tranqui	don’t worry or a calm person (short for *tranquillo/a* meaning “calm”)
uffa	oof/how boring!
un botto	a lot (Milan region)
una cifra	a lot (Rome region)

Greetings & catching up in Italian slang

Another situation where slang comes in handy is greetings. When you meet a friend or chat on the phone with someone you know well, you can loosen up and use informal Italian greetings that make the conversation feel way more natural.

Italian Slang	English Meaning
Bella!/Bella lì!	Hey!/What’s up!
Che si dice?	What’s up?
ci si becca/ci becchiamo*	See you!
Com’è?	How are things?
Come butta?*	What’s up?
Come te la passi?	How do you do?
Come va la vita?	How’s life?
Come va?	How’s it going?
Tutto a posto?	All good?
Uè!	Hey! (southern Italy)

*Very informal expressions.

Italian slang words like “bro” for friends and people

four teenagers talking and using Italian slang

Besides bro, which is obviously borrowed from English, Italians have many words to call a friend or to speak about people. These slang words can have different functions in a sentence:

fun nicknames for friends
noun replacements
adjective replacements

Be extra careful with Italian slang words for people to avoid sounding rude or overly confident.

Fratello/fra/bro (bro)

Meaning: Brother, referring to a close friend. The three versions are largely used among very young people.

Ciao bro, come va? = Hey bro, how is it going?

Sometimes, it’s replaced by sore (sis). However, it’s also not unusual to use bro and fra for females.

Raga (guys)

Meaning: Short for ragazzi/e (boys/girls). It’s very common to call your group of friends raga.

Ciao raga, ci vediamo stasera. = Bye guys, see you tonight.

Tipo/tipa (dude/chick)

Meaning: This word can translate as “dude” or “chick” and refers to a generic person you don’t know well.

C’era un tipo che lo aspettava in ufficio. = There was a dude waiting for him in the office.

It is also slang for “boyfriend/girlfriend” in informal speech:

Sono uscito con la tipa ieri. = I went out with my girl yesterday.

Notice how, in the examples above, Italian articles determine whether you know the person or not: un tipo (indefinite article) suggests an unknown person, while la tipa (definite article) refers to someone specific.

Finally, in very informal conversation, the masculine form tipo can also mean “similar to” or “kind of like” in English:

Ho una sensazione tipo quando ti stai ammalando. = I have a feeling, kind of like when you’re getting sick.

Tizio, Caio e Sempronio (Tom, Dick, and Harry)

Meaning: Three random names to indicate people you don’t know very well or generic persons. You can use just the first two or all three in a sentence.

Adesso, non andare a dirlo a Tizio, Caio e Sempronio.. = Now, don’t go tell Tom, Dick, and Harry.
Non posso aiutare ogni Tizio e Caio. = I can’t help every Tom and Dick.

Positive slang words for people

These nouns and adjectives in Italian for people are generally positive and safe to use. However, consider that not all Italian slang for friends are equal.

For example, amo (love) is mostly used by women as a nickname for a best friend. Vecchio (old man) is more common among friends in male groups, with variations depending on the regional dialect. And words like fra, bro, sore, and zio are more suitable with teens and children.

Italian Slang	English Meaning
amo	love/bestie (short for *amore*)
bomber	the best (literally, “goal scorer”)
boomer	boomer
capo	chief (southern Italy)
compa’	buddy (southern Italy)
fenomeno	legend
figo/a	cool thing or handsome man/attractive woman
grande	great
guaglió/guagliona	young boy/girl (southern Italy)
mitico/mitica	legend
pischello/pischella	kid (southern Italy)
sbirro	cop
sorella or sore	sister/sis
vecchio/vecchia (also vecio/a or vez in certain regions)	old man/woman (used for friends or parents)
zio/zia	man/girl (literally, “uncle/aunt”)

Negative slang words for people

These Italian slang words are trickier to use because they can be offensive. However, their meaning really depends on context and delivery. For example, pirla (idiot) is an insult in an argument, but if said to a friend after a silly joke, it can simply mean: “You’re hilarious!”

Italian Slang	English Meaning
babbo/babba	stupid (do not confuse it with *babbo* = dad)
banfone/banfona	arrogant person
bauscia	blowhard (Milan)
coatto/coatta	rough (Rome region)
gasato/gasata	conceited person
gattamorta	gold digger (literally, “dead cat”)
guastafeste	party pooper
mattone	boring person (literally, “brick”)
muso lungo or musone/musona	long face
pirla	idiot (northern Italy)
pistola	dumb person (literally, “gun”)
pivello/pivella	newbie
rosicone/rosicona	jealous person
sborone/sborona	bragger
sciura	well-off elderly lady (northern Italy)
secchione/secchiona	bookworm
tamarro/tamarra	tacky
truzzo/truzza	tacky (northern Italy)

Italian slang sentences for informal context

Using and understanding Italian slang goes way beyond individual words. Italian slang expressions are ready-made sentences that convey specific meanings that are hard to translate word-for-word. Whether chatting with friends or sharing a laugh with locals, they are your go-to.

Tip: If you’re unsure whether a slang expression is appropriate for a given context, Italian idioms and common sayings in Italian can provide a good alternative, as they are usually well accepted socially.

Mai una gioia (never a joy)

Mai ‘na gioia is a funny expression that Italians use when something doesn’t go as planned or to complain about life in general. It originated as youth slang and as a meme phrase, but it’s now one of the most commonly used Italian slang expressions.

Alla fine non ho vinto. Mai ‘na gioia. = In the end, I didn’t win. Never a joy.

Gettare la spugna (throwing away the sponge)

This phrase in Italian is slang for “to give up” and comes from boxing where the sponge is used to clean the wounds in between rounds.

Mi sa che è ora di gettare la spugna. = I think it’s time to give up.
Basta, getto la spugna. = That’s it, I’m throwing in the towel.

Che pizza!/It’s a pizza! (what a pizza/it’s a pizza)

This expression is one of many food idioms in Italian you can use when something is very boring.

Guarda che traffico. Che pizza! = Look at all the traffic. What a bore!
Il film era una pizza. = The movie was so boring.

Italian Slang	English Meaning
a fagiolo	At the right time. (literally, “like a bean”)
Che bazza!	What a deal! (Bologna region)
Che culo!*	How lucky! (vulgar, but common)
Che menata!*	What a drag!
Che palle!*	What a hassle! (literally, “What balls!”)
Che sbatti.	What a hassle.
da Dio	very well (literally, “like God”)
essere fuori/fuori come un balcone/come una campana	You’re crazy! (literally, “You are out like a balcony/like a bell.”)
Fa schifo.	It’s disgusting.
meno male	Thank goodness!/Good thing that…
Non esiste!	No way!
Non me ne frega niente.*	I don’t care.
Spacca!	It rocks! (literally, “it breaks”)

*These expressions may be considered vulgar.

Tip: Be careful with Italian slang expressions for disgust, as they can sound rude. When talking to a friend about a difficult situation, it’s fine to say:

Questa situazione fa proprio schifo. = This situation really sucks.

However, never use this expression in a restaurant or shop. A softer phrase like Non mi piace molto (I don’t like it very much) is more appropriate in these cases.

people eating a meal at home and laughing together while using Italian slang words

Social life and going out are usually the best environments for practicing slang. Since you’re typically in these contexts with friends or people you know, they are rich with funny Italian slang words. Try to include these Italian verbs in your daily conversations.

Italian Slang	English Meaning
bidonare/tirare un bidone	to stand someone up (literally, “to throw a bin at them”)
fare after	to stay up until the morning
ghostare	to ghost
imbucarsi	to crash a party uninvited
incazzarsi	to get pissed off (vulgar, but common)
inciuciare	doing a secret, shady deal
limonare	to kiss passionately
lovvare	to love
mettere le corna/cornificare	to cheat on someone (literally, “to put horns on them”)
paccare/dare pacco	to bail on someone (literally, “to give a pack to them”)
sbocciare	to uncork a bottle
sbronzarsi/prendersi una sbronza	to get drunk
snobbare	to snub

Many Italian slang words and neologisms have emerged from the digital world and the use of social networks.

Italian Slang	English Meaning
taggare	to tag on social media
stalkerare	to stalk someone online
chattare	to chat online
postare	to post on social media
screenshottare	to take a screenshot
instagrammabile	instagram-worthy
skippare	to skip on something
spoilerare	give away a plot detail of a movie or TV show
trollare	to troll
linkare	to link

When to use slang in Italian

You can use slang in informal conversations or with people you have a close relationship with. Some Italian slang words can even fit into broader contexts. Still, it’s generally best to stick to greetings, filler words, and exclamations—such as figurati (don’t mention it) or cavoli (crap!)—if you’re still learning when and where slang is appropriate.

Here are some useful tips:

Avoid slang words that express an opinion about someone, especially if you’ve never heard how native speakers use them.
Test common but controversial slang words with friends in low-risk situations to avoid misunderstandings.
Remember that tone and Italian gestures play a huge role in delivering meaning.
Slang varies by region and age. Even if a slang word is understood across Italy, using a dialect-specific term outside its area or calling someone fra (“bro”) among older adults might sound out of place.

Using slang is a helpful part of your Italian learning journey, alongside grammar and mastering formal and neutral registers. Rosetta Stone is a great way to achieve this. Its Dynamic Immersion method is a proven learning path that guides you from basic grammar rules to a deep understanding of Italian culture.

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