Italian profanity

List of profanities in the Italian language

• accidenti : used in the same context as the English "damn", either as an exclamation when something goes wrong or to wish harm on someone.
• arrapare: sexually arouse someone.
• * arrapato: sexually aroused
• * arrapante: something or someone that arouses sexually, sexy
• * arrapamento or arrapatura: sexual arousal
• baldracca : whore.
• bastardo : bastard.
• bazzotto/barzotto: partially erect.
• bocchino : blowjob.
• cagare : to shit, to defecate. It is used idiomatically to mean "to give a fuck" or, typically, "not to give a fuck" about someone: "A scuola nessuno mi caga". Cognate with Spanish and Portuguese cagar, ultimately from Latin cacare.
• * cagata/cacata: Bullshit, crap.
• * Vai a cagare/cacare: fuck you, fuck off.
• cappella: the glans of the penis.
• * scappellare: to lower the foreskin to uncover the glans.
• cazzo : used in numerous expressions to convey a variety of emotions such as anger, frustration, or surprise in a way similar to how ‘fuck’ is used in English.
• * cazzo: fuck/shit/hell.
• * che cazzo: what the hell/fuck.
• * e che cazzo/ecche cazzo: for fuck’s sake!, oh come on!, seriously?!?
• * che cazzo fai?: what the hell/fuck are you doing?
• * cazzata: bullshit.
• * cazzo in culo: cock up your ass.
• * testa di cazzo: dick-head.
• * incazzarsi: to get pissed off.
• * incazzato: pissed off; incazzato nero: really pissed off.
• * incazzatura: rage, anger.
• * incazzoso: someone who gets angry easily.
• * cazzeggiare: to fuck around.
• * cazzeggio: the act of fucking around.
• * cazzone : stupid and foolish person.
• * cazzuto: very smart and tough person, badass.
• * scazzare: this word has many meanings: to annoy, bore, irritate someone, to fight with someone, to make somebody angry, to talk bullshit and to make mistakes.
• * scazzato: bored or angry person.
• * scazzo: difficult situation, boredom or fight, quarrel.
• coglione : a vulgar version of testicle; when referring to a person, it usually means idiot, berk, twit, fool. Coglione was also featured in worldwide news when used by ex Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, referring to those who would not vote for him during the 2006 Italian election campaign. It derives from Latin Latin profanity#In the Romance languages 2, and is thus cognate to the Spanish Spanish profanity#Cojones and Portuguese colhões. In addition, it can be used in several phrases, such as:
• * avere i coglioni, to be very courageous.
• * avere i coglioni girati, to be angry/in a bad mood.
• * avere i coglioni pieni, being fed up/have had enough/be sick and tired of something.
• * essere un coglione, to be a jerk or fool.
• * coglionata: speech or action of a stupid person.
• * coglionaggine or coglioneria: behavior or action of a stupid person, fuckwittery.
• * coglionare: to make fun of someone, to deride.
• * coglionatura or coglionella: mockery, derision.
• * coglionatore: a person who make fun of someone, mocker.
• * coglionatorio: mocking, derisive.
• * scoglionare: to annoy, to irritate someone.
• * scoglionato: annoyed, irritated person.
• * scoglionatura or scoglionamento: boredom, irritation.
• * rincoglionire: to make someone stupid or to become stupid.
• * rincoglionito: person who has become stupid or who is acting stupid.
• * rincoglionimento: the action and the result of becoming stupid.
• * rompicoglioni or scassacoglioni: unbearable and irritating person, pain in the ass.
• cornuto : cuckold, referring to a male whose female partner is cheating on him. Occasionally, it might be accompanied by the corna gesture when the word is used as a direct insult. In Southern Italy, it is considered a rough insult.
• culo : a crude term for "buttocks", comparable to the English word "ass" or "arse". It can also mean luck, as in "è solo/tutto culo" or "che culo!". The popular expression "avere una faccia da culo" indicates a cheeky, brazen-faced person. In some southern regions, "stare sul/in culo" is used as a variant of "stare sul cazzo", both indicating dislike for someone. It derives from Latin culus. In Northern Italy, may also translate as "faggot", see entries below:
• * culattone : faggot.
• * inculare: to sodomize or to cheat. "Inculare" can also be used for thieving, e.g. "Un tamarro dietro l'angolo voleva incularmi la Vespa" = "A boor behind the corner wanted to steal my Vespa". In Northern Italy the reflexive form incularsi may be used to tell someone to "go fuck themself".
• Dio cane: extremely rude and strong profanity used as an exclamation like "God damn!"; considered blasphemous by religious individuals, similar to Dio porco and porco Dio.
• ditalino : fingering, female masturbation.
• * sditalinare: to stimulate the female genitalia with fingers, to fingerfuck.
• fava : ; dick; common in Tuscany.
• fica or figa : pussy. In past times, it was also the name of an obscene gesture called fig sign. It also means sexy, hot, and attractive if referring to a woman Contrary to popular belief, figa is not necessarily an offensive term. If referring to a guy, it means someone really cool, a stud, someone "who always knows how to get pussy." Valentino Rossi is associated with the letters WLF ; these are known to refer to Viva la figa. Figo may also mean someone really skilled in doing something. When referring to a woman, the term strafiga means "smoking hot". The derived term figata means something cool. A less common synonym, mainly used in Rome and Naples respectively, is fregna and fessa.
• finocchio : a male homosexual; faggot; poof. A suggestive and very popular hypothesis suggests it may derive from the age of the Holy Inquisition in the Papal State, when fennel seeds would be thrown on homosexuals executed by burning at the stake—in order to mitigate the stench of burned flesh. However, there is no proof that this is the case.
• fottere to fuck, commonly used in the expression "vai a farti fottere," meaning "go and get fucked," or "go fuck yourself"; ciulare and chiavare are synonyms, used in the North and in the South, respectively.
• frocio : roughly equivalent to the American "faggot", this term originated in Rome, but is now widely used nationwide. Less-used synonyms include: ricchione ; culattone or culo ; busone ; buco or bucaiolo ; and finocchio. The usage of this word in Italian may be considered by some individuals as homophobic and politically incorrect.
• gnocca : typical Bolognese version of figa; is mostly conjugated in its feminine form, although sometimes can be used in the masculine form. Although very vulgar, it is not offensive, but instead complimentary. Indeed, it is used nationwide to refer to an attractive woman.
• gonfiare : to ingravidate, to knock up
• grilletto clitoris, clit.
• * sgrillettare: to stimulate the clitoris.
• maiala : slut, used to insult or label a woman who is overly sexual or sexually promiscuous; common in Tuscany and Umbria.
• mannaggia : a generic expression of frustration, mostly used in Southern Italy. It is not considered particularly vulgar or insulting, and is most often used jokingly; often translated as "damn" in English. The term comes from the contraction of a former utterance, "mal ne aggia," which in Neapolitan language means "may he/she get mischief out of it." Also used in books written in English, such as Mario Puzo's The Fortunate Pilgrim.
• merda : roughly the same as English word "shit". Cognate to Spanish mierda and French merde.
• * smerdare: to shame, to take down a peg or two.
• mignotta : same meaning of puttana; according to some sources, it may be the contraction of the Latin matris ignotae, where the note filius m. ignotae appeared in the registries that referred to abandoned children; other sources derive it from the French mignoter or mignon/mignonne.
• minchia : the same meaning as cazzo, but notably a feminine name. Originates from Sicilian language; nowadays, it is common anywhere in Italy, where it is also used as exclamation of surprise, or even appreciation. It derives from Latin mentula.
• * Testa di minchia: Dickhead.
• * Minchione: Muggins, simpleton, fool.
• * Minchiata: Bullshit, crap.
• * Minchia!: Damn! Shit! Hell!
• * Bimbominkia: Stupid kid, especially referring to internet users.
• mona : dialectic form of "cunt" or "pussy." Commonly used in North Eastern Italy, more specifically in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
• palla or balla: testicle, used chiefly in the plural form.
• * che palle!: what a pain in the ass!
• alla pecorina/a pecorina: doggy-style.
• pisciare: to piss.
• * pisciata: act of urinating, the emitted urine.
• * piscio or piscia: urine, piss.
• * pisciatoio: urinal, pisser.
• * piscioso: covered in piss, pissy.
• porca Madonna: extremely rude and strong profanity used as an exclamation; considered blasphemous by religious individuals.
• porco Dio: also Dio porco, extremely rude and strong profanity used as an exclamation like "God damn!"; considered blasphemous by religious individuals.
• pompa : blowjob.
• pompino : blowjob.
• * pompinaro : cock-sucker, person prone to perform oral sexual activities. More often used towards women.
• puttana : whore, prostitute.
• * andare a puttane:, to go with prostitutes, idiomatically it also means "to fall apart" or "go to shit", used when something fails, collapses or is ruined.
• * puttanata: crap, bullshit, rubbish.
• * puttanaio: brothel or "fuckload."
• * puttaniere: whoremonger, pimp.
• * puttaneggiare: to walk the streets, to be a prostitute.
• * puttaneggiamento: the act of walking the streets, the behavior of a prostitute.
• * puttanesimo: prostitution.
• * puttanesco: of a prostitute, typical of a prostitute.
• * puttanella: a young prostitute or a promiscuous girl.
• * sputtanare: to discredit.
• * sputtanata or sputtanamento: the action of discrediting someone
• * sputtanato: that has been discredited
• * imputtanare: the same thing as andare a puttane
• ricchione : faggot.
• sborra : cum.
• schizzare to cum, to jizz, to spooge
• scopare : to fuck.
• scoreggia : fart.
• sega : wank, handjob. Literally, the term could be translated as "saw." The derivative verb is not only segare, but more commonly fare/ una sega.
• * segaiolo: wanker.
• * segone: mook, loser.
• * mezza sega : lightweight, pipsqueak.
• spagnola : titty-fuck, tit-job.
• sfiga : Literally "without pussy." Has the meaning of "bad luck." A typical exclamation when something goes wrong in Italy is "che sfiga!"
• * sfigato : Literally means "without figa," in English "without pussy." It can be translated as "loser", "unlucky" or "uncool" person.
• spregnare: to give birth, or, to abort
• stronzo : Literally "turd", but also "arsehole" or "asshole", "bitch", "idiot", "stupid", "sod." It is used as an adjective to indicate that somebody is really a bad, cruel man/woman.
• troia , : bitch, slut, slovenly woman or whore.
• vaffanculo : "fuck you!", "fuck off!", "bugger off!". A contraction of "va' a fare in culo". "Vattela a pijà 'n der culo" is the Romanesco form for vaffanculo, while in Northern Italy "vai a cagare" is also used, "vai a dar via il culo", "fottiti" or "inculati". In the Neapolitan language, it is pronounced "va fangool"; and at times, the "va" is omitted, as demonstrated in the film Grease.
• zoccola : slut, whore; bitch; zoccola also means "sewer rat."