Due to family circumstances we’ve been off-line for a few days. But now we’re back … with a bang … and a crash, whistle, roar, and a creak. Yes my friends, here we have a small collection of Italian words that describe noises. How many of them do you know? Let’s find out shall we?

botto = bang: alla Festa Patronale di Adelfia-Montrone i botti dei fuochi d’artificio erano assordanti! = at the Patron Saint of Adelfia-Montrone Festival the banging of the fireworks was deafening!

fragore = crash: dall’appartamento a Tellaro si sente il ritmico fragore delle onde che si infrangono sugli scogli = from the apartment in Tellaro you can hear the rhythmic crash of the waves breaking against the cliffs

fracasso = smash/crash/loud violent noise: all’improvviso abbiamo sentito il fracasso di bicchieri rotti = suddenly we heard the smash of broken glasses, dalla terrazza veniva un fracasso insopportabile = an unbearable racket came from the terrace

crepitio = crackle: amo il crepitio della legna che arde = I love the crackling of burning wood

scricchiolio = creak: la sedia faceva un fastidioso scricchiolio = the chair made an annoying creak

cigolio = squeak: Maria aveva paura di sentire il cigolio del catenaccio del cancello = Maria was afraid of hearing the squeak of the bolt on the gate

N.B. scricchiolio and cigolio seem to be somewhat interchangeable, which can be pretty frustrating when trying to describe a creaking or squeaking noise in your car to a mechanic … but I’ve learnt to make interesting vocal sounds to demonstrate what I mean!

rombo = rumble: il rombo del motore di una macchina = the rumbling of the engine in a car, il rombo di un temporale in distanza = the rumbling of distant thunder

ruggito = roar: il ruggito del mare in tempesta = the roaring of a tempest at sea

tintinnio = jingle/clink/ring: in lontananza si udiva il tintinnio dei campanelli delle pecore = in the distance you could hear the ringing of the sheep’s bells

ronzio = buzz/drone hum: quella mosca mi fa impazzire con il suo ronzio = that fly is driving me mad with its buzzing

fruscio = rustle: camminando lungo il vecchio sentiero sentivamo di tanto in tanto il fruscio delle lucertole = walking along the old trail, we heard the rustle of lizards amongst from time to time

squillo/trillo = ring: dammi uno squillo dopo le due, okay? = give me a ring after two o’clock, okay?, pochi minuti dopo ho sentito il trillo del campanello = a few minutes later I heard the ringing of the door bell

Now go forth and be noisy … in Italian!