{"id":10014,"date":"2015-09-10T15:14:46","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T13:14:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=10014"},"modified":"2015-09-10T15:14:46","modified_gmt":"2015-09-10T13:14:46","slug":"perdindirindina-what-the","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/perdindirindina-what-the\/","title":{"rendered":"Perdindirindina … What The ….?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our recent blog You’re Learning Italian … Really?!<\/a><\/span><\/strong> we looked at the expression addirittura<\/strong>, which is a polite way of expressing surprise or disbelief.
\nWe also have at our disposal a veritable arsenal of less polite ways of expressing those sentiments. Let’s look at the really ‘naughty’ ones first shall we? (readers: “yes please, yes please …!!!”) Warning: this article contains foul language … but if you’re really interested in colloquial Italian culture read on and think pure thoughts.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"lavoro\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Cazzo!<\/span><\/strong>
\nIn Italy we have a fascinating glossary of colourful expressions based on the male genitalia. These are more or less equivalent to the English expletive ‘fuck’!
\ncazzo!<\/strong> (dick, prick, etc.)
\ncacchio!<\/strong> (the Neapolitan version of cazzo<\/strong>)
\nminchia!<\/strong> (originally the Sicilian equivalent of cazzo<\/strong>, minchia<\/em> is now common throughout Italy, possibly due to its use in films such as Ispettore Montalbano<\/em>)
\nExamples:<\/em><\/span>
\n\u201cHo fatto 40 minuti di fila alla posta per pagare una bolletta!\u201d … \u201cCazzo!\u201d<\/strong> (“I queued for 40 minutes at the post office to pay a bill!” … “fuck!”
\n\u201cAlla lotteria sono usciti i numeri che ho giocato ieri, ma non trovo pi\u00f9 il mio biglietto!\u201d … \u201cMinchia! che sfiga!\u201d<\/strong> (“The lottery came up with the numbers that I played yesterday but I can’t find my ticket any more!” … “Fuck! that’s unlucky!”)<\/p>\n

Cabbage!<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nJust as in English we often substitute the exclamation ‘shit!’ with the word ‘sugar!’ the Italians use several euphemisms as substitutes for cazzo<\/strong> and minchia<\/strong>:
\ncazzarola!<\/strong> (from casseruola<\/em>: casserole)
\ncavolo!<\/strong> (literally: cabbage!)
\nmizzica!<\/strong> (a variation on minchia<\/em>!)<\/p>\n

Okay, those of you who are offended by rude words can open your eyes now<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"accipicchia-3-anni-02\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wow!<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nYes, of course we also have more polite ways of expressing our sentiments.
\ncaspita!<\/strong> (wow!) a common polite expression of surprise or amazement
\naccipicchia!<\/strong> (wow!) as above
\nporca miseria!<\/strong> (pig misery!) used to express consternation
\naccidenti!<\/strong> as above
\nExamples:<\/em><\/span>
\n\u201cGiulia si \u00e8 laureata con 110 e lode\u201d … \u201cCaspita!\u201d<\/strong> (“Giulia graduated with a first class honours degree” … “wow!”)
\n\u201cPretende 2 milioni di Euro di risarcimento\u201d … \u201cAccidenti!\u201d<\/strong> (\u201cHe\u2019s demanding 2 millions Euro in compensation\u201d … \u201cdamn!\u201d)
\n\u201cQuando siamo arrivati all\u2019ostello in Friburgo non avevano la nostra prenotazione\u201d … \u201cPorca miseria!\u201d<\/strong> (“When we arrived at the hostel in Freiburg they didn’t have our booking” … “what a bummer!”)<\/p>\n

What!<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\n… and the list goes on …
\ncosa!<\/strong> (what!)
\ndavvero!<\/strong> (really!)
\nche cavolo!<\/strong> (what the cabbage!)
\nche diavolo!<\/strong> (what the devil!)
\nsul serio?!<\/strong> (seriously?!)
\nma dai!<\/strong> (go on\/you’re kidding!)
\ndio buono!<\/strong> (good lord!)
\nExamples: (your turn to translate)<\/em><\/span>
\n\u201cHai visto il prezzo di questi jeans? 400 Euro!\u201d … \u201cChe diavolo?!\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u201cGiorgio si \u00e8 mangiato 3 gelati uno di seguito all\u2019altro\u201d … \u201cMa dai!\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u201cA Lucca in piazza San Francesco una spremuta di arance ci \u00e8 costata 4 Euro\u201d \u201cDio buono, che ladri!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ye Olde Expletives!<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nFinally, here are a few quaint old expressions of surprise which are mainly used in children’s literature and films to avoid any trace of ‘swearing’.
\ncaspitina!<\/strong>
\n perbacco!<\/strong>
\n perdinci!<\/strong>
\n perdindirindina!<\/strong>
\nExamples:<\/span><\/em>
\n\u201cOggi la maestra mi ha dato 10 perch\u00e9 sapevo le tabelline\u201d … \u201cCaspitina!\u201d<\/strong>
\n \u201cIl mio pap\u00e0 ha preso un pesce pi\u00f9 grande di una casa!\u201d … \u201cPerbacco!\u201d<\/strong>
\n \u201cIl mio compagno di banco ha quattro cani!\u201d … \u201cPerdinci!\u201d<\/strong>
\n \u201cMio fratello ha mangiato tutto il vasetto della Nutella mentre mamma e pap\u00e0 facevano il riposino!\u201d … \u201cPerdindirindina!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vi auguro una buona fine settimana, a presto …<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

In our recent blog You’re Learning Italian … Really?! we looked at the expression addirittura, which is a polite way of expressing surprise or disbelief. We also have at our disposal a veritable arsenal of less polite ways of expressing those sentiments. Let’s look at the really ‘naughty’ ones first shall we? (readers: “yes please…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":10022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[619],"tags":[668,351133],"class_list":["post-10014","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-italian-language","tag-colloquial-italian","tag-italian-colloquial-expressions"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t