We've come to the final 10 adjectives of the list of 50 good-to-know Italian adjectives. If you can learn these and use them in a sentence, you will have a good basis for conversation in many situations. Of course, there are many more and we'll feature new lists from time to time.
41) simpatico (likeable, congenial, nice)
This is such a great Italian adjective, but it’s hard to translate into English. It describes a person that you want to get to know, someone who is attractive as a person, rather than physically, someone with a great personality, and a warm smile. More about simpatico here.
E poi il cuoco è uno simpatico, stava simpatico pure a te.
And besides, the cook is a nice guy. You liked him, too.
Caption 62, La Ladra EP. 8 - Il momento giusto - Part 9
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41a) antipatico (unpleasant, troublesome, nasty)
The opposite of simpatico, antipatico can describe a person, but also behavior or a situation.
È severo e pure un po' antipatico.
He is stern and also a bit unfriendly.
Caption 41, Provaci ancora prof! S1E4 - La mia compagna di banco - Part 4
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Ti devo dare una notizia un po’ antipatica (I have to give you some unpleasant news).
Il mio insegnante di Italiano è veramente antipatico (my Italian teacher is really not very nice).
42-42a) Educato (polite, well-behaved, good-mannered) and its opposite, maleducato (rude, ill-mannered, impolite) have nothing, or very little, to do with going to school and getting an education. They have to do with manners and behavior, and also training as regards children and animals.
È una ragazza madre ed è una persona tanto carina, tanto gentile, educata.
She's a single mother and is a very nice person, very kind, polite.
Caption 43, La Ladra EP. 1 - Le cose cambiano - Part 6
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Non si azzardi più a chiamarmi a quest'ora, maleducato!
Don't you dare call me again at this hour, how rude!
Caption 69, Il Commissario Manara S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 12
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In other words, educato and maleducato are generally false friends. They do not mean "educated" and "uneducated."
43) Sospettoso mostly describes a person. For something that’s suspicious-looking, the adjective sospetto is normally used. Il sospetto is a noun that means “the suspect.”
No, il barone era sospettoso e faceva assaggiare il cibo prima di mangiare alla moglie,
No, the baron was suspicious and had the food tasted, before eating it, by his wife,
Captions 14-16, Caravaggio EP1 - Part 20
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44) affettuoso (affectionate, loving, tender)
Un tipo affascinante, simpatico, affettuoso.
A charming, friendly, affectionate type.
Caption 42, Il Commissario Manara S2EP8 - Fuori servizio - Part 10
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45) ingenuo (naive, gullible, inexperienced, innocent)
Someone who is ingenuo isn’t all that familiar with the ways of the world. They may be too trustful and might easily get conned.
Mi crede così ingenuo da affidare a Lei un compito così delicato?
Do you think I'm so naive that I would entrust such a delicate task to you?
Caption 47, Il Commissario Manara S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi - Part 3
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46) tranquillo (tranquillo, calm, with no worries)
This very useful adjective covers a lot of ground, so it’s a good one to have in your Italian vocabulary. If you travel in Italy, you’ll undoubtedly hear this expression a lot: Stai tranquillo. It means, “Don’t worry.” The polite version is Stia tranquillo. It can also mean, “Stay calm.”
Lei non è incriminato di niente, deve stare tranquillo, va bene?
You haven't been incriminated of anything, you can rest easy, all right?
Caption 20, Il Commissario Manara S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde - Part 7
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47) preoccupato (worried, concerned)
This adjective looks like it should mean “preoccupied,” but it basically means “worried.”
Sono molto preoccupato per mio figlio (I’m very worried about my son).
And someone might say to you:
Non ti preoccupare (Don’t worry).
And if the situation is formal:
Non si preoccupi (Don’t worry [formal]).
More about worrying in Italian, here.
48) intelligente (intelligent)
This is an easy cognate and it means just what you would think!
49) stupido (stupid)
This is another adjective that means just what you would imagine it would.
50) pazzo (crazy)
This is a fun word and primarily describes a person or animal. Note that just as in English we can be crazy about something or someone, Italian uses this adjective, too.
Sono pazza/pazzo di te (I’m crazy about you).
And “to go crazy” is diventare pazzo (to become crazy).
When we are talking about something, on the other hand, we need the adjective pazzesco. Pazzo is only for humans and animals.
Hai avuto un successo pazzesco, eh?
You were wildly successful, huh?
Caption 1, Provaci ancora prof! S2EP2 Una mina vagante - Part 2
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51) furbo (clever, cunning, shrewd)
Ho detto: "Non fare il furbo".
I said "Don't be a wise guy."
Caption 39, L'Italia a tavola Interrogazione sul Piemonte
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This adjective can either be positive or somewhat pejorative, depending on the context. It is sometimes transformed into a noun, as in the example above.
And with that, we’ve given you more than 50 (but who’s counting?) good-to-know Italian adjectives to put in your pocket. Try them out for size — practice them as you go about your day, observing your human, animal, and physical surroundings.
Learn more!
Practical examples of these adjectives can be found throughout Yabla videos available with a subscription. Yabla offers you the possibility of learning at your own pace and through videos pertaining to your interests. Expand your horizons by learning one of the most romantic languages in the world.
In this week's episode of Commissario Manara, Lara and Luca are having a romantic walk on the beach, but Lara isn't very tranquilla (relaxed and unworried). She worries about the others at work finding out about their relationship. Luca tries to lighten things up a bit, to sdramatizzare (to remove or reduce the drama or seriousness).
The word they volley back and forth is some form of sospettare/sospetto (to suspect/suspicion). As in English where we have different forms of the word, Italian has them, too, but not exactly as in English. Let’s have a look at what Lara and Luca say to each other.
E poi qualcuno comincerà a sospettare.
And then, someone one will start to suspect.
Rubino, un sospetto senza una prova rimane un sospetto.
Rubino, a suspicion without proof remains a suspicion.
Te lo devo insegnare io?
Do I have to teach you that?
E io ho il sospetto che sto per cederti di nuovo.
And I have the suspicion that I'll give in to you again.
E io ho la prova.
And I've got the proof.
Captions 18-22, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP9 - Morte in paradiso
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In the above example Lara starts out with the infinitive verb form sospettare (to suspect), then Luca answers using the noun form un sospetto (a suspicion/a suspect). He may have been playing with the words, since what he said could also have meant: "a suspect is just a suspect unless there is proof." Lara plays with words, too, but, instead of conjugating the verb sospettare, she uses the noun form il sospetto (the suspicion) with the verb avere (to have): Avere il sospetto (to have the suspicion).
Below is an example of the verb form sospettare in the second person plural:
Voi sospettate di me?
Do you suspect me?
Ma vi ho chiamati io? -Si calmi signora Brumelt,
But I'm the one who called you! -Calm down, Missus Brumelt,
Captions 46-47, Il Commissario Manara -S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde
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Note that sospettare is both transitive and intransitive and may take a preposition as in the above example, where di (of) is the preposition, indicating an indirect object. It can also take a direct object, or no object at all.
The adjective sospettoso (suspicious) describes a person who has a suspicious or mistrustful nature (Marika gives us an example here).
An adjective describing something or someone that arouses suspicion is sospetto(suspicious), as in the following example.
Niente, c'è un giardiniere sospetto nel vostro giardino,
Nothing, there's a suspicious gardener in your garden.
mi ha chiesto di fare una verifica.
She asked me to run a check.
Captions 47-48, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP6 - Reazione a Catena
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Someone who is suspected of something may be un sospetto (a suspect) or sospettato (suspected).
Stanno interrogando un sospetto.
They're questioning a suspect.È sospettata di aver ucciso suo marito.
She's suspected of having killed her husband.
To sum up:
Depending on the context, the word sospetto may have the following meanings:
Noun: il sospetto (the suspicion), il sospetto (the suspect)
Conjugated verb in the first person singular: sospetto (I suspect)
Adjective: sospetto (suspect or suspicious)
The verb sospettare is both transitive and intransitive.
The past participle sospettato is used in the passive voice (as in the above example) or as a normal past participle.
Let the context be your guide. It's a little tricky to get right, but the good news is that while the meaning and use may vary slightly, the sense of the word is basically the same as in English. Little by little, through reading and listening, you'll get a feel for how it's used in context.
One way to get someone’s attention is to use the imperative command form of a verb. Two useful verbs for this purpose are ascoltare (to listen) and sentire (to hear). In Italian it’s important to know to whom you are giving the command; this will determine both the word choice and its conjugation.
Commissioner Manara has a familiar relationship with Lara and uses the informal form of address: He’s getting her attention by saying ascolta (listen). There’s a slight urgency with ascolta.
Ascolta Lara, a volte bisogna prendere delle scorciatoie, no?
Listen Lara, sometimes you have to take shortcuts, right?
Caption 36, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP5 - Il Raggio Verde
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In the next example, there’s a bit of urgency, but this is Manara’s boss talking to him. They use the polite or formal form of address:
Manara, mi ascolti bene.
Manara, listen to me carefully.
Caption 23, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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Note that the imperative verb can stand alone, or be paired with an object personal pronoun as in the above example. It adds to the urgency, and makes it more personal. Manara’s boss could have added mi raccomando (make sure) for extra urgency:
Manara, mi ascolti bene, mi raccomando!
This next example is between two people who really don’t know each other at all. It’s a formal situation, so the Lei form of “you” is used. Senta is more passive and less intrusive than ascolti. In fact, it means “hear” or “listen,” but is actually a way of saying “excuse me.”
Senta signora, oltre a Lei, chi lo sapeva di queste lettere?
Excuse me ma'am, other than you, who knew about these letters?
Caption 64, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP4 - Le Lettere Di Leopardi
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Senta (listen, excuse me, or hear me) is a command you’ll use in a restaurant when wishing to get the attention of the cameriere (waiter).
Senta, possiamo ordinare?
Excuse me, may we order?
Often, senta (listen) goes hand in hand with scusi (excuse me), to be extra polite.
Buonasera. Senta scusi, Lei conosceva il dottor Lenni, giusto?
Good evening. Listen, excuse me. You knew Doctor Lenni, right?
Caption 4, Il Commissario Manara - S1EP1 - Un delitto perfetto
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And in a familiar situation, such as between Marika and the mozzarella vendor in Rome, there’s no urgency but Marika wants to get the vendor’s attention before asking her a question.
Senti, ma quante mozzarelle dobbiamo comprare per la nostra cena?
Listen, but how many mozzarellas should we buy for our dinner?
Caption 50, Anna e Marika - La mozzarella di bufala - La produzione e i tagli
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In the next example, the speaker could have said, Ascolta, Adriano, and it would have meant the same thing. Personal preference and regional usage often account for the difference.
Senti, Adriano, io lavoro qui da quando avevo dodici anni.
Listen Adriano, I've been working here since I was twelve years old.
Caption 37, Adriano Olivetti - La forza di un sogno Ep.2
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Without necessarily studying all the conjugations of sentire and scusare, it’s a good idea to just remember that in polite speech, the imperative has an “a” at the end of senta, but an “i” at the end of scusi. The familiar command form would be senti, scusa. These endings can be tricky for beginners because they seem wrong, being the opposite of the indicative endings. It’s quite easy to get mixed up. The command form originally comes from the subjunctive, which is why it has a different, special conjugation.
Learning suggestion:
Getting someone’s attention is part of the basic toolkit you need to communicate in Italian, so why not practice a bit, in your mind? Look at someone and get their attention using the correct verb and correct form.
If you don’t know the person, or you address them formally for some other reason, you use:
Senta! Senta, scusi.
Senta, mi scusi.
[Mi] ascolti. (Not so common, and a bit aggressive, useful if you’re a boss.)
If you’re trying to get the attention of a friend, you’ll use:
Senti... (It’s almost like saying, “Hey...”)
Ascolta...Ascoltami... (This can be aggressive or intimate depending on the tone and the context.)
Learn more about the imperative in Italian here.
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