My favorite Italian slang words & phrases

1. Cazzo [CAHT-zoh]
Cazzo is the all-purpose Italian swear word, and it is the most used swear word in Italian. It's literal meaning refers to certain part of the male anatomy, but it can be used in all kinds of situations. Visit italian slang dictionary to learn more about this word.

2. Coglioni [cohl-YOH-nee]
Coglioni also refers to a certain part of the male anatomy, one that implies courage or boldness. Visit italian slang dictionary to learn more about this word.

3. Merda [MEHR-dah]
This refers to excrement , like the English word, and it is used in much the same way, though it is not as common. Visit italian slang dictionary to learn more about this word.

4. Stronzo [STROHN-zoh]
Stronzo literally means turd, but when used in reference to a person, it is an insult.

5. Culo [COO-loh]
Culo refers to the backside. It also has a secondary meaning: luck or lucky.

6. Cazzata [caht-ZAH-tah]
This one is derived from cazzo, and it means something stupid or BS. So "oh Dio, ho detto una cazzata" means "oh God, I said something stupid." The plural form is cazzate.

7. Vaffanculo [vah-fahn-COO-loh]
This one can be pretty rude, but that makes it a good way to get your point across. When someone won't leave you alone, telling them to "vaffanculo!" is the same as telling them to "get the hell out of here!," but the meaning is stronger than this English translation.

8. Puttana [poo-TAH-nah]
This means lady of the night, so it can be very insulting when used in the wrong way.

9. Figo [FEE-goh]
This is a slang word like the English word "cool." It can be used for something you think is really cool or awesome, or to describe a hot guy. The feminine, figa, can be used to describe a hot girl, but be VERY careful because it is also a slang word for female genitalia. A "figata" is something that is really cool or great, so it is basically the opposite of a "cazzata."

10. Zitto [ZEE-toh]
"Zitto!" or "stai zitto!" is a good way to tell someone to "shut up!"

BONUS: Mannaggia [mah-NAH-jah]
Mannaggia is pretty mild, as it is similar to "darn" or "heck." But if you really put some emphasis and feeling into saying, it can be pretty satisfying.

Those are my top ten Italian slang words (plus a bonus word). As they can be considered racy or rude around some people, be careful who you use them around! To learn the full context and meaning of these words, and to learn even more Italian slang, you can check out the italian slang dictionary. Grazie and enjoy!

To send a text message is to "mandare un messagio" or "mandare un sms."

Here's a text message shorthand cheat sheet:

m -> mi
t -> ti
c -> ci
v -> vi

x -> per (to, for)
xké, xke -> perché (why, because)
ke -> che (that, which, what)
dv -> dove (where)
km -> come (how)
ks -> cosa (what, thing)
ki -> chi (who)
qnd -> quando (when)
xó -> peró (but)
anke -> anche (also)
nn -> non (not)
frs -> forse (maybe, perhaps)
cmq -> comunque (anyway, however)

c 6? -> ci sei? (are you there?)
dv 6? -> dove sei? (where are you?)
tvtb -> ti voglio tanto bene (I really care about you)
xxx -> tanti baci (many kisses)
mmt+ -> mi manchi tantissimo (I miss you so much)
t tel + trd -> ti telefono più tardi (I'll call you later)

To learn more about text messaging in Italian, check out this page at How To Say In Italian.