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برچسب: Slang

  • “Rompere” in Italian slang – what does it mean?


    The Verb “Rompere”

    The verb rompere in Italian means “to break”. It is a regular verb that belongs to the second conjugation group. Below, I created a table to show you its indicative conjugations:

    Tense Io Tu Lui/Lei Noi Voi Loro
    Present rompo rompi rompe rompiamo rompete rompono
    Past Perfect ho rotto hai rotto ha rotto abbiamo rotto avete rotto hanno rotto
    Imperfect rompevo rompevi rompeva rompevamo rompevate rompevano
    Future Simple romperò romperai romperà romperemo romperete romperanno

    Beside its traditional meaning, the verb rompere is often used metaphorically to mean interrupting, ending, or breaking a situation, relationship, or mood. For instance, have a look at the examples below:

    Rompere il silenzio.

    To break the silence.

    Rompere il cuore.

    To break someone’s heart.

    Rompere le scatole.

    To annoy someone. (lit. to break the boxes)

    Rompere un patto.

    To break an agreement.

    “Rompere” in Italian Slang

    In everyday conversations, Italians often use the verb rompere in a very nuanced and, let’s be honest, vulgar way.

    For instance, the expression rompere le palle (to break someone’s balls) is used to convey frustration, meaning that someone is are annoying. If you prefer a softer tone, use rompere le scatole, as you saw before.

    Interestingly, this verb also gives birth to several nouns to describe annoying people. For example, like my brother always used to call me as children, rompiscatole or rompipalle.

    Learning Italian means understanding these expressions, as they can give you a more authentic grasp of the language and how it is spoken by natives.

    In fact, if you want to learn Italian, you should not focus on basic vocabulary only, but rather on the contextual use of words and the cultural weight they have.

    Learn the Italian Slang to Speak Like a Native

    Italian slang provides a fascinating glimpse into how language can reflect cultural attitudes and social dynamics. Learning these expressions will allow you to understand how Italians use language to navigate their social worlds.

    By understanding how rompere is used in different contexts, you’ll not only enhance your language skills but also appreciate the rich variety of the Italian culture, which includes not just words but also gestures, idioms, and jokes.



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  • Skipping School in Italian Slang: How Natives Say That


    “Skipping School” in Italian

    Regional Flavors

    Learning Italian is not just about memorizing words and grammar: it’s also about understanding the cultural nuances, the Italian dialects, and regional differences that shape the language.

    One interesting example is how Italians express the concept of “skipping school”. While in English this expression is quite consistent, in Italian there are multiple ways to say it, depending on the region or area.

    The Standard Expression: “Marinare la scuola”

    The most commonly recognized phrase for “skipping school” across Italy is marinare la scuola. This expression is very versatile, meaning you can use it in various settings, from casual conversations to written language.

    However, some native speakers, including myself, find marinare la scuola somewhat old-fashioned. This is probably why each region, and sometimes even each area within each region, have different way to express this concept.

    A Dive into Regional Expressions

    As I mentioned, there are different regional alternatives to express the traditional concept of marinare la scuola. Here, I will list some of these examples, based on my personal experience and that of close friends or colleagues.

    Notice that, although I will translate some of the words belonging to these expressions, their literal translation does not really play a role for the meaning of these idiomatic expressions.

    • Napoli: fare filone
      The word filone literally means a “long loaf of bread”, but here, of course, it is used with a different meaning.
    • Roma: andare a sega
      While sega literally means “saw”, it is often used with a quite vulgar meaning.
    • Toscana: fare forca
      Forca means “pitchfork”.
    • Veneto: bruciare
      The verb bruciare literally means “to burn”. This expression conveys a rebellious tone.
    • Emilia Romagna: fare fuga
      The word fuga means “escape”. Sometimes, you can also find the expression fare buco, which translates to “make a hole”, where the “hole” metaphorically represents a gap in one’s school attendance.
    • Lombardia: balzare scuola
      The verb balzare is the dialectal counterpart of saltare (to jump). This is a more modern expression, but a couple of decades ago people used to say bigiare, with the same meaning of today’s balzare.
    • Piemonte: tagliare
      The verb tagliare means “to cut”.

    Synonyms and Slang

    Italian is a language full of synonyms and slang, and “skipping school” is no exception. Depending on where you are in Italy—or even which generation you’re speaking to—you might hear a wide range of terms.

    For instance: bucare, schissare, fare forca, scavallare, far cavalletta, brasare, cabottare, salare, and many more. Do you want to know something fun? I do not know these terms at all!

    These variations provide valuable insights into Italy’s cultural diversity. For example, some terms may indicate a more urban slang from younger generations, while others might be deeply rooted in a specific regional dialect.



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