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aduzipach/aduzipazz – you’re crazy (ma tu sei pazzo) [aa-DOO-zee-PAACH]/[aa-DOO-zee-PAATS]
afanabola!/vafanabola! – go to hell! – Note: Literally means “go to Naples” (a fa Napoli!)
agita – heartburn/indigestion (aciditá) [AA-jih-tuh]
ammonini! – let’s go! (andiamo!) [aa-moe-NEE-nee]
andosh – idiomatic expression [aan-DOESH]
awunda? – where? (awundi?) [aa-WOON-duh]
awunda chunka? – where does it hurt? (awundi ciunca?) [aa-WOON-duh-CHOON-kuh?]
assai – a lot (molto) [aah-SYE]
bash/basc’ – down/downstairs (bascia) [BAASH]
bada bing! – bam!; Note: Popularized in the 1970s by The Godfather character Santino Corleone
biangolin’ – bleach (bianco lino) [byaan-GOH-leen]
bicuridu – my little boy/my little baby (piccolo bambino) [BEECH-oo-REE-doo]
boombots – nickname for an idiot; Note: As in “Vinnie Boombots” [boom-BAATS]
boxugeddu – box (box per oggetti)
braggiol’ – meat and sauce/male anatomy (bracciole) [BRAAJH-oel]
brosciutt’/prosciutt’ – italian ham (prosciutto) [BRAAJH-oot]/[PRAAJH-oot]
buttagots/buttagats – annoying idiot (buttana u’ cazzo)
buttann’/puttann’ – bitch/whore (putanna); Note: more mild than “shockwadell”
calabres’ – Calabrian (calabrese); Note: can refer to people, objects, customs, etc. [caal-uh-BRAYZ]
calamad’ – fried squid (calamari) [caal-uh-MAAD]
capidan – captain (capitano/capitan) [caap-ee-DAAN]
cendann’ – a hundred years (cento anni); Note: said before a toast [CHEN-DAAN]
che cozz’! – what an ugly girl! (che cozza!)
che cozz’? – what the f—- are you doing? (che cozzo fai?)
chefai? – what are you doing? (che cosa fai?) [ke-FYE]
chepreca! – what a shame! (che peccato!) [kay-preh-KAA]
chiove – raining (fa piove) [KYOH-vay]
chiove tropp’assai – it’s raining very hard (fa piove molto)
chooch – jackass (ciuccio) [CHOOCH]
chunka – injured (ciunca) [CHOON-k
ciuri - flowers (fiori)
colghioni/cogliones/gulgliones - balls [COAL-YOANZ]/[GOOL-YOANZ]
cornuto – unfaithful husband
cuore stuppau – heart stopped (i.e. a person who has passed away) [KWAHW-ray-stah-POW]
dzapp’ – gardening hoe (zappa)
edi-conosc’? – do you know me?/do you know who I am? (mi conosci?) [EE-DEE-KUHN-OASH]
facciabrutt’ – ugly face (faccia brutta) [FA-CHUH-BROOT]
faccio di katzo – ball face (faccia di cazzo)
facciu fridda – it’s cold (fa freddo)
fugeddaboudit – forget about it/various meanings; Note: English in origin
fanabola! – shit! (a fa Napoli)
fatti gatti due!/vatoli vatoli due! – mind your own f—ing business!
fattu napiridu – I farted
‘ffangul’! – /f— you! (vai a fa in culo); Note “Vai a fa in culo!” literally means “Go stick it up your ass!”
finoicc’/fenucc’ – fairy man/fennel (finocchio)
fraggiol’ – beans (fraggiole)
fratu – brother (fratello)
fugayzi – fake (falso)
fuidi dogu! – get down from there!
gab’ – head (capo)
gabbadost’ – - hardhead (capa dura/capatosta)
gabbagul/gabagul – italian meat/food/idiot/fool/various other meanings (capicola/capocollo/capacolla); Note: “Gabbagul,” perhaps the most famous and enjoyable Italian-American slang word, besides from being the name of a type of meat, can also be thought to mean “capo in culo,” head in ass. The Italian meat seems to have multiple spellings, as I’ve seen it spelled capicola, capocollo, capacolla, etc.
gabbaruss’ – redhead (capo rosso)
gabbadeegats – ballface
gabish’?/capish’? – (do you) understand? (capisci?)
gaguzz’ – muscles/idiot/money/pumpkin (cucuzza)
gaguzzalongo – big muscles (cucuzza lunga)
ganol’ – cannoli
gavadeel’ – italian pasta (cavatelli); Note: gavadeel and broccoli is a popular Italian-American dish
gavone – gluttonous eater (cafone)
giambott’ – Italian stew (giambotta)
giamoke – idiot (giamope)
gibude – onion (cipolla)
gomesegiam’?/comesegiam’? – how do you say?/whatchamacallit? (come si chiama?)
goombah – countryman/fellow comrade/godfather (compare)
gopp’ – up/top (coppa)
guacarunno – someone (qualcuno)
gul’/cul’ – ass (culo)
gumad – mistress/girlfriend (cumare)
guppin – ladle (coppino)
guyasabbu… – who knows… (chissa…)
giaccheron’ – blabbermouth (chiacchierone)
gidrul’ – stupid person (cetriolo)
gistu/chistu – this (questo)
haicapid – do you understand? (hai capito)
how’ya doin? – how are you doing?; Note: English in origin
‘iamo – let’s go! (andiamo)
idu – he (lui)
imalano-miau! – I can’t believe it! (malanova mi hai)
issu – she (lei)
katzo – balls
lascia-lui! – leave him alone! (lascilo!)
lasordida!/asodida! – your sister!/your sister’s a whore! (la sorella!/tua sorella (è una putana)!)
la vesa gazi – c— face
ma che cozz’u fai?! – what the f— are you doing?! (ma che cozzo fai?!)
ma che bell’! – why, how beautiful! (ma che bella)
ma che quest’? – what is this? (ma che cosa è questo?)
maddiul’ – fool
maliocch’ – the “evil eye;” Note: An Italian superstition involving a surreptitiously placed stare that could supposedly cause ailment and misfortune
mamaluke – idiot/fool (mamalucco)
mannaggia – damn/cursing (male ne abbia/male ne aggia)
managgia dial – curse the devil (male ne aggia il diavolo)
mannaggia la mort’ – cursing death (male ne aggia la morta)
mannaggida lam madamam manamo’ – God damn f—ing shit (male ne aggia la morta)
mannaggia la miseria – cursing misery (male ne aggia la miseria)
manigott’ – italian pasta (manicotti)
mappin’ – napkin/towel (moppina)
maron’! – damn it (madonna)
maronna mia! – oh my God! (madonna mia!); Note: literally means “My Madonna” or “My Blessed Mary”
menzamenz – half and half (mezza mezza)
mezzafinoicch – half gay
mezzamort’ – half-dead (mezzo morto)
minch’ – wow!/genitalia (minchia)
minghia – genitalia (minchia)
mortadell’ – Italian sausage/loser (mortadella)
mortadafam’ – really hungy/starving (morta da fame); Note: literally means “death from hunger”
muccatori – tissue (fazzoletto)
mudanz – pajamas
mulignan – eggplant/offensive term (melanzana)
murudda – without a brain
musciad – mushy (musciata/ammosciato)
moosh-miauw – very mushy (musciata miau)
muzzarell’/muzzadell’ – Italian cheese (mozzarella)
medigan’ – non-Italian american/Italian who has lost his roots (americano); Note: used in derogatory sense
numu fai shcumbari! – don’t embarass me!/stop embarrasing me!
oobatz’/patz’ – crazy person (un pazzo/u’ pazzu)
paesan’ – fellow Italian countryman (paesano)
panzagin’! – I’m full!
pasta vasul’ – Italian soup (pasta fagioli)
pastin’ – pastina – small, star-shaped pasta (sometimes used in soup)
pizzagain’ – Italian meat pie (pizzagaina)
pizzolino – afternoon nap
pucchiach’/bucchiach’ – whore/female anatomy (pucchiacha)
Quanda mangia, non sei parla! – When you’re eating, you don’t talk! (Quando mangi, non parla!)
rigott’ – Italian cheese (ricotta)
salud’ – be in good health (salute)
shape-la-tass’ – shape of a cup (shape of la tazza)
scharol’ – escarole/money (scarola)
schif’/shkeeve – to be disgusted by something (schifo)
schifozz’ – - disgusting thing (schifosa)
skorchamend’ – a pain in the ass (scocciamento)
scooch – pest
scoochi-di-bandanz – a real pain
scustumad’ – stupid person (scostumato) [SKOO-STOO-MAHD]
sciumara – river (fiumara)
scoba – broom (scopa)
scobendo – to sweep the floor (scopare)
scubata/scupata – to get laid (scopato); Note: “Scopato” means swept
sculabast’ – pasta strainer (scola la pasta)
scungilli/scungill’ – cooked snail (sconciglio)
scupata/scubata – get laid (scopato)
sedeti/sededi – sit down (sedeteti)
Senza sorda non canta i mes’. – Without money they won’t sing the mass. (Senza soldi non cantano la massa.)
sesenta fame? – do you feel hungry?/are you hungry? (sei senti fame?)
sfaccimme – bad person/sperm [SVAH-CHEEM]
sfogliadell’ – italian pastry (sfogliatella) [SHVOHL-YA-DELL]
shockwadell’ – whore (sciacquata) [SHOCK-WA-DELL]
shcumbari – disheveled [shkoom-bah-REE]
sigilian’ – Sicilian (siciliano) [sih-jeel-YAHN]
sorda – money (soldi)
sorda – sister (sorella) [SOAR-duh]
spasciad/scasciad – not talking (to someone) (spasciau) [spah-SHAHD]
strunz’ – shit (stronzo) [STROONZ]
stanna mabaych – son of a b— (mispronounced “son of a b—”)
statagitt’! -be quiet! (stai zitto) [stah-tuh-JEET]
stendinz – intestines/guts [stehn-DEENZ]
stugots/stugats – f— it/male anatomy (questo cazzo/questu cazzu/’stu cazzu) [stoo-GAHTS]
stunad – moron (stonato) [stoo-NAHD]
struppiau – extremely dimwitted
stuppiau – very dimwitted
stuppiad – dimwitted
stuppau – stopped
suscia – blow (soffia)
te fugo! – f— you!
ti voglio tropp’assai – I love you so much (ti voglio bene)
un ada oda – another time (un altra volta)
ue, goombah! – hey, man! (ue, compare); Note: see definition of “goombah”
ufratu – your brother (il fratello/tuo fratello)
umbriag’/umbriacc’ – intoxicated (umbriago)
usorda – your sister (la sorella/tua sorella)
vaffangul’!/baffangul’!/ – fuck you! (vai a fa in culo); Note: Literally means “Go stick it up your ass!”
vangopp’ – go up/go upstairs (fa in coppa)
veni ca/vieni qua – come (over) here (vieni qui)
vidi cachunka! – watch out, you’re gonna get hurt!
walyun/wayo – young man (vuaguone)
warda!/uarda - look! (guarda!)
warda cachunka! – watch out, you’re gonna get hurt!
zutt’ – down/downstairs (sotto)
zutt u’ basciament – down to the basement (sotto u’ basement)SPOILER (click to view)unknown:
shake-a-la-dots/scumanegats
gita schlamorta gita mort
fanabola te parida angula sord’
“Gabbagul-Italian,” or “Goombah Italian,” is an Italian-American dialect developed in the early 20th century by Italian immigrants settling in American cities. It is based on the Italian language, and it contains a mixture of Sicilian- and Neapolitan-inspired dialect words. The dialect was prominent in East-Coast US cities, such as Newark, Paterson, New York City (especially Manhattan and Brooklyn), and Boston. It was mostly spoken in tightly-knit Italian communities and neighborhoods, especially those with heavy Sicilian populations. “Gabbagul” isn’t the official name of this dialect; many names could signify it, including “American-Italian,” “New Jersey-Italian,” “New York-Italian,” “Calabrese-Siciliano-Italian,” etc. Many words are taken from other dialects, and different Italians in different areas spoke their dialects differently. For example, my great-grandmother spoke in Italian, with mixed in English, Sicilian, and Calabrese words. Some words, such as “awunda” and “cachuncka,” are completely made up words, sometimes with English-language origins.
I am attempting to recreate a dictionary of this Italian dialect. Much of this comes from memory and familial recollection. Putting this together in one succinct place was very fun, and I hope it is helpful. This dictionary will be updated, as it is an ongoing process.
In this dictionary you will find tons of Italian-American slang words and their Italiano/Calabrese/Siciliano origins..