sei serio?
/ˈsɛj ˈsɛ.rjo/word by word
The English phrase "are you serious?" is translated into Italian as sei serio?
This phrase is used to ask if someone is telling the truth or not joking about something. In spoken Italian, it is very common to add Ma to the beginning, as in Ma sei serio?, to add emphasis or express incredulity.
Which one should you use?
While sei serio? asks for confirmation of truth, the colloquial expression ma dai! is often used to express disbelief or shock in a similar context.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree with the gender and number of the person or people being addressed. Use sei seria? when speaking to a woman. If you are asking a group of people, use the plural form siete seri? If you are addressing a group of only women, use the plural feminine form siete serie?
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The adjective serio is a distant linguistic cousin of the English word 'heavy', as both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'heavy' or 'weighty'.
- In some regional dialects, particularly in the South, a speaker might use a sharp upward hand gesture or a lip-purse while saying Ma sei serio? to signal extreme skepticism.
- When expressing extreme disbelief, Italians may use the phrase Ma va!, which literally means 'But go!', acting as a shorter, punchier version of sei serio?
Examples in context
- Sei serio?Are you serious?
Example conversation
Matteo tells Martina that he is moving to Japan.
- MatteoMartina, mi trasferisco in Giappone il mese prossimo.Martina, I am moving to Japan next month.
- MartinaCosa? Sei serio?What? Are you serious?
- MatteoSì, ho già trovato un lavoro a Tokyo.Yes, I have already found a job in Tokyo.
- MartinaIncredibile! Sono davvero felice per te.Incredible! I am really happy for you.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sei, serio) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sei, serio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
