sfortuna
/sforˈtu.na/feminine
The Italian phrase for bad luck is sfortuna. If unsure, use sfortuna. Wiktionary also lists iella and sfiga.
Meaning: misfortune (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sfortuna | /sforˈtu.na/ | feminine |
| iella | /ˈjɛl.la/ | feminine |
| sfiga | /ˈsfi.ɡa/ | feminine |
| malasorte | feminine |
All the terms listed here refer to misfortune.
What does it mean word for word?
The word sfortuna is formed by the prefix s- (meaning 'without' or 'away from') and fortuna (luck/fortune).
Which one should you use?
While all these words mean bad luck, sfiga is a much more informal and slangy way to say it compared to sfortuna.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word malasorte is a compound of mala (bad) and sorte (fate/luck). All the forms in this list are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/sforˈtu.na/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word sfiga is highly vulgar in some contexts because figa is a slang term for female genitalia.
- To ward off sfortuna or iella, some Italians touch a piece of iron or make a specific hand gesture called le corna to deflect the bad luck.
- In Italy, the concept of malocchio or the 'evil eye' is often seen as the supernatural cause of sudden sfortuna.
Examples in context
- La sfortuna sembra seguirmi.Bad luck seems to follow me.This sentence uses sfortuna to show how bad luck might follow someone.Tatoeba #13113319 by Nuel, translation #13113318 by Nuel
- I gatti neri portano sfortuna.Black cats are bad luck.This sentence uses sfortuna to discuss a superstition regarding black cats.Tatoeba #1106921 by Guybrush88, translation #1106907 by Scott
- Abbiamo avuto troppa sfortuna.We've had too much bad luck.This sentence uses sfortuna to express having experienced too much misfortune.Tatoeba #6894881 by Guybrush88, translation #3822911 by CK
- Ho avuto sfortuna.I had bad luck.
- Ho avuto sfigaI had bad luck
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo are talking about a missed train.
- SofiaIl treno è partito un minuto fa.The train left a minute ago.
- LorenzoChe sfortuna, Lorenzo!What bad luck, Lorenzo!
- SofiaSì, non posso crederci.Yes, I can't believe it.
- LorenzoPrendiamo il prossimo allora.Let's take the next one then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bad luck” translations and entries sfortuna, iella, sfiga, malasorte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries iella, sfiga, sfortuna, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
