gran capo
The Italian phrase for "big boss" is gran capo.
gran capo can be used literally, but it is often used colloquially or even ironically to refer to a person in a position of power.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a contraction of grande capo, where gran is a truncated form of grande (big/great) and capo means boss or head.
Did you know?
- The word capo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'chef'. While 'chef' refers to a leader in a kitchen, both come from the same root meaning 'head'.
- Beyond people, the word capo is used to describe the physical end of a rope or the far end of a street.
- If someone is being overly stubborn, Italians might call them a capoccia, which literally translates to 'big head'.
Examples in context
- Lui è il gran capo dell'azienda.He is the big boss of the company.
- Il gran capo ha approvato il progetto.The big boss approved the project.
- Dobbiamo parlare con il gran capo subito.We must speak with the big boss immediately.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new office policy in the breakroom.
- AlessandroSofia, hai sentito la notizia?Sofia, did you hear the news?
- SofiaNo, cosa è successo?No, what happened?
- AlessandroIl gran capo cambierà tutti i nostri orari.The big boss is going to change all our schedules.
- SofiaDavvero? Alessandro, questo è un problema!Really? Alessandro, this is a problem!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries capo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
