borghese
/borˈɡe.ze/
The English phrase 'bougie' can be translated into Italian as borghese.
The term borghese describes someone or something pertaining to or behaving like people of a higher social status. While the English slang 'bougie' often carries a derogatory or mocking tone regarding consumerism, the Italian borghese is more frequently used in a sociological or political context to describe the middle class.
Meaning: behaving like or pertaining to people of a higher social status (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective borghese is invariable in gender, so it remains the same whether it is describing a masculine or feminine noun. To express the plural, use the form borghesi.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /borˈɡe.ze/.
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'bougie' to describe luxury tastes, an Italian might use borghese to describe someone who is boringly conventional or overly obsessed with propriety.
- The root of the word, borgo, refers to a fortified village or a small town, which was the birthplace of the social class borghese.
- In Italian politics and history, borghese is often used as a technical term for the owners of the means of production in Marxist theory rather than just a lifestyle description.
Examples in context
- Maria è proprio spocchiosa, non riesce a fare due passi senza mostrare i suoi nuovi indumenti firmati.Maria is really snooty, she can't take two steps without showing off her new designer clothes.
- Ha uno stile di vita molto borghese.She has a very bourgeois lifestyle.
- Non mi piace questo ambiente borghese.I don't like this bourgeois environment.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a new expensive cafe in the city.
- LorenzoQuesto posto è troppo borghese per me.This place is too bougie for me.
- MartinaSì, è decisamente un ambiente borghese.Yes, it is definitely a bougie environment.
- LorenzoPreferisco i posti più semplici.I prefer simpler places.
- MartinaHai ragione, Lorenzo.You're right, Lorenzo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry borghese, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
