brutale
/bruˈta.le/
The English word brutal is translated into Italian as brutale.
Brutale is used to describe things that are savagely violent. Similar to its use in English, it can also be used figuratively to describe something extremely difficult, unpleasant or harsh, such as a weather event or an exam.
Meaning: savagely violent (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective brutale is invariable for gender, meaning the same form is used for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. The plural form is brutali, which is used for both masculine and feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables with the stress on the second syllable: /bruˈta.le/.
Did you know?
- While 'brutal' in English often describes people, calling a person brutale in Italian can imply they are not just violent, but also incredibly rude or lacking in manners.
- Using brutale to describe a person's honesty, such as 'onestà brutale', is a common way to describe someone who is 'brutally honest' without necessarily being physically violent.
- The Italian word brutale shares the same Latin root as the English word 'brute', which refers to a person or animal acting without reason.
Examples in context
- L'esame era davvero brutale.The exam was really brutal.This sentence shows how to use brutale to describe a difficult exam.Tatoeba #13279726 by Guybrush88, translation #8422061 by magnificentgoddess
- Quella caduta è stata brutale. Sta bene?That fall was brutal. Are you OK?This sentence uses brutale to describe a fall.Tatoeba #8467377 by Guybrush88, translation #6616502 by Eccles17
- Sarà brutale.It's going to be brutal.This sentence illustrates using brutale to describe a future situation.Tatoeba #3034277 by Guybrush88, translation #2891571 by CK
- Nel film, la scena della lotta è stata cruenta e difficile da guardare.In the movie, the fight scene was brutal and hard to watch.
- Quella partita di calcio è stata violenta, con molti contrasti e falli.That soccer match was brutal, with many clashes and fouls.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are discussing a news report about a violent crime.
- GiuliaHai letto l'articolo sull'aggressione?Did you read the article about the attack?
- LorenzoSì, è stato un atto brutale.Yes, it was a brutal act.
- GiuliaNon capisco come certa gente sia così violenta.I don't understand how some people can be so violent.
- LorenzoÈ davvero terribile, Lorenzo non riesce a dimenticarlo.It is truly terrible, Lorenzo cannot forget it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brutal” translations and entries brutale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries brutale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
