furbo
/ˈfur.bo/
The Italian word for "clever" is furbo.
furbo describes someone who is mentally quick or sharp.
Meaning: mentally quick or sharp (adj)
Which one should you use?
While "clever" in English is often a pure compliment, furbo carries a connotation of being cunning, sly or even slightly dishonest to get ahead. If you want to describe someone as having high intellectual capacity without the connotation of being sly, use intelligente instead of furbo.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use furba for the feminine singular, furbi for the masculine plural and furbe for the feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈfur.bo/. The stress is on the first of the two syllables.
Did you know?
- In Italy, la furbizia (cunning) is often viewed as a necessary survival skill to navigate complex bureaucracy, rather than just a personality flaw.
- The Italian fox is called la volpe, and it is the ultimate symbol of being furbo. This connection is so strong that calling someone a fox is a common way to describe their cunning nature.
- There is a distinct difference between essere furbo (to be cunning) and fare il furbo (to act the smart-aleck or try to cheat the system).
Examples in context
- Tom è più furbo che onesto.Tom is more clever than honest.This sentence is useful for illustrating how someone can be more cunning than honest using furbo.Tatoeba #1109932 by riccioberto, translation #37076 by Dejo
- Maria è una donna intelligente.Maria is a clever woman.
- L'avvocato è un professionista astuto.The lawyer is a clever professional.
- Il comico ha un'intelligenza arguta.The comedian has a clever wit.
- Marco è un ragazzo furbo che riesce sempre a cavarsela.Marco is a clever guy who always manages to get by.
- Quel ragazzo è molto furbo.That boy is very clever.
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are discussing a puzzle.
- GiuliaNon riesco a risolvere questo enigma.I can't solve this puzzle.
- FrancescoLascia fare a me, sono furbo!Let me do it, I'm clever!
- GiuliaAllora dimostralo, Francesco.Then prove it, Francesco.
- FrancescoEcco la soluzione, è semplicissimo.Here is the solution, it's very simple.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clever” translations and entries furbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
