confuso
/konˈfu.zo/
The Italian word for "confused" is confuso.
confuso is used to describe someone who is unable to think clearly or understand a situation. Notably, it can describe both a person's mental state and a physical state of disorder or messiness, such as a messy room.
Meaning: unable to think clearly or understand (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, confuso must agree in gender and number with the person or people being described. Use confusa for a female, confusi for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and confuse for a group of women.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /konˈfu.zo/. The word has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be aware that while English speakers use "confused" to describe a mental state, in Italian, confuso can also imply that something is disorganized or lacks clarity.
Did you know?
- When someone is extremely confused or bewildered, Italians may use the slang phrase essere nel pallone, which literally means 'to be in the ball'.
- In legal Italian, the term confusione has a specific meaning regarding the merging of two separate pieces of property into one single mass.
- To describe a state of total confusion or chaos, Italians use the noun confusione, which can refer to a loud crowd as well as a mental state.
Examples in context
- Tom si è confuso.Tom got confused.Tatoeba #5377987 by Guybrush88, translation #2236318 by CK
- Ero un po' confuso.I was a bit confused.Tatoeba #4669433 by Guybrush88, translation #4667046 by CK
- Sono un po' confuso.I'm a little confused.Tatoeba #1549791 by Guybrush88, translation #1549729 by Spamster
- Sono un po' sconcertata dopo aver sentito quella notizia.I'm a bit confused after hearing that news.
- Mi sento perplesso riguardo a quella decisione.I feel confused about that decision.
- Sono un po' confusa riguardo alla tua spiegazione.I'm a bit confused about your explanation.
- 243 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are discussing a complicated set of directions.
- MatteoSono davvero confuso con queste indicazioni.I am really confused with these directions.
- MartinaNon ti preoccupare, sono molto complicate.Don't worry, they are very complicated.
- MatteoNon capisco dove dobbiamo girare.I don't understand where we should turn.
- MartinaTi aiuto io a capire, Matteo.I will help you understand, Matteo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry confuso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
