astuto
/asˈtu.to/
The Italian word for crafty is astuto.
The term astuto describes someone who is cunning or wily. While it can imply a sense of being crafty, it is frequently used as a compliment to describe someone as being clever or shrewd.
Meaning: cunning, wily (adj)
Which one should you use?
While astuto can be used to mean crafty in a cunning sense, it is often used as a compliment to mean clever or shrewd in a positive way.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form is astuta, the masculine plural form is astuti and the feminine plural form is astute.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /asˈtu.to/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian culture, being astuto is often seen as a necessary survival skill rather than a moral flaw, reflecting a historical value placed on 'l'arte di arrangiarsi' or the art of getting by.
- A person described as astuto is often compared to a fox, as the fox is the quintessential symbol of cunning in Italian folklore and fables.
- The word astuto shares its Latin root astūtus with the English word 'astute', making them direct linguistic cousins.
Examples in context
- Tom è abbastanza astuto.Tom is pretty crafty.This sentence shows how to use astuto to describe someone's character.Tatoeba #2966773 by Guybrush88, translation #2273352 by CK
- Era astuto.He was crafty.This sentence shows the past tense use of astuto.Tatoeba #8511720 by Guybrush88, translation #8477139 by CH
- Il politico è un uomo astuto.The politician is a crafty man.
- Mio fratello è davvero furbastro, riesce sempre a ottenere quello che vuole.My brother is really crafty, he always gets what he wants.
- Quel vecchio mercante è molto astuto.That old merchant is very cunning.
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are discussing a person who tricked them.
- SofiaNon ci fidiamo di lui.We cannot trust him.
- MatteoHai ragione, è un uomo astuto.You are right, he is a cunning man.
- SofiaHa ottenuto tutto con l'inganno.He got everything through deception.
- MatteoDobbiamo stare molto attenti.We must be very careful.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry astuto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries astuto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
