maledetto
/ma.leˈdet.to/
The English word 'damned' is translated into Italian as maledetto.
maledetto can be used both as a literal curse meaning someone or something is cursed, and as an expletive to express frustration or contempt, similar to the English 'damned' or 'bloody'.
Meaning: variant of profane ''damn,'' used to express contempt, exasperation, etc. towards someone or something (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the form must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies: maledetto (masculine singular), maledetta (feminine singular), maledetti (masculine plural) and maledette (feminine plural).
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ma.leˈdet.to/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In some Italian regional dialects, the concept of being 'damned' is expressed through the word bestemmia, which refers to the specific act of cursing a deity, a practice that is legally punishable in Italy.
- The word maledetto comes from the Latin maledictus, combining male meaning 'badly' and dictus meaning 'spoken'.
- In Italian, calling someone maledetto can carry a much heavier religious weight than the English 'damned', often implying a literal divine curse.
Examples in context
- È un problema maledetto che affligge molti paesi.It's a damned problem afflicting many countries.
- Ho dimenticato il mio portafoglio a casa, accidenti!I forgot my wallet at home, damn!
- Questo traffico, porca miseria!This traffic, damn!
- Mannaggia a questa pioggia, proprio oggi che avevo programmato una gita.Damn this rain, just today when I had planned an outing.
- Questo maledetto computer non funziona!This damned computer doesn't work!
- Il maledetto treno è in ritardo di nuovo.The damned train is late again.
- Non voglio più sentire quel maledetto rumore.I don't want to hear that damned noise anymore.
Example conversation
Matteo is struggling to open a jar in the kitchen.
- MatteoNon si apre questo maledetto barattolo!This damned jar won't open!
- ChiaraDammi quel barattolo, Matteo.Give me that jar, Matteo.
- ChiaraEcco fatto, era solo chiuso bene.There you go, it was just closed tightly.
- MatteoGrazie, Chiara. Ero quasi disperato.Thanks, Chiara. I was almost desperate.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry maledetto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maledetto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
