sfigato
/sfiˈɡa.to/
The English word dork is translated into Italian as sfigato.
sfigato refers to a person who is quirky, silly, socially inept or out of touch with contemporary trends. Depending on the context, it can be used as a lighthearted tease or as a genuine insult to describe someone unlucky or socially inept.
Meaning: a quirky, silly, or stupid socially inept person, or one who is out of touch with contemporary trends (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
sfigato is an informal term and is commonly used among peers or in casual settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun changes its ending based on gender and number. Use sfigata when referring to a female dork. For a group of males or a mixed-gender group, use the masculine plural sfigati. If you are referring to a group consisting only of females, use the feminine plural sfigate.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable: /sfiˈɡa.to/.
Did you know?
- The word sfigato is built upon a root that is actually a very vulgar slang term for female genitalia. While the word itself is commonly used to mean 'unlucky' or 'a loser', its morphological history is much more provocative than the English 'dork'.
- In Italian culture, sfigato is often associated with someone who lacks bella figura, the social art of presenting oneself with elegance and poise to the public.
- While 'dork' is often a playful term in English, calling someone sfigato can be a harsh social condemnation suggesting the person is a complete loser who will never succeed.
Examples in context
- È sempre così distratto, ma è un ragazzo simpatico, un po' sciocco!He's always so absent-minded, but he's a nice guy, a bit of a dork!
- Non avrebbe mai dovuto credere alle loro promesse, è un vero babbeo!He should have never believed their promises, he's a real dork!
- Quel ragazzo è un vero sfigato.That boy is a real dork.
- Non fare lo sfigato con me.Don't act like a dork with me.
Example conversation
Two friends are teasing each other about their bad luck in social situations.
- GiuliaAlessandro, sei proprio uno sfigato.Alessandro, you are such a dork.
- AlessandroLo so, non ho mai fortuna.I know, I never have any luck.
- GiuliaMa non essere così triste.But don't be so sad.
- AlessandroÈ difficile, Giulia.It's hard, Giulia.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sfigato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sfigato, CC BY-SA 4.0.
