Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| ubriaco | /u.briˈa.ko/ |
| ebbro | /ˈɛb.bro/ |
The standard way to describe being intoxicated is with the adjective ubriaco. If you want to express the action of 'getting drunk', you should use the reflexive verb ubriacarsi. For nouns describing the state of being drunk, you can use ubriachezza or ebbrezza. To describe someone who is a habitual drinker, you can use ubriacone or alcolizzato.
Which one should you use?
While ubriaco is the standard term, ebbro is a more literary or poetic way to express being intoxicated, often used to describe being 'intoxicated' by things like passion. The term sbronzo is an informal alternative for being drunk.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective ubriaco must agree in gender and number with the person or people being described. Use ubriaca for a woman, ubriachi for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and ubriache for a group of women.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /u.briˈa.ko/. It has four syllables, and the stress is on the third syllable.
Did you know?
- While sbronzo is common, you might hear the phrase essere brillo to mean 'tipsy', using a word that normally means 'bright' or 'shining'.
- To describe a severe hangover, Italians use the word postumi, which literally translates to 'after-effects' or 'remains'.
- The word ubriaco shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'ale', both tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to drink'.
Examples in context
- È un po' ubriaco.He's a bit drunk.This sentence shows how to say someone is a little bit drunk using ubriaco.Tatoeba #2524453 by Guybrush88, translation #1911952 by Spamster
- È ubriaco o cosa?Are you drunk or something?This sentence is a way to ask if someone is drunk using ubriaco.Tatoeba #4747761 by Guybrush88, translation #4719553 by Hybrid
- È ubriaco o pazzo.He is either drunk or mad.This sentence uses ubriaco to present an alternative between being drunk or mad.Tatoeba #1546263 by Guybrush88, translation #293320 by CK
- Sono completamente ebrioI am totally drunk
- Mi sento un po' alticcioI feel a bit drunk
- Sono sbronzo dopo quella festaI'm drunk after that party
- Dopo aver bevuto troppo vino, mi sono sentito ebrioAfter drinking too much wine, I felt drunk
- Siamo stati a quella festa ieri sera e alla fine eravamo tutti sbronziWe went to that party last night, and in the end, we were all drunk
- Sono completamente brillo dopo quella serata a MilanoI'm completely drunk after that night out in Milan
- 346 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are talking at a party.
- MatteoGuarda quel ragazzo, è ubriaco.Look at that guy, he is drunk.
- GiuliaSì, sembra aver bevuto troppo.Yes, he seems to have drunk too much.
- MatteoDobbiamo aiutarlo a chiamare un taxi.We should help him call a taxi.
- GiuliaHai ragione, Matteo.You are right, Matteo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drunk” translations and entries ubriaco, ebbro, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ebbro, ubriaco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
