Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gangster | /ˈɡɛns.ter/ /ˈɡans.ter/ |
feminine, masculine |
| mafioso | /maˈfjo.zo/ /maˈfjo.so/ |
masculine |
| delinquente | /de.linˈkwɛn.te/ | masculine |
| malvivente | /mal.viˈvɛn.te/ | masculine |
In Italian, gangster is a loanword from English. It is typically used when referring to American-style organized crime or within the context of pop culture.
Which one should you use?
While gangster is a general term, mafioso specifically refers to a member of the Mafia. If you are describing a young person or a petty criminal, use delinquente instead of the more organized-sounding gangster. For a more formal and descriptive way to say a person is a lawbreaker or a criminal, use malvivente.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Naples, the word scugnizzo can be used to refer to a young street tough involved in illicit activities.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word gangster is an invariable loanword in Italian. To make it plural, you change the article rather than changing the ending of the word itself, such as i gangster.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈɡɛns.ter/. The stress is on the first of the two syllables.
Did you know?
- While mafioso refers to the Mafia, Italy has different regional organized crime groups like the 'ndrangheta and camorra that have their own specific terminology.
- Italian police reports often use malavita to describe the 'underworld' of gangsters, which literally means 'bad life'.
- The word malvivente literally translates to 'bad-living', describing someone whose very lifestyle is characterized by lawlessness.
Examples in context
- Tom è un gangster.Tom is a gangster.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a gangster.Tatoeba #6916708 by Guybrush88, translation #3824452 by CK
- Non sono un gangster.I'm not a gangster.This sentence is useful for expressing that one is not a gangster.Tatoeba #6916714 by Guybrush88, translation #5851801 by CK
- Lui sembra un gangster.He looks like a gangster.This sentence is useful for describing someone's appearance as being like a gangster.Tatoeba #6916711 by Guybrush88, translation #5826193 by OsoHombre
- Loro si sono comportati come dei delinquenti.They behaved like gangsters.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Matteo are discussing a crime movie.
- MartinaMatteo, credi che lui sia un gangster?Matteo, do you think he is a gangster?
- MatteoSì, sembra proprio un gangster.Yes, he really looks like a gangster.
- MartinaÈ un gangster molto spaventoso.He is a very scary gangster.
- MatteoSpero che Martina non abbia paura.I hope Martina is not afraid.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gangster” translations and entries gangster, mafioso, delinquente, malvivente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
