Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| folletto | /folˈlet.to/ | masculine |
| goblin | masculine |
In Italian, the term refers to a small, humanoid creature. Depending on the context, it can describe a traditional mischievous spirit or a modern fantasy monster.
Which one should you use?
The word goblin is used specifically to refer to the modern fantasy trope of a hostile, small humanoid creature, often borrowed from English-language media. In contrast, folletto is the more traditional Italian term for a small, mischievous, but not necessarily hostile spirit, imp, sprite or brownie.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of folletto is folletti. However, goblin is an invariable masculine noun, meaning its form does not change in the plural.
How do you pronounce it?
The word folletto is pronounced /folˈlet.to/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The term folletto is linguistically related to the word folle, which means 'mad' or 'insane' in Italian.
- In Italian, the word folletto is often used affectionately to describe a small child who is particularly energetic or mischievous.
- Because goblin is a modern import, Italian readers of classic fantasy translated from English in the 20th century often saw these creatures called orchi or nanetti before the English term became standard.
Examples in context
- Hai visto quell'ultimo film fantasy? C'era un goblin veramente buffo!Did you see that latest fantasy movie? There was a really funny goblin in it!
- Mio fratello ha sempre amato le storie sugli orchi e i goblin.My brother has always loved stories about orcs and goblins.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a fantasy novel.
- LorenzoChi è il cattivo in questo libro?Who is the villain in this book?
- GiuliaÈ un folletto molto crudele, Lorenzo.It is a very cruel goblin, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoIl folletto vive in una caverna?Does the goblin live in a cave?
- GiuliaSì, Giulia dice che è così.Yes, Giulia says it is so.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goblin” translations and entries folletto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
