perbacco
/perˈbak.ko/
perbacco is the Italian way to say holy mackerel.
This expression is used to convey surprise, astonishment or even a hint of slight annoyance. It functions similarly to the English expressions 'goodness gracious' or 'my goodness'.
Meaning: expression of surprise (intj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
perbacco is considered a mild and somewhat old-fashioned exclamation. It serves as a polite euphemism because it avoids using religious names like God or Jesus.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /perˈbak.ko/.
Did you know?
- The exclamation perbacco is a direct reference to Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and ecstasy. Using his name allowed people to express strong emotion without the risk of blasphemy.
- In modern Italian, using perbacco can make a speaker sound like a character from a 19th-century novel or a formal grandfather.
- The structure 'per' plus a name was a common way to swear in Latin, which survived into Italian through this specific phrase.
Examples in context
- Porca miseria! Non puoi immaginare quanto fosse deliziosa quella pizza.Holy mackerel! You can't imagine how delicious that pizza was.
- 'A Maronna mia, che spettacolo di tramonto!Holy mackerel, what a stunning sunset!
Example conversation
Martina shows Matteo a very expensive painting.
- MartinaGuarda quanto costa questo quadro, Matteo!Look how much this painting costs, Matteo!
- MatteoPerbacco, è davvero una cifra assurda!Holy mackerel, that is truly an absurd amount!
- MartinaSì, è quasi incredibile.Yes, it's almost unbelievable.
- MatteoNon potremo mai comprarlo.We will never be able to buy it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry perbacco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries perbacco, CC BY-SA 4.0.
