orribile
/orˈri.bi.le/
The English word "horrible" is translated into Italian as orribile.
The adjective orribile is used to describe something that is tremendously bad.
Meaning: tremendously bad (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective orribile is invariant for gender, so it remains the same whether you are describing a masculine or a feminine singular noun. To describe multiple things, use the plural form orribili, which applies to both masculine and feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /orˈri.bi.le/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In classical Italian literature, orribile was often used in a positive or awe-struck sense to describe the 'sublime' and terrifying beauty of nature.
- The word orribile shares the same Latin root as the English 'horrible', specifically from the word 'horrere', which means 'to tremble' or 'to bristle'.
- In Italian, if you want to say something is 'horrible' in a more casual, hyperbolic way, you might use the word pazzesco, which literally means 'insane'.
Examples in context
- La paga è orribile.The pay is horrible.The sentence is useful for describing how bad the pay is when using orribile.Tatoeba #3494309 by Guybrush88, translation #3494303 by Hybrid
- Il cibo è orribile.The food is horrible.The sentence is useful for describing how bad the food is when using orribile.Tatoeba #4516208 by Guybrush88, translation #4494724 by CK
- Il film era orribile.The movie was horrible.The sentence is useful for describing how bad the movie was when using orribile.Tatoeba #4534896 by Guybrush88, translation #4494471 by CK
- Il film di ieri sera era davvero terribile!The movie last night was truly horrible!
- Mi hanno raccontato una storia orribile sull'incidente stradale.They told me a horrible story about the car accident.
- Ho avuto una pessima esperienza con quel ristorante.I had a horrible experience at that restaurant.
- Ho visto un film orrendo l'altro giorno. Meglio non perderci tempo!I watched a horrible movie the other day. Better not waste your time on it!
- Ho avuto una giornata brutta. Niente è andato bene!I had a horrible day. Nothing went well!
- Quel film era uno schifo! Non ti avvicinare nemmeno!That movie was horrible! Don't even get close to it!
- 140 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are talking about a concert they attended.
- LorenzoIl concerto era davvero orribile.The concert was truly horrible.
- MartinaSì, è stato un evento orribile.Yes, it was a horrible event.
- LorenzoNon voglio più andarci.I don't want to go there anymore.
- MartinaHai ragione, Lorenzo.You are right, Lorenzo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry orribile, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries orribile, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
