che figo
/ˈke ˈfi.ɡo/word by word
To say "how cool" in Italian, say che figo, a slang exclamation for something you find really cool.
che figo is what Italians, especially younger people, say when something impresses or excites them, like a new gadget, a great place or a good idea.
Which one should you use?
che figo is much more slangy than che bello (how nice), which is safe in any company. Caspita! is an informal exclamation close to "wow". To admire the charm of something in a more refined way, you can say Quanto è affascinante!
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
che figo is very informal slang. Use it with friends and avoid it in polite or formal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective agrees with what you are talking about, so the phrase appears as Che figo/figa!, with the masculine ending for a masculine subject and the feminine one for a feminine subject.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /ˈke ˈfi.ɡo/. The ch sounds like a k and the g is hard, as in "go".
Did you know?
- The word figo originally referred to a specific type of anatomical part, making its use as a synonym for 'cool' a very edgy piece of slang.
- The masculine che figo is generally safe slang, but the feminine che figa is considered significantly more vulgar or offensive in several Italian regions.
- While che figo describes a 'cool' object, using it to describe a person can shift the meaning from 'cool' to 'physically attractive' or 'hot'.
Examples in context
- Giulia, la tua nuova auto è davvero una figata!Giulia, your new car is really cool!
- Che figo quel film!How cool that movie is!
- Hai vinto un viaggio? Che figo!You won a trip? How cool!
- Che figo il tuo nuovo zaino.Your new backpack is so cool.
Example conversation
Giulia shows Alessandro a new gadget she bought.
- GiuliaGuarda cosa ho comprato oggi!Look what I bought today!
- AlessandroMa che figo! Dove l'hai preso?How cool! Where did you get it?
- GiuliaL'ho trovato in un piccolo negozio.I found it in a small shop.
- AlessandroÈ davvero fantastico, Giulia.It is really fantastic, Giulia.
