irresponsabile
/ir.res.ponˈsa.bi.le/
The Italian word for 'irresponsible' is irresponsabile.
The word irresponsabile is an adjective used to describe someone or something that lacks a sense of responsibility. If you want to express that someone is 'reckless' or 'careless' in an informal way, you might use the term Scavezzacollo.
Meaning: lacking a sense of responsibility (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to more than one irresponsible person, use the plural form irresponsabili.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ir.res.ponˈsa.bi.le/. It has 6 syllables, and the stress is on the 4th syllable.
Did you know?
- To describe someone as truly irresponsible in a colloquial way, Italians might use the phrase non avere testa, which means 'to not have a head'.
- In Italian, the word responsabile can be used as a noun to mean a 'manager' or 'person in charge'. Therefore, calling someone irresponsabile can occasionally imply they are unfit for a specific leadership role rather than just lacking character.
- While irresponsabile refers to a lack of duty, the slang term scavezzacollo literally translates to 'neck-breaker', describing someone who lives life dangerously.
Examples in context
- È irresponsabile e basta.That's just irresponsible.This example shows how to use irresponsabile to state that a situation is simply irresponsible.Tatoeba #7124194 by Guybrush88, translation #7123077 by CM
- Tom è irresponsabile, vero?Tom is irresponsible, isn't he?This example uses irresponsabile to ask for confirmation about someone's character.Tatoeba #8694249 by Guybrush88, translation #3417110 by CK
- Sami è un irresponsabile di merda.Sami is irresponsible as shit.This example uses irresponsabile in a vulgar context to insult someone.Tatoeba #10237597 by Nuel, translation #7205269 by OsoHombre
- C'è un comportamento non responsabileThere is irresponsible behavior.
- È una persona poco affidabileHe/she is an irresponsible person or he/she is not reliable.
- Guidare così velocemente è davvero spericolatoDriving that fast is really irresponsible.
- Non posso contare su di lui/lei, è inaffidabileI can't rely on him/her, he/she is irresponsible.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are discussing a mutual friend's recent actions.
- MatteoMarco è stato davvero irresponsabile ieri.Marco was really irresponsible yesterday.
- ChiaraSì, è stato un gesto molto stupido.Yes, it was a very stupid gesture.
- MatteoSpero che non accada più.I hope it doesn't happen again.
- ChiaraHai ragione, deve fare attenzione.You're right, he must be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “irresponsible” translations and entries irresponsabile, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
