iettatura
/jet.taˈtu.ra/
The Italian word for jinx is iettatura.
iettatura is used to describe the state or the act of being a jinx. If you want to refer to the person who is a jinx, you use iettatore for a male or iettatrice for a female.
Meaning: a person or thing supposed to bring bad luck (noun)
Which one should you use?
iettatura implies a general sense of bad luck or a 'jinxing' atmosphere. In contrast, the phrase gettare il malocchio refers specifically to the superstitious act of casting an evil eye or a curse. To express the verb 'to bring bad luck', you can use portare sfortuna, portare scalogna or the colloquial phrase portare iella.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/jet.taˈtu.ra/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italy, people might touch a cornicello or a small red horn charm to ward off iettatura. This symbol is often mistaken for a chili pepper by tourists.
- Unlike the English 'jinx', which can be a playful game when two people say the same word, iettatura is almost always taken seriously as a superstitious threat.
- If you accidentally say something that might bring bad luck, Italians might react by saying toccare ferro, which means 'touch iron'.
Examples in context
- Se dici la parola "incidente" prima di un viaggio, porti sfortuna.If you say the word "accident" before a trip, you bring bad luck.
- Non dire mai che tutti i preparativi sono andati bene, rischi di sfidare il destino!Never say that all the preparations went well, you risk challenging fate!
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are talking about a bad day.
- GiuliaTutto è andato male oggi, Francesco.Everything went wrong today, Francesco.
- FrancescoForse è colpa di quel vecchio libro.Maybe it's the fault of that old book.
- GiuliaSì, quel libro è una iettatura!Yes, that book is a jinx!
- FrancescoAllora buttiamolo via subito.Then let's throw it away immediately.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry iettatura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
