iellato
/jelˈla.to/
The English phrase jinxed is translated to Italian as iellato.
The term is used to describe a person who is unlucky or someone who believes they are cursed. You can also use the noun form iellatura to refer to the jinx itself or the state of having bad luck.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word iellato is a colloquial way to describe someone who is cursed or unlucky. For a more formal way to express being jinxed, you can use the phrase Colpito dalla sfortuna, which translates to 'struck by misfortune'. In an informal context, you might say Ho una iella to mean 'I have a jinx' or 'I am jinxed'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its ending based on the gender and number of the people being described: use iellata for a female person or a feminine noun, iellati for a group of men or a mixed-gender group and iellate for a group consisting only of women.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable: /jelˈla.to/.
Did you know?
- In Italy, the number 17 is considered the primary source of iella rather than 13. This is because the Roman numeral XVII is an anagram of VIXI, which means 'I have lived' or 'my life is over'.
- In some Italian regions, calling someone iellato is not just a description but a superstitious act. Naming the misfortune is believed to actually 'call' or trigger the bad luck to happen.
- The phrase Ho una iella treats bad luck as a tangible object. Instead of being a quality of the person, the jinx is imagined as a physical entity that follows the speaker around.
Examples in context
- Sono sfortunatoI am jinxed/unlucky.
- Sono stato colpito dalla sfortunaI have been jinxed/struck by misfortune.
- Ho una iellaI am jinxed/have bad luck.
- Dopo aver aperto quell'ombrello in casa è stato colpito dalla sfortuna, è caduto e si è fatto male.After opening that umbrella indoors, he was jinxed/struck by misfortune, he tripped and got hurt.
- Lorenzo dice sempre di avere una iella, ma potrebbe solo essere un po' superstizioso.Lorenzo always claims to be jinxed/have a jinx, but he might just be a little superstitious.
- Quel povero uomo sembra proprio iellato.That poor man seems truly jinxed.
- Non voglio stare vicino a te se sei iellato.I don't want to be near you if you are jinxed.
- Sento che questo posto è iellato.I feel like this place is jinxed.
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo are discussing a series of unfortunate events at a party.
- SofiaLorenzo, sei proprio un uomo iellato oggi!Lorenzo, you are truly a jinxed man today!
- LorenzoNon è colpa mia, è solo sfortuna.It's not my fault, it's just bad luck.
- SofiaTutte le cose che tocchi si rompono.Everything you touch breaks.
- LorenzoForse dovrei stare lontano da questa festa.Maybe I should stay away from this party.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry iellato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
