Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| casino | /kaˈzi.no/ /kaˈsi.no/ |
masculine |
| macello | /maˈt͡ʃɛl.lo/ | |
| percorso ad ostacoli | ||
| confusione | /kon.fuˈzjo.ne/ | feminine |
| sconquasso | /skonˈkwas.so/ | masculine |
| rovina | /roˈvi.na/ | feminine |
The terms in Italian describe a confusion of things. You might use confusione for a confusing or messy situation, or caos to indicate a general state of disorder. For a mix-up, a blunder or a messy situation, you can use pasticcio. If you are describing the messiness of one's personal affairs, the word livello is often used. You may also encounter the phrase fare casino, which means to make a mess or to cause a loud, chaotic disturbance.
Which one should you use?
While all these words relate to disorder, they have different nuances. Macello is used when a mess is particularly large, loud or disruptive, often implying a sense of a huge racket or a big mess. For a more literal sense of a physical path filled with obstacles, you can use percorso ad ostacoli. While disordine translates directly to 'disorder', and caos indicates 'chaos', the other terms provide more specific shades of meaning.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Casino is an informal way to describe a mess or a chaotic situation.
How does it change in a sentence?
Confusione is a feminine noun, while casino and sconquasso are masculine nouns. Rovina is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
Casino is pronounced /kaˈzi.no/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should not confuse the Italian word casino (meaning mess) with the English word 'casino' (meaning a gambling house), even though they share the same spelling.
Did you know?
- Using casino is very common in informal speech, but in strict traditional settings, it can be seen as slightly vulgar or 'low' language because of its association with gambling dens and brothels.
- The word casino literally means 'little house'. In the past, these small houses were used for private parties and noisy gatherings, which is why the word now describes a mess or a racket.
- The term macello for a mess comes from the word for a slaughterhouse. It evokes the image of the blood and chaos found in a place where animals are butchered.
Examples in context
- Tom pulì il casino.Tom cleaned up the mess.This sentence shows how to use casino regarding cleaning up.Tatoeba #2822437 by Guybrush88, translation #2821558 by CK
- Questo è un casino.This is a mess.This sentence shows how to use casino to identify a mess.Tatoeba #4556240 by Guybrush88, translation #2268932 by _undertoad
- Scusa per il casino.Excuse the mess.This sentence shows how to use casino when apologizing for a mess.Tatoeba #2557067 by Guybrush88, translation #2245485 by CK
- L'ufficio è pieno di disordine.The office is full of mess.
- Il traffico è un caos.The traffic is a mess.
- La festa è diventata una confusione.The party turned into a mess.
- Ho fatto un pasticcio in cucina.I made a mess in the kitchen.
- 55 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo walks into the living room and sees toys everywhere.
- LorenzoMa che casino c'è qui in salotto!What a mess is here in the living room!
- ChiaraI bambini hanno giocato tutto il pomeriggio.The children played all afternoon.
- LorenzoDobbiamo sistemare questo casino subito.We need to tidy up this mess immediately.
- ChiaraHai ragione, Chiara ti aiuta a pulire.You are right, Chiara will help you clean.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mess” translations and entries casino, macello, confusione, sconquasso, rovina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries casino, confusione, macello, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
