grana
slang, informal
The most common slang word for money in Italian is grana. You will also hear sghei and quattrini, while soldi is the plain everyday word.
Meaning: informal word for money (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| grana | slang, informal |
| Quattrini | informal |
| Sghei | slang, northern |
Grana is used all over Italy in sentences like Ho un sacco di grana. Quattrini is informal but a bit older, and often appears in fare quattrini, "to make money".
Which one should you use?
Soldi is neutral and is what you use in a shop or at the bank. The slang words belong to chats with friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Sghei is slang with northern roots and sounds playful.
How does it change in a sentence?
Grana and sghei are used for money in general. Sghei is a plural noun, so it takes pochi or tanti.
Did you know?
- The phrase essere al verde means "to be broke" in Italian, literally "to be at the green".
Examples in context
- Non ho grana oggi.I have no cash today.
- Servono un po' di sghei.We need some money.
- Ha fatto un sacco di quattrini.He made a lot of money.
Example conversation
Davide and Sara plan a weekend trip and talk about the budget.
- DavideQuanta grana ci serve?How much money do we need?
- SaraAlmeno duecento euro.At least two hundred euros.
- DavideVa bene, ci sto.Fine, I am in.
