puttana
/putˈta.na/
The Italian word puttana means whore or prostitute.
puttana is a vulgar term used to refer to a sex worker or as a strong insult directed toward a woman.
Which one should you use?
While puttana is the standard vulgar term, puttanella is a diminutive slang form that can be used to lessen the severity of the word or even used affectionately. In the context of referring to a sex worker, the formal term is prostituta.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
puttana is highly vulgar and should be used with caution as it functions as a strong insult. For a formal and polite way to express the same meaning, use prostituta. The slang form puttanella is also used in informal contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Naples, the word mignotta is used to denote a prostitute.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of puttana is puttane.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /putˈta.na/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The word puttana actually shares its roots with the Latin word puta, which simply meant 'a girl' or 'a young woman'.
- In certain Roman dialects, the word is sometimes used as an intensifier in exclamations, similar to how 'fucking' is used in English, to add emphasis to a sentence.
- While prostituta is a neutral term for the profession, using puttana specifically signals a moral judgment against the person.
Examples in context
- Quella donna è una puttana.That woman is a prostitute.
- Non trattarla come una puttana.Don't treat her like a prostitute.
- È una puttana qualunque.She is just some random prostitute.
Example conversation
Martina and Lorenzo are having a heated argument.
- MartinaMi hai tradito con un'altra!You cheated on me with someone else!
- LorenzoNon è vero, non mentire.It's not true, don't lie.
- MartinaSmettila di fare il finto innocente, puttana!Stop pretending to be innocent, you whore!
- LorenzoNon posso credere che tu mi dica questo.I can't believe you're saying this to me.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry puttana, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries puttana, CC BY-SA 4.0.
