sfacciato
/sfatˈt͡ʃa.to/
The English word 'sassy' can be translated into Italian as sfacciato.
sfacciato is used to describe someone who is bold, spirited, cheeky, impudent or saucy.
Meaning: bold and spirited, cheeky, impudent, saucy (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, sfacciato means 'shameless' or 'without a face' (to hide).
Which one should you use?
While 'sassy' in English can sometimes be a compliment for someone with spirit, sfacciato in Italian leans more heavily toward being rude, impudent or shameless.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective changes its ending based on the gender and number of the noun it describes: use sfacciata for feminine singular nouns, sfacciati for masculine plural nouns and sfacciate for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /sfatˈtʃa.to/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the concept of being 'shameless' is expressed by the absence of a 'face', similar to how some East Asian cultures associate 'saving face' with maintaining honor.
- If someone is being extremely sfacciato, an Italian might say they have la faccia tosta, which literally means they have a 'hard face' or 'tough skin'.
- To describe a 'sassy' person in a more positive or playful way, Italians might instead use impertinente, which suggests a mischievous spirit rather than a lack of modesty.
Examples in context
- Mia sorella è davvero sfacciata!My sister is really sassy!
- Non essere così sfacciato con me.Don't be so sassy with me.
- Ha risposto con un tono sfacciato.He replied with a cheeky tone.
- Quel bambino è davvero sfacciato.That child is really impudent.
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are arguing about a joke.
- GiuliaMa che commento sfacciato!What a cheeky comment!
- AlessandroScusa, non volevo essere sfacciato.Sorry, I didn't mean to be impudent.
- GiuliaSei sempre così sfacciato, Alessandro.You are always so sassy, Alessandro.
- AlessandroLo so, è il mio carattere.I know, it's my personality.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sfacciato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
