fannullone
In Italian, the English phrase 'shirker' is translated as fannullone.
fannullone is used when referring to someone who consistently avoids work or responsibility. If you want to describe someone who is simply lazy and avoids exerting effort, you might use pigro. If you are referring to someone who frequently exploits or sponges off others, the term scroccone is more appropriate.
Meaning: Someone who is lazy (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
fannullone is an informal, derogatory term used to criticize someone's lack of productivity. While it is not considered a vulgar profanity, it is used to express disapproval of laziness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is gendered. Use fannullona to refer to a female shirker. For a group of male shirkers or a mixed-gender group, use the masculine plural form fannulloni.
Did you know?
- The suffix -one in fannullone is an augmentative, which usually makes things larger but here serves to amplify the negative quality of laziness.
- While fannullone is derogatory, Italians may use it with a smirk when teasing a close friend or sibling, turning the insult into a form of affection.
- The concept of the fannullone is often contrasted with the dilettante, though both might avoid professional work, the latter is seen as an amateur enthusiast.
Examples in context
- Il mio collega è un fannullone.My colleague is a shirker.
- Non fare il pigro e inizia a lavorare!Don't be lazy and start working!
- È un vero fannullone.He is a real shirker.
- Non essere un fannullone.Don't be a shirker.
- Quel ragazzo è un fannullone totale.That boy is a total shirker.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are talking about a coworker at the office.
- MatteoLuca non fa mai nulla.Luca never does anything.
- MartinaSì, è un fannullone incredibile.Yes, he is an incredible shirker.
- MatteoIl capo si arrabbierà.The boss will get angry.
- MartinaLo spero proprio.I really hope so.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry fannullone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fannullone, CC BY-SA 4.0.
