fannullone
The English word 'slacker' is translated into Italian as fannullone.
fannullone refers to a person who is lazy or prone to procrastination. To emphasize how much of a slacker someone is, it is common to use the adjective gran (a shortened form of grande) before the word, as in gran fannullone.
Meaning: procrastinating or lazy person (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a compound of fa, the third-person singular of fare (to do) and nullone (a large nothing). It literally translates to 'big do-nothing'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on gender and number. Use fannullona to refer to a female slacker, and use the plural form fannulloni to refer to multiple slackers.
Did you know?
- While fannullone describes a lazy person, Italian has the word dolce far niente, meaning 'the sweetness of doing nothing'. This suggests that not all forms of slacking are viewed negatively in Italian culture.
- In Italian, the concept of being a 'slacker' is often linked to the word ozio. While 'ozio' can mean laziness, in a philosophical context it refers to 'productive leisure' used for spiritual or intellectual growth.
- If you want to describe someone as even lazier than a fannullone, you can use the term parassita, which carries a much harsher, more predatory connotation of living off others.
Examples in context
- Mio figlio è un gran fannullone.My son is a big slacker.This sentence is useful for showing how to describe someone as a big fannullone.Tatoeba #11566190 by Nuel, translation #11566189 by Nuel
- Marco è una persona poco produttiva. Non ha mai finito i suoi compiti in tempo.Marco is a slacker. He never finishes his assignments on time.
- Quel ragazzo è un fannullone totale.That boy is a total slacker.
- Non diventare un fannullone in ufficio.Don't become a slacker at the office.
Example conversation
Martina and Matteo are discussing their coworker's habits.
- MartinaHai visto che Marco non ha ancora finito?Did you see that Marco hasn't finished yet?
- MatteoSì, quel fannullone non lavora mai davvero.Yes, that slacker never really works.
- MartinaDobbiamo dire qualcosa al capo.We should say something to the boss.
- MatteoHai ragione, non è giusto per noi.You're right, it's not fair for us.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry fannullone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
