schiaffo
/ˈskjaf.fo/masculine
In Italian, the English phrase 'slap' is translated as schiaffo. Wiktionary also lists ceffone and sberla.
Meaning: A blow dealt with the open hand (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| schiaffo | /ˈskjaf.fo/ | masculine |
| ceffone | masculine | |
| sberla | feminine |
The term refers to a blow dealt with an open hand. You can use the specific verb schiaffeggiare to mean 'to slap'. Note that in Italian, you do not 'hit' a slap. Instead, you 'give' (dare) one.
Which one should you use?
schiaffo is the standard and most common word for a slap. ceffone is used to imply a much larger, harder or more impactful slap, often translated as 'big slap' or 'heavy blow'. sberla is a more colloquial or slangy way to refer to a slap.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
schiaffo and ceffone are masculine nouns, while sberla is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈskjaf.fo/. The stress is on the first of the two syllables.
Did you know?
- The term schiaffo is thought to have Lombardic origins, connecting it to historical Germanic linguistic influences in Italy.
Examples in context
- Gli diedi uno schiaffo.I gave him a slap.This sentence shows how to use the word schiaffo to say someone gave a slap.Tatoeba #11580192 by Nuel, translation #1861089 by Nuel
- Gli diede uno schiaffo in faccia.She gave him a slap in the face.This sentence shows how to specify that the schiaffo was delivered to the face.Tatoeba #945457 by Guybrush88, translation #806765 by BraveSentry
- Mi ha dato uno schiaffoHe/She slapped me.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Giulia are discussing a scene from a movie.
- FrancescoHai visto lo schiaffo che ha dato lei?Did you see the slap that she gave?
- GiuliaSì, è stata una scena molto intensa.Yes, it was a very intense scene.
- FrancescoGiulia, quel colpo sembrava quasi reale.Giulia, that blow looked almost real.
- GiuliaDavvero, Francesco, mi ha quasi fatto saltare.Really, Francesco, it almost made me jump.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slap” translations and entries schiaffo, ceffone, sberla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sberla, schiaffo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
