sciatto
/ˈʃat.to/
The Italian word for sloppy is sciatto.
The term sciatto is used to describe someone or something that is messy or lacks neatness, elegance or care. The word 'Sciatto' can be used to describe someone who is untidy in appearance.
Meaning: messy, not neat, elegant, or careful (adj)
Which one should you use?
While sciatto describes general untidiness or a lack of elegance, the informal term pasticciato is used specifically to convey that something was performed in a hasty or careless manner.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the form changes based on the gender and number of the noun it describes: use sciatto for masculine singular, sciatta for feminine singular, sciatti for masculine plural and sciatte for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable. The IPA is /ˈʃat.to/.
Did you know?
- While sciatto describes a state of being, the word pasticciato is rooted in pasticcio, which means 'pie' or 'mess'.
- The word sciatto comes from the Latin exaptus, meaning 'unfitted' or 'not adapted'.
- While sciatto refers to an untidy look, Italians use disordinato specifically for a lack of spatial organization. This creates a sharp distinction between a messy person and a messy room.
Examples in context
- La sua calligrafia è un po' imprecisaHis handwriting is a bit sloppy
- Il tuo lavoro risulta non meticolosoYour work appears sloppy
- Guarda come sei vestito, sembri proprio un arruffone!Look at how you're dressed, you look like such a slob!
- È un tipo molto sciatto.He is a very sloppy guy.
- Il suo stile è un po' sciatto.His style is a bit sloppy.
- Non essere così sciatto con i documenti.Don't be so sloppy with the documents.
- Ha fatto un lavoro sciatto e incompleto.He did a sloppy and incomplete job.
Example conversation
Alessandro and Sofia are looking at a messy desk in an office.
- AlessandroQuesto ufficio è davvero sciatto.This office is really messy.
- SofiaSì, Alessandro, è un vero disordine.Yes, Alessandro, it is a real mess.
- AlessandroDobbiamo sistemare tutto subito.We need to tidy everything up immediately.
- SofiaHai ragione, iniziamo ora.You're right, let's start now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sloppy” translations and entries sciatto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sciatto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
