spaventoso
/spa.venˈto.zo/
The English word "spooky" is translated into Italian as spaventoso.
spaventoso is used to describe something that is eerie or suggestive of ghosts. It implies that something causes fear or fright.
Meaning: eerie, suggestive of ghosts (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word spaventoso is derived from the verb spaventare, which means "to frighten".
Which one should you use?
While spaventoso implies something that causes fear, if you want to express the sense of "eerie" or "unsettling" without necessarily meaning something is overtly scary, inquietante is often a better fit.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, spaventoso must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use spaventosa for feminine singular nouns, spaventosi for masculine plural nouns and spaventose for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of spaventoso is /spa.venˈto.zo/. It has four syllables, with the stress on the third syllable.
Did you know?
- The word spaventoso can describe a very large amount of money rather than a ghost. If a waiter brings a bill that is 'spaventoso', they are calling it outrageously expensive, not scary.
- While 'spooky' in English often implies a haunting, the Italian word stregato is used for a haunted place. This word literally means 'bewitched' and is derived from strega, meaning 'witch'.
- The suffix -oso in spaventoso is a common way to turn a noun into an adjective. It functions similarly to the English suffix '-ous' in words like 'dangerous' or 'enormous'.
Examples in context
- È spaventoso qui dentro.It's spooky in here.This sentence is useful for describing a spooky atmosphere inside a place using spaventoso.Tatoeba #7418192 by Guybrush88, translation #7364766 by CK
- Sami sentì qualcosa di spaventoso.Sami heard something spooky.This sentence shows how to use spaventoso to describe a sound.Tatoeba #7418362 by Guybrush88, translation #7165796 by OsoHombre
- Era spaventoso.It was spooky.This sentence uses spaventoso to describe a past state or event.Tatoeba #4398101 by Guybrush88, translation #4394837 by CK
- Il vecchio maniero era particolarmente inquietante al chiaro di luna.The old mansion was particularly spooky in the moonlight.
- Alla festa di Halloween, c'erano tanti costumi paurosi!At the Halloween party, there were lots of spooky costumes!
- Ho letto un libro davvero inquietante, mi ha dato i brividi.I read a really spooky book, it gave me chills.
- I bambini si spaventano facilmente se gli parli di uno spauracchio.Children easily get scared if you talk to them about a spooky thing.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are walking past an old abandoned house.
- GiuliaGuarda quella casa, è davvero spaventoso.Look at that house, it is really spooky.
- LorenzoHai ragione, sembra quasi infestata.You are right, it almost seems haunted.
- GiuliaNon voglio entrare in un posto così spaventoso.I don't want to go into such a spooky place.
- LorenzoAndiamo via velocemente allora.Let's get out of here quickly then.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry spaventoso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries spaventoso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
