smettila
To say "stop it" in Italian, you use smettila.
smettila is a command used to tell someone to end an annoying or inappropriate behavior.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is a combination of the imperative verb smetti (stop or cease) and the direct object pronoun la (it), where la refers to the abstract action or situation being stopped.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
smettila is an informal form used with friends, family or children. It is not suitable for formal settings or for addressing strangers politely.
Did you know?
- While smettila is a command, Italians often accompany it with a gesture of waving their hand away from their body to visually 'push' the behavior away.
- The phrase smettila is grammatically distinct from fermati, which is used to tell someone to stop moving their body or to stop their progress.
- The word smetti shares a root with mettere, meaning 'to put', suggesting that stopping is conceptually 'putting an end' to something.
Examples in context
- È così doloroso. Smettila!It's so painful. Stop it!The first sentence shows how to use smettila when something is painful.Tatoeba #2092781 by Guybrush88, translation #18395 by Zifre
- Tom, smettila. È abbastanza!Tom, stop it. That's enough!The second sentence demonstrates using smettila to tell someone they have done enough.Tatoeba #6323250 by Guybrush88, translation #6314310 by Hybrid
- Smettila!Stop it.The third sentence provides a standalone use of smettila.Tatoeba #2701678 by Guybrush88, translation #2111499 by CK
- Smetta di farlo!Stop doing it!
- Smetta di parlare.Stop talking (formal singular).
- Smettano di fare rumore.Stop making noise (formal plural).
- Fermati subito!Stop right now!
- BastaEnough
- Basta! Smettila!Enough! Stop it!
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are at a cafe and Giulia is teasing him.
- LorenzoSmettila, Giulia, mi imbarazzi.Stop it, Giulia, you are embarrassing me.
- GiuliaMa dai, sto solo scherzando!Oh come on, I'm just joking!
- LorenzoNo, davvero, smettila.No, really, stop it.
- GiuliaVa bene, scusa, non lo faccio più.Fine, sorry, I won't do it anymore.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
