stronzo
/ˈstron.t͡so/masculine
The Italian word for "turd" is stronzo.
While the literal meaning of stronzo is a piece of solid feces, it is most commonly used as a vulgar insult meaning "jerk" or "asshole". To refer to a piece of nonsense or "bullshit", you can use the noun stronzata.
Meaning: piece of solid feces (noun)
Which one should you use?
If you are referring to a female person or a feminine noun, you should use stronza.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
stronzo is highly vulgar and is considered a strong insult, so it should be used with caution. If you need a formal way to say "turd", use escremento. For a more informal term for "turd", you can use cacca. Note that merda is another informal term, though it is more closely equated to the English word "shit".
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form stronza is used when referring to a female person or a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈstron.tso/.
Did you know?
- The word stronzo was borrowed into Italian from the Germanic languages spoken by the Lombards during the early Middle Ages.
- While stronzo is a harsh insult, the term cacca is used by adults when speaking to children and is considered a gentle, nursery-style term.
- The derivative term stronzata is used to describe a blunder or a clumsy mistake, extending the word's meaning from 'nonsense' to 'an error'.
Examples in context
- C'era un grosso stronzo nel bagno dell'autogrill.There was a huge turd in the gas station restroom.This sentence shows the use of stronzo in the context of a gas station restroom.Tatoeba #13864257 by Nuel, translation #13864255 by Nuel
- Ho trovato uno stronzo in giardino.I found a turd in the garden.
- C'è uno stronzo vicino al divano.There is a turd near the sofa.
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are cleaning their apartment.
- GiuliaAlessandro, guarda! C'è uno stronzo qui.Alessandro, look! There is a turd here.
- AlessandroOddio, è del gatto!Oh my god, it is from the cat!
- GiuliaPrendi subito un tovagliolo per rimuoverlo.Quickly take a napkin to remove it.
- AlessandroSì, lo faccio subito.Yes, I'll do it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “turd” translations and entries stronzo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries stronzo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
