Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| volgare | /volˈɡa.re/ |
| osceno | /oʃˈʃɛ.no/ |
| triviale | /triˈvja.le/ |
| indecente | /in.deˈt͡ʃɛn.te/ |
In Italian, these terms describe things that are distasteful, uncouth or obscene. In certain literary or linguistic contexts, volgare refers to the 'common tongue' or vernacular as opposed to formal Latin.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the specific nuance of vulgarity you wish to convey. Volgare is often used when something is offensive or obscene. In contrast, triviale is used to mean vulgar in the sense of being commonplace, unrefined or lacking depth. If you mean something is specifically indecent or scandalous, use osceno.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective volgare is invariable for gender, meaning the same form is used for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. The plural form for both masculine and feminine nouns is volgari.
Did you know?
- The term volgare was once a badge of pride in literature. Dante Alighieri chose to write his masterpiece, the Divine Comedy, in the volgare instead of Latin to make it accessible to the common people.
- While triviale means vulgar or commonplace today, it originally comes from the Latin word for a 'crossroad'. This is because the crossroads were where the common people gathered to chat.
- The English word 'vulgar' and the Italian volgare share the same root, meaning 'the crowd' or 'the people'. This reflects the historical idea that anything used by the masses was seen as inferior to the refined culture of the elite.
Examples in context
- Quella frase è volgare.That sentence is vulgar.This sentence is useful for describing a vulgar sentence using volgare.Tatoeba #13963923 by Guybrush88, translation #13307033 by Lebensfreude
- Questa frase è volgare.This sentence is vulgar.Tatoeba #13963924 by Guybrush88, translation #13307037 by Lebensfreude
- Sei sempre stato un tipo volgare.You've always been a vulgar guy.Tatoeba #11572715 by Nuel, translation #11572714 by Nuel
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina are at a formal dinner party.
- AlessandroNon mi piace il tono di quel signore.I do not like that gentleman's tone.
- MartinaHai ragione, è molto volgare.You are right, he is very vulgar.
- AlessandroSpero che non sia un tuo cliente.I hope he is not a client of yours.
- MartinaNo, non lo conosco affatto.No, I do not know him at all.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vulgar” translations and entries volgare, osceno, triviale, indecente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries osceno, volgare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
