Examples of dialect words vs standard Italian equivalents
Journey Through the Diverse Italian Dialects and Accents: Examples of dialect words vs standard Italian equivalents
Here are some examples of dialect words versus their standard Italian equivalents:
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Neapolitan dialect:
- guaglione (dialect) vs bambino (standard Italian) meaning “kid”
- cacio (dialect) vs formaggio (standard Italian) meaning “cheese”
- Jamm’! (dialect) vs Andiamo! (standard Italian) meaning “Let’s go!”
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Sicilian dialect:
- picciotto/carusu (dialect) vs bambino (standard Italian) meaning “kid”
- stasira (dialect) vs stasera (standard Italian) meaning “this evening”
- rovere (dialect) vs dove (standard Italian) meaning “where” (with pronunciation variations)
-
Lombard dialect:
- ce (dialect) vs ci (standard Italian) meaning “us”
- paglia/siga/sizza (dialect) vs sigaretta (standard Italian) meaning “cigarette”
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Venetian dialect:
- cadrega (dialect) vs sedia (standard Italian) meaning “chair”
- Ndemo! (dialect) vs Andiamo! (standard Italian) meaning “Let’s go!”
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Tuscan dialect: close to standard Italian but with phonetic variations such as “gorgia toscana” where hard “c” and “g” become airy “h” sounds, e.g., focaccia pronounced as fohaccia.
Additional slang words used informally and regionally include:
- sfiga (bad luck in standard Italian slang)
- tranqui (shortened for tranquillo meaning calm)
- vai a quel paese (bugger off, literally “go to that country”)
- scialla (relax, chill)
These dialect words and slang often differ significantly in vocabulary, pronunciation, and sometimes grammar from standard Italian, reflecting the rich linguistic diversity across Italy.