maledetto
What does maledetto mean? maledetto is a Italian moderate that translates to “damn, cursed, goddamn” in English.
Literal Translation
cursed, damned
Meaning & Usage
"damn, cursed, goddamn"
The Italian 'damn' — literally 'badly spoken of' or 'cursed.' It's a mild-to-moderate intensifier: 'maledetto traffico' (damn traffic), 'maledetta pioggia' (damn rain). Stronger than 'dannato' but weaker than any bestemmia. It's the go-to curse for people who don't use blasphemy.
Examples in the Wild
'Maledetto!' — damn it! 'Questa maledetta macchina non parte' — this damn car won't start. 'Maledetto il giorno che ti ho conosciuto' — cursed be the day I met you.
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around religious or conservative communities
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
For Italians who avoid bestemmie (blasphemy) — whether from genuine religiosity or social propriety — 'maledetto' is the ceiling of acceptable cursing. It implies a curse from God without directly insulting God, threading the needle between expressing frustration and maintaining piety.
More in Italian 🇮🇹
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“bitch”
Direct equivalent to English 'bitch.'
che palle
“what a drag, how boring, ugh”
An expression of boredom, annoyance, or exasperation — literally 'what balls,' implying that something is so tedious it weighs on you like heavy testicles. 'Che palle' is one of Italian's most frequently uttered phrases, covering everything from a boring meeting to a rainy weekend.
vaffanculo
“fuck off / fuck you”
Contraction of 'va' a fare in culo' (go do it in the ass). The ultimate Italian insult. Often accompanied by the 'fig' hand gesture.
porca miseria
“damn it / holy crap”
Stronger expression of frustration combining 'porca' (pig) with 'misery.' Classic Italian exclamation for everyday annoyances.
mona
“cunt”
Venetian/Friulian dialect for female genitalia.
daje
“come on, let's go, yeah”
Roman dialect for 'dai' (come on/give it). It's a multipurpose exclamation: encouragement ('daje, puoi farcela!' — come on, you can do it!), celebration ('daje!' — yes!), frustration ('ma daje!' — oh come on!). It's the sound of Roman enthusiasm concentrated into one syllable.
pezzo di merda
“piece of shit”
Ultimate expression of contempt for a person.
fesso
“fool, sucker, chump”
A fool, a sucker — someone who's been 'cracked' or broken mentally. In Neapolitan culture, 'fesso' is the opposite of 'furbo' (clever/cunning). The furbo-fesso dichotomy is central to southern Italian social philosophy: the world is divided into those who outsmart and those who get outsmarted.