Sometimes we can’t but go into a dictionary-style post, but today we won’t be talking about standard Italian, today we talk about Sicilian slang phrases. We’ll give you a selection of Sicilian slang words so this way you’ll have you and locals strike into some deep convos that only you will understand. Now the Sicilian dialect is so distinct that for UNESCO it’s considered to be a minority language, so you can actually say that Sicilian slang is on a whole other level compared to common Italian slang, now you can imagine that the difference between Sicilian and Italian is immense. So if you’re in need of some standard funny Italian slang you’ll have to look back at our other articles on slang.

Do keep in mind that Sicily is one of Italy’s most beautiful regions, so when you go enjoy all it has to offer and do that with the help of our Sicilian expressions translation post that I made for you.

sicilian slang phrase

SO before we go on our Sicilian slang phrases list let’s give you a little lesson on how do you spell Sicily in Italian, don’t worry it’ll be quick and easy because you just have to read the text, or even better just copy-paste it. Sicily in Italian is Sicilia so S-I-C-I-L-I-A. Its name is considered to be an evolution of the word Scilla, that was a sea-monster that lived with its counterpart Cariddi in the Messina Strait, this dates back to the Greco-Roman era to explain why it was so difficult to pass in the Messina Straight and the strong seas that were a standard of the area.

Now let’s begin!

Veni Ca – Come Here

Veni Ca is how you’ll say come here in Sicilian. So when you’re out and about with your friends and someone wanders off into the distance, but you have to tell them something really important, you’ll have to call them out saying “Name of friend veni ca”. At least now you know you’ll never lose sight of anyone while in Sicily.

Manciàri – To Eat

One of the most important aspects of Italian culture is food, so you have to know how to say eat in Sicilian. I mean there is so much good food in Sicily that’ll all you’ll do will be Manciàri. I’ll make a confession it’s the only reason I don’t go often, cause I’ll go bankrupt on food.

Ti Vogghiu – I Love You

Now maybe while you’re there you’ll find your love, and you know what good on you, cause everybody needs a bit of loving once in a while. Let’s say you want to tell them your feelings, but want to show the effort of learning their dialect, that’s when you drop a Ti Vogghiu, that literally translates to I want you, but it answers you how do you say I love you in Sicilian question, just remember that Amore is always Love in Italian, that means it’s also Love in Sicilian.

Trùoppu Bedda/u – Beautiful

Now that you’ve proclaimed you’re love to them you’ll want to tell them that they are beautiful once in a while, I mean it’s always amazing to be told that by someone you care for. So beautiful in Sicilian is Trùoppu Bedda – if your partner is female or identifies as such – and Trùoppu Beddu – if your partner is male or identifies as such. Keep in mind that Italian, in general, has a grammatical distinction between Male and Female.

Picciriddu – Boy

You probably have seen the Godfather a couple of times if you’re thinking about going to Sicily, and if I just fell into a stereotype trap see it cause it’s a great saga of movies. So if you’ve seen it you might wonder what they mean when they’re saying Picciriddu, that means boy in Italian slang, I mean Sicilian slang.

Let’s go – Annamu

Sometimes you’ll be in a rush and the best way to grab the attention of an Italian is to speak to them in dialect, so if your friend is making you wait (and they’re Sicilian obvs) you can easily call their attention with this let’s go in Sicilian you just learned right now.

Saluti – Cheers

At the end of the day you are still in Italy, and nothing is more Italian than Aperitivo, so you have to indulge in some moments of convivial drinking. Compared to the Italian Salute, you’ll find that the Sicilian counterpart doesn’t differentiate that much, probably because of the modernity of Aperitivo. So cheers in Sicilian is Saluti. And let me end this Sicilian phrasebook with some authentic Saluti.

What is Friend in Sicilian?

Amico isn’t that different in Sicilian compared to Italian. That could be because of the influence the Italian language had on the island. So, Amico is Italian. Amicu is friend in Sicilian.

What about Thank You in the Sicilian dialect?

We all know one Italian-American that says Grazie all the time, or at least tries to say it correctly. They tend to say Grazzi, and guess what they’re actually thanking you in Sicilian. That’s some pretty mad stuff right there.

So, what do you understand in Sicilian? Now you can definitely understand some things and you also know some words to say to your newly made Sicilian friends. Enjoy!

17 COMMENTS

  1. I’m beginning to really like my visits here. The fact that I am 1/4 Italian and 1/2 Sicilian has been common knowledge in my family since I was 16 years old. To put it simply, I adore it. Before I take my last breath, I want to take in as much of my home nation as possible.

  2. My mom says i’m “ubbedu” when I’m being a bit greedy…. or at least how I interpret it. It is a Sicilian word and what dies it mean?

  3. Q&A > How do you say in Sicilian . . . you’re in deep shit bitch – you’ve fucked your own ass you fucking rogue bastard, understand . . . fuck you!

    • Yes, it is effectively true. When they say ‘My life’ (Vita mia) referring to a person, they’re telling him/her he/she is worth all their lives….

  4. I adore coming here more and more. Have known I have been 16 yrs old that I am 1/2 Sicilian as well as 1/4 Italian makes me up to be 3/4 ump. I love it. Hopefully I can see my birth country fully before I draw deepest breath.

  5. This blog is brilliant and I’m totally going to dive into the rest of your blog.

    But might you be able to do a follow up on this and help with the phonetics of pronunciation or an audible note to play. Say a word wrong and I might be insulting someone haha

    Thank you. This is amazing though

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