Cavolo! The Idiomatic Italian Use of the Word for Cabbage
Warning: This article contains strong language and is intended for adult readers.
In English, though vulgar, the word fuck is one of the most flexible. It's used for emphasis and countless other reasons. The literal translation of “to fuck” in Italian would be the slang verbs scopare (scoh-PAH-reh) or fottere (FOH-teh-reh), but we don’t use them idiomatically the way fuck is used in English.
Instead, we tend to use cazzo (KAHT-tsoh), literally “dick.” When you say “oh fuck,” we say oh cazzo (oh KAHT-tsoh), literally “oh dick.” As you can imagine, this is quite vulgar, but you’ll hear cazzo a lot, so it’s worth being aware of it.
That said, you might be surprised to hear the word cavolo (KAH-voh-loh), literally “cabbage,” used in similar idiomatic ways.
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It’s a euphemism, like heck for hell or frig for fuck. So, cavolo can replace cazzo to maintain the emotional impact and emphasis, while sounding much less crude.
However, note that cavolo cannot be used when referring to the anatomical body part. In that case, the appropriate, polite word is pene (PEH-neh), which obviously translates to “penis.”
Let’s look at some examples of cavolo used idiomatically.
Cavolo! (KAH-voh-loh)
This is an exclamation, usually expressing surprise. It can be used in both positive and negative contexts, similar to wow in English.
Ho passato l’esame a pieni voti!
(I passed my exam with full marks.)Cavolo!
(Oh wow!)
Mi è morto il cane.
(My dog died.)Cavolo! Mi dispiace moltissimo.
(Oh wow. I’m so sorry.)
Col cavolo! (kohl KAH-voh-loh)
Literally, “with the cabbage!” Idiomatically, it means no way! or not a chance!
Dai, paga tu Claudio!
(Come on, you pay, Claudio!)Col cavolo! Non ho mangiato quasi nulla.
(No way! I barely ate anything.)
Che cavolo! (keh KAH-voh-loh)
Literally, “what a cabbage!” Used to express frustration, like what the hell in English.
Dove sei?
(Where are you?)Mi dispiace ma non posso più venire all’appuntamento.
(I’m sorry, I can’t make it to the meeting anymore.)Che cavolo! Ho sprecato due ore a prepararmi.
(What the hell! I wasted two hours getting ready.)
Che cavolo vuoi? (keh KAH-voh-loh VWAW-ee)
Literally, “what cabbage do you want?” Idiomatically, what the hell do you want? Less vulgar than che cazzo vuoi?, but still rude and shows you’re irritated.
Fatti i cavoli tuoi! (FAHT-tee ee KAH-voh-lee TWAW-ee)
Literally, “mind your own cabbages.” Idiomatically, mind your own business. It's the toned-down version of fatti i cazzi tuoi!
Sono cavoli miei! (SOH-noh KAH-voh-lee MYAY-ee)
Literally, “they’re my cabbages.” Idiomatically, it’s my business. It tells others to stay out of your personal matters.
Non dire cavolate! (nohn DEE-reh kah-voh-LAH-teh)
Idiomatically, don’t talk nonsense or don’t lie to me. Cavolate is a softened version of cazzate (bullshit), coming from cavolo.
Sono tutte cavolate (SOH-noh TOO-teh kah-voh-LAH-teh)
Idiomatically, that’s all nonsense or it’s all lies. It’s used to dismiss rumors or incorrect statements.
Sono incavolato! (SOH-noh een-kah-voh-LAH-toh)
Idiomatically, I’m angry or I’m pissed off. It’s a more polite way to say sono incazzato!
Conclusion
Cavolo may literally mean cabbage, but in Italian slang, it's a widely used stand-in for the more vulgar word cazzo. If you're learning Italian, understanding when and how to use cavolo will help you sound more natural and keep you out of trouble in polite company.
I have a friend in Fano whose favorite word is cavolo, exclamatory mode.
Fun post. Thanks--
always enjoy your posts