I started this to document my mother's dialect (a language I grew up with) before it disappears. 
With contributions from: Angie Arlia, Joe Ianni, Rosa Ianni, Frank & Dina, Elsa Osso, Frank Osso, Filomena Veltri, (you)

Pronunciation Key:
Although Calabrese is its own dialect (with its own words and verb conjugations), there are also significant pronunciation differences for words in common with proper Italian. (Pronounce everything in the table below as if it were proper Italian.)

Calabrese Dictionary

Words and phrases that do not appear in any proper Italian dictionary, but are in the Calabrese dialect.  Click here for an excellent online proper Italian dictionary complete with idiomatic usages!

Why did I create this?                              History of Calabria and its dialect                             Tell a friend

Send me your contributions to the Calabrese dictionary.

Click here for a pronunciation key for proper Italian words as they would be spoken by a Calabrese.

It is important to note that pronunciation and the dialect is different within Calabria too. This dictionary applies to my mother's home town of Belmonte (near Paola) and surrounding towns.

Calabrese
part of speech
English
example
proper Italian
probable origins
a bascio
n.m.
 downstairs    

It. - basso - low, below
Sp. - abajo - down, below
àcci
interj
 "the hell" Acci'c'a fa!? -- I wonder what the hell he's doing!?    
affoso
adj
 wet      
ajosetarsi
v
 to hurry up, to rush Ajosate! Fammo a tard! -- Hurry up! We'll be late! sbrigarsi, affrettarsi  
ammocato
adj
 rotten      
ammuciar
v
 to hide      
andare urian'
v
 to go here & there aimlessly      
andìso
v
 ya hear? Nun fa' tardi, andìso? = Don't be late. You hear me? capito,
sentito		  
appiciar
v
 to turn on, to light (a fire) Appicia sa luce. -- Turn that light on.    
apparechio
n.m.
 airplane Simi iuto alla Calabria de Roma coll'apparechio, no collo treno = We went to Calabria from Rome with a plane, not a train.

apparecchio (antiquated),
aereo

 Spanish - arrancar - to uproot, pull out
(In Italian, uproot is sradicare.)
arrangar
v
 to throw, fling, eject Ti faccio arrangar menz'a strada! -- I'll throw you into the middle of the street. lanciare, gettare, buttare Spanish - arrancar - to uproot, pull out
(In Italian, uproot is sradicare.)
arripar
v
 to brush up against s.t.      
asciar
v
 (I forgot)      
atropicar
v
 to trip      
àrbaro or àvaro
n.m.
 tree     Latin - arbor - tree
àvato
adj
 tall      
baschetta
n.f.
 basket (usually wicker) Summa sa baschetta sopra = Bring that basket (of laundry) upstairs. cesta Italinglish
bisì
adj
 busy   occupato Italinglish
brigogna
n.f.
 shame, embarrassment   vergogna  
brochetta
n.f.
 fork   forchetta  
burdone
n.m.
 wave C'erano i burdoni così grandi che ci hanno fatto mindere i giubbotto di salvataggio = The waves were so big they made us put on life jackets. onda  
buscar
v
 to earn (money) haio buscato la giornata! - I just earned my day's pay! (said sarcastically after breaking something)   Spanish - buscar - to search
ca or cadi
adv
 here Mendelo ca. No, cadi! = Put it here. No, here! qua  
c'a
n.f.
 what accica c'a fat'! che cosa  
cacciar
v
 to take out, to remove cacciar i candi - to take out the [garbage] cans (on trash day) togliere, levare  
Cadelàc
n.f.
 a Cadillac automobile     Italinglish
cand
n.m.
 [garbage] cans cacciar i candi - to take out the [garbage] cans (on trash day) bidone della spazzatura, lattina Italinglish
cangello
n.m
 gate Chiud'o cangello! - Close the gate!    
carro
n.m.
 car, automobile     English, Spanish
casciotta
n.f.
box Minda se scarpe inda 'na box = Put those shoes in a box. scattola, casella, cassa, "box", lattina (meaning carton, can or tin) Italian cassa
case
n.m.
 cheese Ne vu case culli spaghetti? = Do you want cheese with your spaghetti? formaggio German - Käse
cato
n.m.
 pail Piglia 'nu cato e va acqua l'urto = Get a pail and go water the garden. secchio, latta  
cattar
v
 to buy   comprare  
cavacio
n.m.
 kick      
càvado
adj
 hot   caldo Latin
ceccato
adj
 blind   cecco  
cesso
n.m.
bathroom   bagno  
chiangere
v
 to cry   piangere  
chiano
adj/adv
 slow/slowly Va chiano! - Go slow! piano  
chiantar
v
 to plant Haio chiantare l'urto primo che si fa troppo tardi = I have to plant the garden before it's too late. piantare  
chiato
adj
 fat Non mangi troppo che ti fa chiato = Don't eat too much or you'll get fat. grasso  
chichieriar
v
 to tease, to make fun of      
chieno
adj
 full,      
chillo/a/i/e
art.
 that, those      
chisto/a/i/e
chisso/a/i/e
art.
 this, these      
chiumo
n.m.
 lead (the metal) Cullo de chiumo = fat ass piombo  
chiursi
v
 to be bothered by s.t. "Te chiur o cullo?" = "Do you have hemorrhoids?" or  "what's up your ass??"    
ci
pron.
 him, us, there, it      
ciambrello
n.m.
 slob      
ciavola
n.f.
 slob      
cicare
v
 creased, wrinkled E' venuto colla camisa tutta cicata = He came with his shirt all wrinkled   Spanish chocar means to crash, collide
cicugnolo
n.m.
 big (oaf)      
cilliare
v
 to pace, to kill time      
ciotto
adj
 crazy Ma sei ciotto! = You're crazy! matto, pazzo  
cirri
n.m.
 hair, locks Te piglio per i cirri! = I'll drag you by the hair!    
citrollo
n.m.
 cucumber   cetriolo  
citto
adj
 shhh   zitto  
cievazzo
n.m.
 tree So cievazzo s'e' fatto tutto sicato = This tree has dried up completely.

albero

  
ciù
adj
 more      
codilla
n.f.
 back   schiena perhaps from the Italian for tail [bone] coda
comogliar(si)
v
 to cover (oneself) Eh comogliate! = Cover yourself (you slut)! coprire  
compiuta
n.f.
 computer   computer, elaboratore, calcolatore Italinglish
conghetta
n.f.
 pot, pan   pentola, casseruola  
conserva
n.f.
 sauce Ti faccio nu bello piat de spaghett con conserva. = I will make you a nice plate of spaghetti and sauce. salsa, sugo, ragú Latin: cum + serbare = "serve with"; the sauce is served with pasta, meat or other foods.
(Grazie a Filomena per la lezione)
conzar
v
 to fix, repair   aggiustare  
corcia
n.f.
 peel, skin   scorza, buccia It. scorza
cozzarsi le carne
v
 to get goose bumps me cozzano le carne = it gives me goose bumps pelle d'oca  
Craisla
n.f.
a Chrysler automobile     Italinglish
crappa
n.f.
 goat Pari 'na crapp' = you look like a goat (disheveled) capra  
cocuzza
n.f.
 squash, zucchini Tieni 'na capa de cocuzza = you have zucchini for brains zucca  
dabascio
(see a bascio)      
dato
adj
 tall      
de
prep
 of de notte = of the night di Spanish
dell'unduto
adv
 altogether  

completamente, nudo (colloq.), insieme

  
den' goppa
prep
 on top of me vienen den' goppa - they're almost on top of me!    
den' gulo
interj
 up one's ass

me vien' den'gulo - he/she's up my ass!

    
disciauoscia
n.f.
 dishwasher Chiuda sa fricata disciauoscia che me strona! - Shut off that damn dishwasher; it's making me deaf! lavastoviglie Italinglish
discioperato
adj
 unorganized/messy
   disorganizzato, disordinato  
dispetuso
adj
 disrespectful   irrispettoso  
ditto
p.p.
 said Te l'haio ditto nun ce jir! = I told you not to go! detto  
d'unduto
(see dell'unduto)      
dormiglioso
n.m., adj.
 sleepyhead, sleepy Ohi dormiglioso! Scendi de su lietto o ti fazzo arrangar menza strada! = Hey sleepyhead! Get out of bed or I'll kick you into the street!    
(heh-)draia
n.f.
 hair or clothes dryer   asciugacapelli or asciugatrice or asciugapanni
 Italinglish
dunare
v
 to give Dunami sa cunghetta = Give me that pan.
L'haio datto 'nu bello schiaffo = I gave him a good whack.		 dare  
è de'
v
 must, have to è de' dormire la iurnata sanna così può va uriana la notta = She has to sleep all day so she can go gallivanting all night    
enculicar
v
 to collapse, to sag O lietto s'enculicato perche tenia 'no culo de chiumo = the bed collapsed because he had a fat ass. crollare, stramazzare, incurvarsi  
engafonare
v
 to collapse, to cave in La casa s'è tutt'engafonata dopo la tempesta = The house caved in after the storm incurvarsi, crollare, stramazzare  
(ep)pure
conj
 too, also, and yet, even Pure m'ha fatto pagare la tasse = He even made me pay the tax. anche, eppure I included this because Calabresi never use the word "anche".
(e)sperto
adj
 smart, intelligent, sly Ma cume si sperto tu! = Oh like you're so smart! (sarcastically) intelligente Italian esperto = expert, skilful, experienced
etiti
n.f.
a communications conglomerate (AT&T)     Italinglish
fattoria
n.f.
factory   fabbrica, industria, impianto industriale Italinglish
fella
n.f.
 slice 'na fella de pan = a slice of bread fetta  

fetende
n.m.
 idiot      
fetoso
adj.
 dirty, stinky Avia i quazoni fetusi = He had dirty pants. sporco, puzzante Italian fetore = stink
fonare
v
 spill Caccia menta se ne foni l'acqua = Be careful or you'll spill the water. far fuoriuscire  
for' 'a via
n.f.
outside Ha gridato de for' 'a via = He was yelling from outside fuori  
fore
prep., n.f.
 outside      
frappare ove
adj.
walk at a stupidly slow pace      
freccia
n.f.
 directional signal on an automobile      
fricare
v
 to screw someone, to take advantage m'ha fricato pe' 5 pezze -- he screwed me out of $5 fregare  
fricato
adj. adv.
screwed, f*cking   fregato  
gabaccio
n.m.
 garbage   spazzatura, immondizia Italinglish
gabacciotrocco
n.m.
 garbage truck   camion dei rifiuti Italinglish
gamato
adj
 hungry Mamma, sinio gamato = Mom, I'm hungry affamato, aver fame  
giallinoso
adj
 pale Ma com'e' giallinosa = My, how pale she is pallido It. giallo
giarra
n.m.
 jar   vasetto Italinglish
gingerela
n.f.
a home remedy for upset stomachs   birra analcolica allo zenzero Italinglish
giobba
n.f.
job, vocation, employment   lavoro Italinglish
granno
adj.
big, large   grande  
gualaroso
adj
 loose   libero, sciolto, aperto
 
heddeg
n.m.
 headache Me venuto 'no heddeg = I got a headache. mal di testa Italinglish
hiacare
v
 to hack (with a knife) Ha hiacato un pezzo di case = He cut a piece of cheese. tagliare  
hiato
n.m.
 breath Si potea vide o hiato faccía tanto friddo = You could see your breath it was so cold. fiato  
hito
n.m.
 heat O hito e' troppo avuto; me fa cavado = The heat (thermostat) is too high; I'm hot. calore (heat),
fornace (furnace),
termostato (thermostat)		 Italinglish
hiusciare
v
 to blow Ha hiusciato la polvera = He blew the dust.
Me haio hiusciato o naso = I blew my nose.		 fiutare (get a whiff of, to nose out), soffiare (exhale), respirare(breathe)  
hosa
n.f.
garden hose   pompa da giardino Italinglish
ianco
adj
 white   bianco  
iestimiar
v
 to swear, curse Sempre iestima esso! = He's always swearing. bestimiare, dire parolacce  
iettare
v
 to throw out La ietto dalla finestra = I'll throw it out the window. gettare  
imbrasticar
v

to get something really messy/dirty

      
imparare
v
 1. to learn; 2. to teach T'imparo 'nguna cosa = I'll teach you something. insegnare (to teach); imparare (to learn)  
indra
prep
 in, inside      
ìngere
v
 to fill Ingia sa bottiglia = Fill this bottle riempire  
inginiare
v
 to start, to begin, to open Ha inginiato lo latte quano c'era gia uno ca = He started a new milk when there was another one already here iniziare, aprire  
inzimpar(si)
v

to insert, to stick

to cut the line

Inzimpa su zivalo dove viene indra o vento = Stick this rag where the wind is coming in.
Mi sinio insimpato nella linea, e me haio speraniato 'na menz'ora. = I cut to the line and I saved myself a half hour.

attaccare, appiccicare, mettere

tagliare la linea

  
inzurar(si)
v
 to get married Non s'e' mai inzurato? = Didn't he ever marry? iniziare, aprire  
iurnata
n.f.
 day   giornata  
iuto
p.p.
 went
(past participle of "andar")		 Duve si iuto? = Where did you go? andato Spanish: the verb "to go" is "ir"
izzar(si)
v
 to lift S'e' izzato della tavola e non e' tornato piu' = He got up from the table and did not return sollevare, levare, alzarsi Italian alzarsi
liticastorto
n.m.
someone who fights dirty      
luoco
adv
 there Minda la mano luoco. = Put your hand there.    
mapina
n.f.
 dishtowel      
mascina
n.f.
machine, automobile   macchina Italinglish or French "machine"
mbutto
adj.
 to be stuffed, to be full after a meal Si 'mbutto? = Are you full? imbottito  
menza
n.f.
half, middle      
menzina
n.f.
side, part      
minchia (minghia)
n.f.
 penis (vulgar)

Che ti taglio la minchia! = I'll cut your dick off!

 mettere  
mindere
v
 to put Minda la mano luoco. = Put your hand there. mettere  
mittabolla
n.f.
 meatball Venite che vi faccio 'no bello piato di mittabolle. = Come (for dinner); I'll make you a nice plate of meatballs. polpetta Italinglish
I included this word, because I did not know the proper Italian word for meatballs until I was 20 years old.
monizza
n.f.
trash   spazzatura, immondizia  
mo'
adv
 now Mo' é iuto = He just left.
Dammelo mo'. = Give it to me now.		 adesso from the French "maintenant" -- the first syllable sounds like "mo"
moni
adv
 right now Dammelo moni! = Give it to me right now! ora  
monzillo
n.m.
 pile   ammasso, pila, mucchio  
moticar(si)
v
 to move/budge (oneself)   muoversi, spostarsi di poco  
mucato
adj.
rotten   marcio, schifoso proper Italian
moccio = snot
moccattoro
n.m.
 headwrap/handkerchief   fazzoletto moccio = snot
morfoso
adj
 snotty, snot-nosed Sempre tene o naso morfoso = His nose is always snotty moccio  
morfo
n.m.
 snot   moccio  
mujina
n.f.
noise, ruckus, commotion   rumore, chiasso, disturbo, cassino (vulgar)  
muleniana
n.f.
eggplant, black persons (vulgar) L'orto è chieno de muleniane = The garden is full of eggplants.
Amo visto tante muleniane a New York = We saw many black persons (vulgar) in New York 		melanzana An aside: my mother had never seen a black person before American soldiers marched through her town in World War II. West Africans have skin so dark that it has a purple hue to it, just like an eggplant.
nusiare
v
 to be disgusted by s.t. (although "disgusted" is stronger than "nusiare") Ha nusiato lo mangiare mio. = She was disgusted by my food. fare schifo, disgustare  
nzililiare
v
 to sneeze Nzililiava tutta la notta sanna = He was sneezing all night long starnutire, starnutare  
ohi
exclam.
 hey Ohi Juse! Che fai? = Hey Joe! What are you doing?    
pica
n.f.
 a little bit Damme 'na pica de sa supresatta = Give me a little bit of that sopresatta (lunchmeat). poco  
pigliare
v
 to get, to take Chi dorma non piglia pesci = He who sleeps catches no fish. prendere  
pìnolo
n.m.
 pill 'o dottor m'ha ditto pe' piglere si pinoli = The doctor told me to take these pills pillola  
portugál
n.m.
 orange la corcia d'un portugál = the orange peel arancia maybe oranges came from Portugal??
pricca
n.f.
 scum strica la pricca e te frica = scrub the scum and so f'ing what! immondezza, strato schiumoso
 
(ep)pure
(see (ep)pure)      
quadiare
v
 to warm, reheat Stai, che ti quadio 'no poco de lasagna = Stay, I'll heat up some lasagna for you. riscaldare  
quatrallo
n.m.
 boy, young man, youth Chillo quatrallo m'ha rubato la borsa = That boy stole my purse. ragazzo  
rimbambito
n.m.
 idiot, drunkard Su rimbambito non sa fa nende = That moron doesn't know how to do anything rimbambito It turns out that this is an actual proper Italian word. I left it in because it sounds so cool.
-ssa
pron, suffix
 his, her, hers Mammassa = his mother
Figliassa = her daughter		 sua  
sacca
n.f.
 pocket Metti la man nella sacca = Put your hand in your pocket. tasca sacca actually means a pouch that a kangaroo may have or "pocket" in terms of "pockets of congestion"
scasciar(si)
v
 to break, to break down O carro s'e' scasciato proprio davant 'a casa della commare = The car broke down right in front of Godmother's (a close family friend's) house rompere, guastare  
scarabucio
n.m.
 scribble Non posso legge' su scarabucio = I can't read this scribbling.    
sciallarsi
v
 to enjoy oneself Me sinio sciallato dei risi = I died laughing    
sciaquata
adj
 messed up, watered down     Italian sciacquare = to rinse
sicato
adj
 thin; dried up S'e' fatto 'no poco sicato = He got a little thinner.
So cievazzo s'e' fatto tutto sicato = This tree has dried up completely.

snello, magro, asciutto

  
sincu
n.m.
 sink Lavati le man indu sincu. = Wash your hands in the sink.

lavabo, lavandino, lavello

 To this day, I cannot think of the word in proper Italian because "sincu" pops into my head.
sivuso
adj
 greasy Sempre tene le mane sivuse = He always has greasy hands unto  
solicciarsi
v
 to sun oneself S'ha solicciata tutta la jurnata sanna = She was sitting in the sun all day long. prendere il sole, abbronzarsi  
spandaccio
n.m.
 in the way Su cane e' sempre allo spandaccio = This dog is always in the way   Italian spandere (spalmare) = to spread
speragnare
v
 to save Ma tu non sai speragnar i soldi = You don't know how to save money. conservare (keep), salvare (refrain from harming), (spare) risparmiare  
(e)sperto
(see (e)sperto)      
spingola
n.f.
 safety pin Mettici una spingola che va bene = Put a safety pin in it and it will be okay spilla  
stare
v
 to cost Quanto sta sa camisa? = How much does this shirt cost? costare  
stenicciar(si)
v
 to stretch, to stretch out Mi sinio stenicciato e me haio fatto no bello sonno = I stretched out and had a nice nap protendere, allungare, ampliare, distendere
 
stizzoniare
v
 to tease Non stizzoniare la tua surra = Don't tease your sister scherzare con, prendere in giro
 
stricare
v
 to scrub, rub strica la pricca e te frica = scrub the scum and so go screw yourself strofinare, fregare, strigliare  
struscio
n.m.
 noise Stutta so struscio! = Shut off that noise! rumore  
stuttare
v
 to shut off, to extinguish Stutta so struscio! = Shut off that noise!
Stutta so fuoco! = Extinguish the fire (shut off the stove)		 chiudere, estinguere  
summar(si)
v
 to lift, to get up, to go up Summa sa baschetta sopra = Bring that basket (of laundry) upstairs. alzar(si), sollevarsi, svegliarsi I believe "summa" means "up" or "higher" in Latin
-ta
pron, suffix
 your, yours

Mammata = your mother
Figliata = your daughter
muiereta = your wife

 tua  
-te
pron, suffix
 your, yours figliote = your son
maritute = your husband		 tuo  
uascina mascina
n.f.
 washing machine   lavatrice Italinglish
undare
v
 to stain, to get dirty Non me undare o chiano; l'haio lavato moni. = Don't get the floor dirty on me; I just washed it. macchiare, sporcare from the Italian "unto" meaning "greasy"
uriare
v
 to gallivant è de' dormire la iurnata sanna così può va uriana la notta = She has to sleep all day so she can go gallivanting all night vagare, bighellonare, andare a zonzo  
usceniare
v
 to grumble      
-uzzo
dim.
 little

che bello peduzzo = what a cute little foot
che belle manuzze = what cute little hands

 -ino
(manina gelada)		  
vespa
n.f.
 bee, hornet Pechi ha stuzzicato se vespe? = Why did you disturb those bees? ape, vespe Calabresi do not use the word "ape". "Vespa" is used for bees and hornets. (Bees are herbavors and make honey; hornets are carnivorous, feeding on other insects. Ironically both bees and wasps belong to the order Hymenoptera, which also includes ants, so the Calabresi are technically correct.)
vestituri
n.m.
 clothes Mindati' si vestituri = Put on these clothes abiti, vestiti, panni
 
vrangata
n.f.
 bunch Piglia 'na vrangata de si vaiane = Get a bunch of those stringbeans. parecchio  
zivolo
n.m.
 rag Inzimpa su zivalo dove viene indra o vento = Stick this rag where the wind is coming in. cencio, pezza  
 
       
under construction
You can add to this dictionary.      
 
       
 
       
proper Italian
as pronounced in Calabrese (sometimes)
when is it different from proper Italian?
proper Italian example
as pronounced in Calabrese
b p      
b v at the beginning of a word    
d a hard th (in English, like mother) in the middle of a word brodo brotho
fi hi (with an aspirated "h") In words that begin with "f-i-[vowel]"
I believe this is a Spanish influence. Many words that begin with "f-[vowel]" in proper Italian begin with "h-[vowel]" (with a non-aspirated "h") in Spanish (farina = harina = flour)

fiato
fiume
fiori

hiato
hiume
hiuri

e i      
ge ye (as in English)   genaio yenaio
gi yi (as in English)      
j y (as in English) always; I've never seen it written in Calabrese. Then again, I don't think I've ever seen Calabrese written at all. I use it to create a "y" sound between vowels. I have seen it Napolitano. Giuseppe Juse'
p c  

pieno
piovere
piangere

chieno
chiovere
chiangere
o u      
qu c  

qua
quello

ca
chillo
sc shk (as in English)   brusco brooshk'
         
v b   Vedi!
vivo 		Bi!
bivo
         
         
And, of course, drop the last vowel for extra savings (sometimes).