The Roman Dialect: The Language of the Streets of Rome

Articles Change

Il Becomes Er

One of the first things you'll notice when listening to Romanesco is the use of definite articles. In standard Italian, the masculine singular article il becomes er. For example, il libro (the book) becomes er libro.

Er ragazzo (the boy) instead of il ragazzo

Er vino (the wine) instead of il vino

La Becomes A

Similarly, the feminine singular article la becomes a.

A casa (the house) instead of la casa

A mamma (the mom) instead of la mamma

Un and Una Become 'N and 'Na

Indefinite articles are also shortened in Romanesco: un becomes 'n, and una becomes 'na. For example:

'N amico (a friend) instead of un amico

'Na pizza (a pizza) instead of una pizza

Notice how articles also change when used with prepositions. You can learn more about Italian prepositions here.

Ar bar instead of al bar (at the bar)

Dropping the Final -re in Verbs

Another important feature is the tendency to drop the final -re from certain verbs, for

Fa instead of fare (to do or make)

Dì instead of dire (to say)

Và instead of andare (to go)

Common Roman Expressions

Ao – An Interjection

Ao is one of the most famous words in Romanesco. It’s a casual way to get someone’s attention or express surprise. You’ll hear it frequently in the streets of Rome.

Ao, ce famo un giro? (Hey, shall we go for a walk?)

Ao, che fai? (Hey, what are you doing?)

Annamo – Let’s Go!

Annamo is the Romanesco version of andiamo (let’s go). It’s a very common and used phrase. For example:

Annamo a casa (Let’s go home)

Annamo a mangià (Let’s go eat)

Daje – Come On!

Daje is a popular Roman expression used to encourage, cheer on, or show excitement. It’s similar to saying come on! or let’s go! in English.

Daje, ce la fai! (Come on, you can do it!)

Daje, forza Roma! (Come on, go Roma!)

Limortacci tua – A Strong Insult (Use with Caution!)

Possibly the most infamous Roman expression, limortacci tua literally means your dead relatives. It can be very offensive but is sometimes used jokingly among friends. If addressing multiple people, you can say limortacci vostra.

Limortacci tua, sei sempre in ritardo! (Damn you, you’re always late!)

Anvedi – Look at That!

Anvedi means look! or check it out! and is used to call attention to something surprising or noteworthy.

Anvedi che casa che ha Diego! (Look at the house Diego has!)

Na certa – At Some Point / Eventually

Na certa is a colloquial way of saying at a certain point or eventually.

A na certa mi sono stufata e sono andata a casa (At a certain point, I got fed up and went home)

Ammazza – Wow! / Damn!

Ammazza is used to express astonishment, whether good or bad—like saying wow or damn in English.

Ammazza che caldo oggi! (Damn, it’s hot today!)

Mo – Now

Mo simply means now in Romanesco.

Mo ho fame, vado a mangià (Now I’m hungry, I’m going to eat)

Avoja

This word is difficult to translate. It’s a strong way of saying you bet or hell yeah.

Sei mai stata in questo quartiere? Avoja, ci sono stata molte volte! (Have you ever been in this neighborhood? Hell yeah, I’ve been there many times!)

Abbiocco

This word is very funny. It basically means the drowsy, sleepy feeling you get after a big meal—the food coma sensation.

Ieri c'ho avuto n'abbiocco pazzesco (Yesterday I had a crazy food coma)

Se femo du spaghi?

This literally means Shall we eat some spaghetti? but in Roman slang it’s simply an invitation to grab something to eat, not necessarily spaghetti.

Borghata

The word borghata refers to a neighborhood on the outskirts of Rome, often working- or middle-class areas. Depending on the tone and context, it can also be used derogatorily to mean a slum.