The Roman Dialect: The Language of the Streets of Rome

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 in the Roman dialect. For example, il libro (the book) becomes er libro.

Here are some other examples:

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 in Romanesco.

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

Dropping the Final re in Verbs

Another key feature is the tendency to drop the final re from certain verbs, giving the dialect a casual and colloquial tone. For example:

Fa instead of fare (to do or make)

Dì instead of dire (to say)

Và instead of andare (to go)

Changing Prepositions

In Romanesco, prepositions often change. Here are a few common transformations:

Standard Italian	Romanesco Equivalent	Example
Di	De	de Roma instead of di Roma (from Rome)
Del	Der	der vino instead of del vino (of the wine)
Al	Ar	ar bar instead of al bar (at the bar)
Dal	Dar	dar medico instead of dal medico (from the doctor)
Nel	Ner	ner giardino instead of nel giardino (in the garden)
Col	Cor	cor padre instead of col padre (with the father)
Sul	Sur	sur tavolo instead of su(l) tavolo (on the table)

Common Roman Expressions

Ao as 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 the capital.

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 expressive phrase. For example:

Annamo a casa (Let’s go home)

Annamo a mangià (Let’s go eat)

Daje – Come On!

The word 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 also sometimes used jokingly among friends. If you're 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. It often marks a turning point or a moment of decision.

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 means now in Romanesco.

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

Conclusion

Next time you visit Rome, whether you're strolling through the streets of Trastevere or enjoying a plate of Carbonara or Cacio e Pepe in a traditional trattoria, try listening for some of the expressions you’ve learned above—or better yet, use them yourself! Locals will appreciate your effort, and you’ll enjoy your *Vacanze romane* (Roman holiday) even more.