Understanding Tuscan: The Roots of Modern Italian

Where Tuscan Is Spoken

While the Tuscan language is spoken mainly in Tuscany, a region known for being the heart of the Renaissance and of Chianti, it is also spoken in parts of Umbria, and with time it expanded also to the island of Corsica, and in the northern part of Sardinia, where it evolved into Corsican.

Like all regional languages of Italy, Tuscan varies greatly depending on the province, and even from one city to another. Therefore, in Florence, people will speak Fiorentino, while in the city of Arezzo, people will speak Aretino. There are, nevertheless, some features that are common throughout the whole region, and in this article, we will see the most common ones.

A Language of Literature

Tuscan holds a special place in Italian culture because it was the variety used by Dante Alighieri to write his masterpiece, the Divina Commedia, the book has been so important that it has been chosen as the foundation of modern standard Italian. This is why Tuscan and Italian are so closely related, and Tuscan is one of the varieties that is more similar to Italian and therefore one of the easiest to understand. But Dante isn’t the only literary giant from Tuscany; other notable authors who lived during the Renaissance include Giovanni Boccaccio, Petrarch, and Niccolò Machiavelli all. So Italian literature owes much of its form and style to Tuscan writers.

Unique Words and Expressions

Tuscan is full of words and expressions, many of which are still heard in standard Italian, while others are found only in Tuscany. Here are the most common:

Mi garba

Means I like it. It’s equivalent to the standard Italian mi piace and is conjugated the same way, using indirect pronouns (mi, ti, gli, ci, vi, gli) to indicate the person who likes something. For example, you might hear: Mi garba la tua nuova macchina (I like your new car) or Ti garba un bicchiere di vino? (Would you like a glass of wine?)

Babbo

Babbo means dad. While papà is more common elsewhere in Italy, babbo is standard in Tuscany. Its most famous use, also in standard Italian, is in the name Babbo Natale (Father Christmas), the Italian equivalent of Santa Claus.

Bischero

Bischero is a classic Tuscan insult. It translates roughly to fool, idiot, or silly person, but it is mostly used as an affectionate term and is often used among friends rather than as a term to offend other people.

Bischerata

The term bischerata derives from bischero and refers to a silly thing or a stupid mistake. It can describe an action or decision that is seen as foolish. If someone spends time on something utterly useless, they have made a bischerata.

Icche

Icche is a colloquial form of what, replacing the standard che cosa or cosa in questions. For example: Icche tu fai? (What are you doing?) or icche tu vuoi? (What do you want?)

Grullo

Similar in meaning to bischero, grullo also means a silly person or a fool, though some Tuscans might argue it’s slightly softer than bischero. The word evokes the image of someone who is perhaps a bit clumsy or naive. 'Un fare il grullo! (Don’t be silly!)

Quattrini

Quattrini is an old-fashioned term for money or cash. The word has historical roots, as it literally referred to a small, low-value coin (a quattrino) that was in circulation centuries ago. Today, when Tuscans use it, they are generally referring to money in general, and it’s also understood in standard Italian.

Ganzo

While its original meaning referred to a lover or suitor (often an illicit one), its modern, most frequent use in Tuscany is as an adjective meaning cool, awesome, or great.

Cencio

Cencio means rag or cleaning cloth. This word also exists in other parts of Italy, but it sounds a bit old fashioned. Questa maglia e ridotta un ciencio (this shirt is like a rau) and therefore people tend to use the most common words straccio, panno, or strofinaccio.

Cannella

The word cannella means tap or faucet. While rubinetto is standard in Italian, Tuscans often say cannella, derived from the Latin for little pipe. In standard Italian, however, cannella means cinnamon, the spice used in desserts.

Granata

Granata means broom. While scopa is more common across Italy, granata is frequently used in Tuscany. The word is amusing because, in the rest of Italy, granata means grenade, the explosive weapon thrown at the enemy.

Maremma maiala

The Tuscan expression Maremma maiala! (sometimes also maremma maiala bucaiola!) is a very typical exclamation in Tuscan slang used to express frustration or annoyance. It roughly translates to Damn! or Bloody hell! in English.

Maremma is a coastal region in southern Tuscany, historically known for being a swampy, malaria-ridden, and harsh place to live. Maiala means sow or female pig. So Maremma maiala! literally means something like Pig Maremma!

Gabbare

In the Tuscan dialect, the word gabbare means to deceive, to trick, or to cheat. It comes from the Old French verb gab, which originally meant to joke. You might hear it in expressions like: Mi ha gabbato! (He tricked me!) Or non ti far gabbare. (don’t let yourself be fooled)

Distinctive Linguistic Features

Tuscan differs from standard Italian not only in vocabulary but also in grammar and pronunciation:

Pronouns Are Not Omitted

In standard Italian, subject pronouns are often dropped since verb endings already indicate the subject of the sentence. In Tuscan, however, pronouns are often retained for emphasis. For example, a Tuscan person would rather say O che TU fai? (Hey, what are YOU doing?) rather that che fai? or Come TU stai? (How are YOU?) Instead of come stai?.

The Letter C Is Pronounced Like an English H

This, without any doubt, is one of Tuscan’s most distinctive traits. When the letter c lies between two vowels, it is generally pronounced like the English h. For example, the sentence coca-cola con la cannuccia (Coca-Cola with a straw) sounds like hoha-hola hon la hannuccia. Italians love asking Tuscan speakers to pronounce this sentence, and Tuscans are usually happy to do it! Try it, they’ll enjoy it. (We don't take any responsibility if they answer you in a bad way)

Double Pronouns for Emphasis

In many varieties of Tuscan Italian, speakers often use a stressed pronoun and an unstressed pronoun together (in simpler words a me and mi, both meaning to me), even though this is wrong in standard Italian because it would normally be considered redundant. Example: A me mi garba (I really like it.)

Contractions

In quick, everyday Tuscan conversation, certain very common words are shortened. The standard Italian negative particle non (not) is almost invariably shortened to 'un in spoken Tuscan. For example, standard Italian Non lo so (I don’t know) becomes 'Un lo so. The verb fare (to do/make) becomes fo instead of faccio, and the verb andare (to go) becomes vo instead of vado.

Infinitives Drop the Final -re

Infinitive verbs in spoken Tuscan often drop the final -re and add an accent on the last vowel. For example, mangiare (to eat) becomes mangià, and andare (to go) becomes andà. This gives Tuscan a smooth, musical rhythm.

Tuscan Possessives Are Shortened

In the Tuscan dialect, possessive adjectives are frequently shortened, meaning they lose their final vowel sound. Mio, mia (my) becomes mi’, tuo, tua (your, singular) becomes tu’; and suo, sua (his/her/its) becomes su’. For example: la mia mamma (my mom) becomes la mi’ mamma.