Granni
Big
Usage
Describe the size of clothes, rooms and so on
Grammar Note
The masculine and feminine forms are the same, and the plural is also granni
Nicu
Small
Usage
The opposite of big; use it when asking for another size
Grammar Note
The feminine is nica
Pisanti
Heavy
Usage
Say a bag is heavy, often before asking for help
Grammar Note
The same for both genders. It shares its root with pisu "weight"
Liggeru
Light (weight)
Usage
Light in weight, a different word from "bright"
Grammar Note
The feminine is liggera. Heavy is pisanti
Caru
Expensive
Usage
Say a price is high; an opening line for haggling
Grammar Note
The feminine is cara. It also means "dear"
A bon mircatu
Cheap
Usage
Use it when hunting for something cheaper
Grammar Note
A fixed phrase meaning "at a good market price", unchanged for gender and number. A single-word form for "cheap" could not be confirmed
Càudu
Hot
Usage
Hot to the touch; say a drink or a dish is hot
Grammar Note
Stressed on the third syllable from the end, hence the grave accent. The feminine is càuda
Friddu
Cold
Usage
Cold to the touch; say a dish has gone cold
Grammar Note
The feminine is fridda. As a noun, friddu also means "cold" in the sense of chill
Novu
New
Usage
For asking for a new item or a different room
Grammar Note
The feminine is nova. The stressed vowel stays o
Vecchiu
Old (thing)
Usage
Old as in an object; for a person use anzianu
Grammar Note
The feminine is vecchia. As a noun it can also mean "old man"
Giùvini
Young
Usage
Talk about a person being young
Grammar Note
The same for both genders, and the plural is also giùvini. Stressed on the third syllable from the end, hence the grave accent
Anzianu
Elderly
Usage
A polite word for an older person; for old things use vecchiu
Grammar Note
The feminine is anziana. It is used only of people
Pulitu
Clean
Usage
Say a room, water or crockery is clean
Grammar Note
The feminine is pulita
Lordu
Dirty
Usage
For complaints, such as asking to change a dirty room
Grammar Note
The feminine is lorda. Sporcu is also used
Bonu
Good
Usage
The most general word for a good verdict; also used for tasty food
Grammar Note
The feminine is bona. Before a noun it can shorten to bon, as in a bon mircatu
Malu
Bad
Usage
Say something is bad or of poor quality
Grammar Note
The feminine is mala. Tintu is also used for "bad" or "nasty"
Vicinu
Near
Usage
Comes up constantly as an answer about distance
Grammar Note
Works as an adjective and an adverb. The feminine is vicina. As a noun it means "neighbour"
Luntanu
Far
Usage
Check it to decide between walking and taking transport
Grammar Note
The feminine is luntana
Prestu
Early
Usage
Early in time; this entry is about the clock, not speed
Grammar Note
An adverb, so it does not change. It also means "soon"
Tardu
Late
Usage
Late in time; also used to report a delay
Grammar Note
"Later" is cchiù tardu. As an adverb it does not change
Tanti
Many
Usage
A large number; handy for adjusting an order
Grammar Note
The plural of tantu, used with countable things and the same for both genders. Assai also expresses a large amount
Pochi
Few
Usage
A small number; use it to ask for less
Grammar Note
The plural of pocu. For a small amount picca is also used
Fa càudu
It is hot (weather)
Usage
Hot weather; many languages use a different word than for hot objects
Grammar Note
Weather is expressed as "fari plus adjective", a pattern shared with Italian. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Fa friddu
It is cold (weather)
Usage
Cold weather
Grammar Note
The same pattern as Fa càudu. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Dilizziusu
Delicious
Usage
A compliment to give at the table
Grammar Note
The feminine is dilizziusa
Divirtenti
Fun
Usage
Used to react to an experience itself
Grammar Note
The same for both genders, and the plural is also divirtenti
Cchiù
More
Usage
Point at this to ask for a larger amount
Grammar Note
Written with a double cch at the start. Put before an adjective it forms the comparative (cchiù granni)
Sulu tanticchia
Just a little
Usage
Ask for just a small amount
Grammar Note
Tanticchia works like a noun meaning "a little bit". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
Mità
Half
Usage
Ask for half the quantity or to split a cost in two
Grammar Note
Stressed on the last syllable, hence the accent. "In half" is a mità
Tuttu
All of it
Usage
Say you want the whole lot, or ask the total
Grammar Note
The feminine is tutta and the plural is tutti
Abbasta accussì
That is enough
Usage
Say it to stop someone pouring or serving more
Grammar Note
Abbastari means "to be enough". Accussì carries a final accent. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended
More Sicilian phrases
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