Adjectives

31 phrases · Sicilian with romanization, English and audio

  1. 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

  2. Nicu

    Small

    Usage

    The opposite of big; use it when asking for another size

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is nica

  3. 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"

  4. Liggeru

    Light (weight)

    Usage

    Light in weight, a different word from "bright"

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is liggera. Heavy is pisanti

  5. Caru

    Expensive

    Usage

    Say a price is high; an opening line for haggling

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is cara. It also means "dear"

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. Novu

    New

    Usage

    For asking for a new item or a different room

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is nova. The stressed vowel stays o

  10. 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"

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. Pulitu

    Clean

    Usage

    Say a room, water or crockery is clean

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is pulita

  14. Lordu

    Dirty

    Usage

    For complaints, such as asking to change a dirty room

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is lorda. Sporcu is also used

  15. 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

  16. 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"

  17. 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"

  18. Luntanu

    Far

    Usage

    Check it to decide between walking and taking transport

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is luntana

  19. 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"

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. 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

  24. 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

  25. Dilizziusu

    Delicious

    Usage

    A compliment to give at the table

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is dilizziusa

  26. Divirtenti

    Fun

    Usage

    Used to react to an experience itself

    Grammar Note

    The same for both genders, and the plural is also divirtenti

  27. 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)

  28. 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

  29. 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

  30. 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

  31. 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

Browse all TravelPhrases languages