Italian expression of the day: ‘Mortacci tua’
You’ll be cursing yourself for not mastering this Italian phrase sooner.
Ordinary Italian has no shortage of profanities and you’ll find there’s an adequate parolaccia (swear word) or imprecazione (curse) for pretty much anything that may go wrong in your life.
But, if you’re looking to take your Italian swearing efforts up a notch, you may want to peer into your region's dialect for inspiration. If you live in the Lazio region, there truly is no better curse to know than mortacci tua.
Mortacci tua (sometimes shortened to ‘tacci tua) is one of, if not the most inflammatory insult the Roman dialect has produced in its long and glorious history, with the curse’s popularity now extending far beyond Lazio’s borders.
Mortacci tua is the abbreviated form of Mannaggia li mortacci tua or Mannaggia l’anima de li mortacci tua, which roughly translates to ‘May the soul of your despicable dead ancestors be cursed’. How’s that for a creative insult?
Ma cosa fai? Mi passi davanti?! Mortacci tua!
What are you doing? Are you cutting in front of me?! Damn you!
If you’re thinking that mortacci tua may be a bit too offensive (and you’d have every right to think so), you should know that, as with many other Italian imprecazioni, its intensity and underlying significance depend on how exactly it’s uttered and the overall context of a conversation.
Antonella: “Io mi sono innamorata di Edoardo purtroppo”
Edoardo: “Ma purtroppo cosa li mortacci tua”
HO SPUTATO UN POLMONE #gfvip pic.twitter.com/jMf8YeSiSP
— sisonokevin (@Oriele__Era) November 7, 2022
So, while it can be (and often is) used to express great anger and annoyance at someone, mortacci tua can also be used as a way to voice surprise, admiration or, in some cases, even happiness.
Bello vederti dopo cosi’ tanto tempo!
‘Tacci tua. Non sei cambiato per niente!
Good to see you after such a long time!
Damn you. You haven't changed in the slightest.
-
Ma che gol hai fatto oggi? Mortacci tua.
Damn. You scored a hell of a goal today.
It’s worth noting that the phrase is often used in the second person singular form, but can also be used in the third person singular (mortacci sui), second person plural (mortacci vostra) and third person plural (mortacci loro), depending on who the target of the phrase is.
In some cases, a speaker may even choose to direct the ‘curse’ at themselves after doing something that they’re now regretting.
Mortacci mia. Ho mangiato troppo. Sto malissimo.
Damn me. I’ve eaten too much. I’m feeling sick.
Of course, you should use this phrase cautiously: hurling a mortacci tua at the town hall clerk who’s lost your documents is very likely to land you in trouble.
Do you have a favourite Italian word you'd like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.
Comments
See Also
Ordinary Italian has no shortage of profanities and you’ll find there’s an adequate parolaccia (swear word) or imprecazione (curse) for pretty much anything that may go wrong in your life.
But, if you’re looking to take your Italian swearing efforts up a notch, you may want to peer into your region's dialect for inspiration. If you live in the Lazio region, there truly is no better curse to know than mortacci tua.
Mortacci tua (sometimes shortened to ‘tacci tua) is one of, if not the most inflammatory insult the Roman dialect has produced in its long and glorious history, with the curse’s popularity now extending far beyond Lazio’s borders.
Mortacci tua is the abbreviated form of Mannaggia li mortacci tua or Mannaggia l’anima de li mortacci tua, which roughly translates to ‘May the soul of your despicable dead ancestors be cursed’. How’s that for a creative insult?
Ma cosa fai? Mi passi davanti?! Mortacci tua!
What are you doing? Are you cutting in front of me?! Damn you!
If you’re thinking that mortacci tua may be a bit too offensive (and you’d have every right to think so), you should know that, as with many other Italian imprecazioni, its intensity and underlying significance depend on how exactly it’s uttered and the overall context of a conversation.
Antonella: “Io mi sono innamorata di Edoardo purtroppo”
— sisonokevin (@Oriele__Era) November 7, 2022
Edoardo: “Ma purtroppo cosa li mortacci tua”
HO SPUTATO UN POLMONE #gfvip pic.twitter.com/jMf8YeSiSP
So, while it can be (and often is) used to express great anger and annoyance at someone, mortacci tua can also be used as a way to voice surprise, admiration or, in some cases, even happiness.
Bello vederti dopo cosi’ tanto tempo!
‘Tacci tua. Non sei cambiato per niente!
Good to see you after such a long time!
Damn you. You haven't changed in the slightest.
-
Ma che gol hai fatto oggi? Mortacci tua.
Damn. You scored a hell of a goal today.
It’s worth noting that the phrase is often used in the second person singular form, but can also be used in the third person singular (mortacci sui), second person plural (mortacci vostra) and third person plural (mortacci loro), depending on who the target of the phrase is.
In some cases, a speaker may even choose to direct the ‘curse’ at themselves after doing something that they’re now regretting.
Mortacci mia. Ho mangiato troppo. Sto malissimo.
Damn me. I’ve eaten too much. I’m feeling sick.
Of course, you should use this phrase cautiously: hurling a mortacci tua at the town hall clerk who’s lost your documents is very likely to land you in trouble.
Do you have a favourite Italian word you'd like us to feature? If so, please email us with your suggestion.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.