Vaffanculo! Our top 5 Italian insults

Italians punctuate their language with some wickedly creative swearing. In traffic?  Forget about it! Within families? It’s how they show affection! Lover's quarrel? It’s practically a form of foreplay.  

Here are 5 of our favourites :

1. Vaffanculo a chi t'è morto.
   Translation: “Go f#**# your dead family members.” Or "the souls of your dead family members."
   Notes: An elevated vaffanculo. When you want to be extra insulting and vaffanculo just won’t cut it. In Italian culture, when you add anything about family members it’s extra offensive.
   

2. Vattela a pigliare in culo.
   Translation: "Go take it up your ass."
   Notes: This is commonly used to tease someone in a lighthearted way. It’s popular slang as harmless as vaffanculo.
   

3. Levati dai coglioni.
   Translation: "Get off my balls."
   Notes: This is used playfully when someone is in your way, or they're annoying and you don't want to be around them. It’s only rude if you say it to an old lady.
   

4. Testa di cazzo.
   Translation: "Head of a dick."
   Notes: Consider this the Italian version of calling someone an asshole. It's very, very common.
   

5. Che cavolo.
   Translation: “What cabbage.”
   Notes: Mild enough to use in just about any circumstance without seriously offending anyone.