By Queenie Quayson
The Neapolitan Dialect (or Napulitano), spoken in Naples and Campania, bursts with expressive, melodic words that capture local life, humor, and emotion.
Among the most common are greetings in Neapolitan dialect are guagliò (hey, kid/young man/woman), jamm or jamme jà (come on, let’s go!), and mo (now). Everyday essentials include grazie assaje (thanks a lot), cumm’ staj? (how are you?), and nun capisc (I don’t understand).
Iconic terms reflect attitude: cazzimma (cunning or spiteful cleverness), sfizio (whim or craving), scuorno (shame/embarrassment), and appiccecà (to fight/argue).
Phrases like tutt’appost (everything’s fine) or a pisce fetiente (a messy brawl) add flavor. These words, often paired with gestures, make Neapolitan instantly vibrant and unmistakable. (98 words)
Here are the Talk Dialect 10 Frequently Used Neapolitan Dialect words:
- Aggio — I have
- Ammò — now / right now
- Core — heart
- Casa → ’A casa — home / the house
- Femmena — woman
- Guagliò — boy / lad / mate
- Jammo’ — let’s go
- Marenna — hunger / craving (also used as an exclamation)
- Staje — you are
- Uè — hey! (a greeting or attention‑getter)
Italian English — often called Italglish or Itenglish — is a unique linguistic hybrid shaped by a fascinating blend of cultures.
It primarily shows up in two ways: native Italian speakers adapting English structure into their speech, and the adoption of English loanwords directly into the Italian vocabulary, often with a twist.
Italians love to use English words like smart working (working from home) or smart glass in everyday conversation.
However, the grammar often bends to Italian rules. For instance, you might hear a speaker use a trailing “eh?” or apply Italian verb endings to English roots, creating an expressive, melodic version of English that bridges two incredibly distinct linguistic worlds.
While Italian gave English words like piano or fresco, the Neapolitan language (spoken in Naples and the surrounding Campania region) has made a massive impact on English.
This crossover happened largely through the wave of southern Italian immigration to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Because of this, many Neapolitan words entered American English first, heavily influenced by pop culture like The Sopranos and The Godfather.
Here are the most famous Neapolitan words we use in English today:
1. Culinary Classics
- Pizza: Yes, the world’s favorite food word comes straight from Naples, where modern pizza was invented.
- Pasta Fazool: This is the English phonetic spelling of the Neapolitan pasta e ffasule (pasta and beans). In standard Italian, it’s pasta e fagioli, but the English version firmly holds onto that southern Italian “zool” sound.
2. Slang & Pop Culture
Because Neapolitan drops or softens the final vowels of words, the pronunciation changed uniquely as it adapted into American English slang:
- Goomba / Goombah: In English, this often means a mob lackey or a close friend. It comes from the Neapolitan cumpar’ (godfather/companion).
- Capisce: Used in English as “get it?” or “understand?” It is the direct phonetic spelling of the Neapolitan pronunciation of capisci.
- Chooch: Slang for a dummy or an idiot, it comes directly from the Neapolitan word for donkey, ciuccio.
3. Organised Crime & Theatre
- Camorra: While the Mafia originates in Sicily, the specific criminal organization native to Naples is called the Camorra, a word used globally today.
- Punchinello: This English word for a buffoon or puppet character comes directly from Pulcinella, the famous, hooked-nosed stock character from Neapolitan Commedia dell’arte theater.
4. Talk Dialect Italian English Dialect Dictionary
- If you know any more Italian English words please add them into our Italian English Dialect Dictionary and don’t forget to put your name for full attribution.
Queenie Quayson is a final year Marketing student and the Talk Dialect Project Lead, you can read more about her work on Linked In
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