Italian · Emotions & Descriptions

"Cool (great)" in Italian: figo/a

figo/a

Say it: FEE-gohadjective/ˈfi.ɡo/

Note: also: forte

Cool as slang in Italian is figo (FEE-goh) masculine and figa feminine. Che figo! means how cool! Forte is a near synonym, but this entry uses figo.

New sneakers

Quelle scarpe sono fighe.
Those shoes are cool.
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How to pronounce figo/a

Say it

FEE-goh

/ˈfi.ɡo/

Figo stresses FEE: FEE-goh. Figa is FEE-gah. Soft g. Casual tone.

"Cool (great)" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
figo / figacool

Agree with the noun or person.

Che figo!How cool!

Quick reaction.

è figoit's cool

Things and plans.

fortecool / awesome

Near synonym from the note.

How to use figo/a in real life

  1. 1New sneakers

    Quelle scarpe sono fighe.

    Those shoes are cool.

    Fighe plural feminine.

  2. 2Concert plan

    Il posto del concerto è figo.

    The concert venue is cool.

    Figo masculine.

  3. 3Friend's idea

    Che idea figa partire all'alba!

    What a cool idea to leave at dawn!

    Figa with idea.

Mistakes English speakers make with figo/a

Incorrect: Quella idea è figo.

Correct: Quella idea è figa.

Agree: figa with idea.

Incorrect: È forte (when practicing this entry)

Correct: È figo.

This page teaches figo; forte is the note synonym.

Good to know

Figo is youthful slang—great among friends, less ideal in a job interview. Gender agreement still applies: posto figo, serata figa. Some speakers prefer forte or bello for softer cool. Tone matters more than the dictionary.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Picking a weekend bar

  1. ChatPal

    Questo locale nuovo sembra figo.

    This new place looks cool.

  2. You

    Sì, la terrazza è figa soprattutto.

    Yes, the terrace is especially cool.

  3. ChatPal

    Allora prenotiamo: sarebbe figo vederci lì.

    Then let's book: it would be cool to meet there.

  4. You

    Ok, mando il messaggio al gruppo.

    Ok, I'll message the group.

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"Cool (great)" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Cool (great)" in Italian

Feminine form?

Figa.

How cool!

Che figo! / Che figa!

Vs forte?

Both slang praise; this page teaches figo.

Formal?

Skip figo in formal settings; use bello or interessante.

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