Italian Adjectives & Expressions to talk about someone’s Personality
Describing someone’s personality in one’s native language is difficult enough, let alone in a language we don’t know well. Adjectives are commonly used to describe someone’s personality.
I’ve created a list of some of the most basic Italian adjectives to use when discussing personality, as well as some fun and useful expressions for more advanced learners.
I recommend learning every adjective and its antonym and associating it with someone you know or yourself.
Basic Italian adjectives to describe someone’s personality
Italian Adjective
English Translation
Antonym
buono
good
cattivo
simpatico
nice, friendly
antipatico
empatico
empathetic
–
gentile, educato
polite
maleducato
generoso
generous
taccagno
felice
happy
triste
paziente
patient
impaziente
responsabile
responsible
irresponsabile
espansivo
effusive, warm
riservato
affettuoso
affectionate
–
altruista
altruistic
egoista
ottimista
optimistic
pessimista
impulsivo
impulsive
riflessivo
sicuro di sé
confident
timido
estroverso
extrovert
introverso
silenzioso
quiet
chiacchierone
coraggioso
brave
codardo
attivo
dynamic
pigro
affidabile
trustworthy, reliable
inaffidabile
ipocrita
hypocrite
sincero
allegro
cheerful, bubbly
–
arrogante
arrogant
–
socievole
sociable
asociale
stravagante
extravagant
–
sensibile
sensitive
insensibile
Advanced Italian adjectives to describe someone’s personality
Italian Adjective
English Translation
spensierato
cheerful, carefree
negligente
sloppy, careless
pensieroso
thoughtful
logorroico
long-winded (annoying)
loquace
chatty, talkative
polemico
quarrelsome
scorbutico
crabby, obnoxious
affascinante
charming
superficiale
shallow
tenace, determinato
determined
lunatico
moody
ipocondriaco
hypochondriac
vanesio
vain
venale
venal
permaloso
prickly
saccente
know-it-all, smart-ass
ambizioso
ambitious
parsimonioso
thrifty
curioso
inquisitive
invadente
nosy
insistente
pushy
sbadato
absent-minded
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Italian expressions to describe someone’s personality
Italian Expression
English Translation
avere un caratteraccio
to be bad-tempered
avere un carattere solare
to have a radiant personality
avere una personalità affascinante
to have a charming personality
essere una vipera
to be bitchy
avere la mente aperta
to be open-minded
avere la mente chiusa
to be close-minded
essere alla mano
to be easygoing
avere un carattere deciso
someone who knows what he or she wants
essere un rompiscatole (vulgar)
to be a pain in the neck
essere un attaccabrighe
to be a troublemaker
essere una persona di buon cuore
to be good-hearted
essere una persona di sani principi
to be someone with good values
essere in (gran) forma
to be in great shape
essere fuori forma
to be in poor shape
vivere in un modo tutto suo
to live in one’s own world
essere pieni di sé
to be full of oneself
essere fuori dagli schemi
an unconventional person
avere una personalità forte
to have a strong personality
avere i piedi per terra
to be down-to-earth
Italian adjectives to describe someone intellectual ability
Italian Adjective
English Translation
geniale
brilliant
brillante
brilliant
sveglio
brainy (colloquial), smart
intelligente
intelligent
acuto
sharp
furbo
cunning (negative)
essere in gamba
to be very capable
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