Glossary entry

Italian term or phrase:

Che fico

English translation:

How cool!!

Added to glossary by SeiTT
Apr 17, 2010 19:17
14 yrs ago
Italian term

Che fico

Italian to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature Song Lyrics
Greetings,

It's repeated over and over again in this song:

Che fico, che fico! - Pippo Franco

Che fico, che fico sognare di avere un motoscafo che corre sul mare e in tasca ai pantaloni un po’ di milioni da spendere in gelati patatine pop-corn e noccioline.

Che fico, che fico avere il poster nella stanza che fico comprare un mucchio di adesivi che fico uscire con quella spilla punk sul giubbotto che tu puoi portare solo se sei fico.

Che fico andare nel parco a pattinare con tutta la banda, guidare la discesa, girare, sfiorare quelle ragazzine che vedendoti volare poi sospirano così:

“Ah! ah! ah! ma quanto è fico quello lì, ma guarda che maglietta che jeans, mi piace un frego quello lì, è un tipo fico, ma proprio fico

All the best, and many thanks,

Simon

Discussion

Fiona Grace Peterson Apr 18, 2010:
Grading As Cedric points out, the term "Che fico" is used in different ways within the piece of text the answerer posted. So I think grading may become problematic, as different answerers gave answers to different uses of the term.
Fiona Grace Peterson Apr 17, 2010:
You're right Cedric I didn't notice that before. "è un tipo fico..." "...he is HOT!!!" :o))))))))
Susanna Garcia Apr 17, 2010:
I agree Cedric - that's the point I was trying to make too
Cedric Randolph Apr 17, 2010:
Play on words The first instances are not synonymopus with the final instances of the term.

Proposed translations

+4
8 mins
Selected

How cool!!

my attempt... but caution!! this is rude in Italian.... :)
Peer comment(s):

agree Sonia Maria Parise : ...or just say Cool! and it is not rude, it is just a teenager's slang which has lost the original meaning!
41 mins
neutral Susanna Garcia : It's not the masculine noun that was rude as far as I know but the feminine noun
58 mins
agree Armilla (X) : "So cool" as well. ;)
1 hr
agree Simon Lewis : 'What a fig' is rude? Cool fits both the man (cool and sexy) and more generally
3 hrs
agree luskie : penso anch'io che cool copra entrambi i significati (and agree with susanna too :) - un "fico" is a cool man, he's so cool he doesn't even need to be goodlooking to be attractive ;)
11 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "many thanks excellent"
14 mins

How cool is that!

Hi Simon,
unfortunately this one loses a bit in translation!

"Fico" basically means "cool", but whereas in English you'd need to use a variety of phrases to translate the whole song, the Italian can get away with just the one.

So, for example, "It's so cool to go skating.../How cool is it to go skating...", while for "Che fico!" on it's own, I'd go with "How cool is that!"

Unfortunately not knowing the song, and no longer being under twenty (!) prevents me from giving other expressions which might be in with the kids of today... :D

You might get better solutions, but that's the meaning anyway.
Hope it helps!
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+1
22 mins

what a hunk/how lush/....male attractiveness

It could be translated firstly as already given 'how cool' and then when referring to a description of the man, it means, in fiorentino at least, someone goodlooking, so anything along those lines:
tasty/lush etc.
Peer comment(s):

agree Umberto Cassano
11 hrs
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1 hr

What a gas

This is how I interpret the first instances while the second could be how cool that guy is.

Also in the third what a gas, only if you're cool - also in the final stanza - "how cool that dude is.... he is a cool dude really cool"

This is my take and only that for what it's worth.
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