So, you’ve drunk a few too many Spritzes or Proseccos, and now you need the perfect word to tell your Italian friends that you’re feeling a little tipsy or totally drunk? Look no further! Here’s a list of 13 ways to say “drunk” in Italian, from the standard to the seriously fun. Personally, I’m all about #4—it’s hilarious!
But before you dive into the list, remember: just like most Italian adjectives, these terms need to match the gender and number of whoever they’re describing. So, keep an eye on those endings!
Now, go ahead, have fun, and…enjoy responsibly!
1. Ubriaco/a
Let’s start with a classic. Ubriaco (say it with a nice rolling “r”) is the go-to word for saying that someone is “drunk” in Italian — whether they’ve had too many glasses of vino at a family dinner or celebrated a little too hard during aperitivo hour. For example:
Marco era completamente ubriaco ieri sera.
Marco was completely drunk last night.
To emphasize the “drunk” factor, we often say ubriaco fradicio (literally, “soaked drunk”) ubriaco marcio (literally, “rotten drunk”),or even ubriaco come una scimmia (literally, “drunk as a monkey”), all similar to “drunk as a skunk” in English.
Here’s a fun fact: ubriaco isn’t just reserved for people, it also pops up in delicious Italian recipes! You might come across dishes like polpo ubriaco from Livorno (that’s octopus stewed in wine, yum!) or spaghetti ubriachi (which is pasta cooked with a red wine sauce… mamma mia!).
Finally, ubriaco can also be used to describe those heady feelings that leave you walk on air, like when you’re ubriaco di felicità (“drunk with happiness”) or ubriaco d’amore (“drunk with love”)!
2. Sbronzo/a
Sbronzo is the more casual way to say someone’s totally drunk in Italian. You’ll hear friends use this one when joking about that one person who might have gone a little overboard at the bar. Here’s an example:
Non può guidare in quelle condizioni, è troppo sbronzo!
He can’t drive in this condition, he’s hammered!
The feminine version, sbronza, is also a noun, used to talk about the act of getting way too drunk. For instance:
Ho preso una sbronza pazzesca alla festa di Serena!
I got incredibly drunk at Serena’s party!
3. Bevuto
Bevuto is the past participle of the verb bere (to drink) and it’s another colloquial way to say someone is “drunk” in Italian. For example:
L’altra sera, mio cugino era talmente bevuto che non riusciva a stare in piedi.
The other night, my cousin was so drunk that he couldn’t even stand up.
Bevuto also pops up in some hilarious and informal expressions like:
- Ma sei bevuto/a? (literally, “but are you drunk?”), a sarcastic way to question someone’s logic when they say something completely absurd, as if they could only come up with such an idea while totally hammered!
- Ti sei bevuto/a il cervello? (literally, “have you drunk the brain?”), a fun way to ask someone if they’ve lost their mind.
4. Ciucco/a
Ciucco is one of those hilarious slang words for “drunk” in Italian, and it’s got plenty of regional flair. For instance, you might catch someone in Lombardy calling it ciucatè, while in Veneto it turns into cioc. But no matter how it sounds, it always means the same thing: very, very drunk! Here’s an example:
Hai visto come rideva? Si vedeva che era ciucca!
Did you see how she was laughing? You could tell she was drunk!
And when you’ve had way too many, you might describe the experience with the feminine version, ciucca, which also works as a noun for an epic drinking session. Like this:
Abbiamo preso una ciucca tremenda con tutto quel vino!
We got totally smashed with all that wine!
5. Brillo/a
You know that fuzzy feeling you get after a drink or two? That’s when you’re brillo, the Italian equivalent of “tipsy” in English:
Dopo mezzo Spritz sei già brilla, Sara!
After half a Spritz, you’re already tipsy, Sara!
Here’s a fun fact: brillo looks exactly the same as the first person singular of the verb brillare, which means “to shine.” Kind of fitting, right? After all, when we’re tipsy, it’s like we’re glowing a little extra!
6. Alticcio
Alticcio is another charming way to describe someone who’s “a bit drunk” in Italian. Think of it as the state when you’ve just had just enough to feel the cheer but you’re still walking straight (mostly…):
Hai visto Carlo? Sembrava piuttosto alticcio alla festa di Natale!
Did you see Carlo? He looked pretty buzzed at the Christmas party!
Grammatically, alticcio is a diminutive form of alto (tall), so it implies that something has gone beyond its usual level. In this case, it’s a person’s sobriety that’s been “raised” just a little bit too much!
7. Avvinazzato
Avvinazzato is the word you need when someone has gone a little too hard with the wine. It’s a slightly less common term, but definitely one you’ll want in your Italian vocabulary. Here’s an example:
Sul treno c’erano due uomini piuttosto avvinazzati.
There were two guys on the train who were pretty wine-soaked.
The adjective avvinazzato comes from the verb avvinazzare, which is all about getting something (or someone) soaked in the nectar of the gods.
8. Ebbro/a
Ebbro is a bit more formal and literary when it comes to describing someone who’s “drunk” in Italian. You probably won’t hear much at the local bar (unless someone’s feeling particularly philosophical after a few glasses…). The word ebbro comes from the Latin ebrius, meaning “drunk” or “intoxicated,” and elegantly describes someone whose mind is clouded by too much wine and alcohol.
Siamo ebbri di vino!
We’re drunk on wine!
Like with ubriaco, ebbro can be used also in a more metaphorical sense to describe someone who’s overwhelmed or intoxicated by emotions, like ebbro di felicità (drink on happiness) or ebbro di desiderio (drunk on desire).
9. Alcolizzato
Alcolizzato is a word that typically refers to someone with a serious dependence on alcohol, but it’s also used in a more casual, exaggerated way in everyday conversations to describe someone who’s had a wild night of drinking. For example:
Sandro è uscito con gli amici e si è alcolizzato tutta la sera.
Sandro went out with his friends and got completely drunk all night.
10. Beone
Beone is one of those words that have a bit of old-school charm. It’s got ancient roots, showing up in a satirical poem by none other than Lorenzo de’ Medici in the 15th century! While you won’t hear it that often in casual conversation today, it’s still fun to know.
The word comes from the Latin bibere, meaning “to drink,” and is typically used in a negative sense to talk about someone who’s always reaching for the next glass:
Quel tipo era un beone di prima categoria!
That guy was a top-tier lush!
11. Avere alzato il gomito
A classic Italian body-part expression, avere alzato il gomito literally means “to have lifted the elbow,” which is a playful way of saying someone has had too many drinks. The phrase comes from the motion of raising the elbow to bring the glass to your mouth, and is perfect to refer to someone who’s been drinking a lot, without necessarily labeling them as ciucco or alcolizzato. For example:
Chiara ha alzato il gomito e non si ricorda niente della festa!
Chiara had a few too many drinks and can’t remember a thing about the party!
12. Avere bevuto come una spugna
This Italian saying is a fun expression that gives the image of a person absorbing alcohol as easily as a sponge absorbs liquids. Surely, a vivid way to describe someone who’s been downing drinks left and right! For example:
Anche se beve come una spugna, Fabrizio riesce sempre a restare lucido.
Even though he drinks like a sponge, Fabrizio always manages to stay clear-headed.
13. Avere fatto bagordi
Here’s another beautiful descriptive way to say someone has overindulged. The term bagordi has its roots in the ancient Provençal French baort, which originally referred to a type of jousting or armed encounter. Over time, the meaning shifted, and today this expression is perfect for describing those wild nights when you let loose and go all out, whether it’s with drinking, partying, or just celebrating to excess — often with some memorable and maybe embarrassing results. For example:
Hai visto? Andrea e Matteo hanno fatto bagordi nei locali del centro e hanno postato tutto su Facebook!
Did you see? Andrea and Matteo have overindulged in the downtown bars and posted it all on Facebook!
Valentina Nicastro is a travel writer in love with her home country, Italy. Having travelled widely around the globe, she realised there was more to explore closer to home and decided to put the passport aside for a while. When she is not immersed in documenting Italy, you’ll find her donning her communication consultant hat, weaving words as a content writer and bridging linguistic divides as a translator.
