Today we’ll be focusing on an advanced Italian adjective that translates in many ways including gaudy, showy, flamboyant, glitzy and flashy: sgargiante. It is thought to derive from the present participle of the Neapolitan sgargià meaning ‘to look (at someone) with a loving gaze’ with the intention of attracting their attention.
When modifying masculine and feminine singular nouns, it remains sgargiante, whereas the plural is sgargianti.
- un vestito sgargiante = a gaudy outfit
- una cravatta sgargiante = a showy tie
- i colori sgargianti = the flashy colours
- le feste sgargianti = the flamboyant parties
Il suo vestito era troppo sgargiante per i miei gusti.
His suit was too flamboyant for my liking.
Sgargiante is mainly used to describe colours and clothing, but it can also refer to people and events. When talking about a person, in addition to his or her showy appearance, the adjective can also imply that the person is loud or noisy.
Chi è questo tipo sgargiante? Un tuo amico?
Who is this flamboyant guy? A friend of yours?
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
