Significado
Acting in a cheeky way.
Contexto cultural
The 'furbetto' is a staple of Italian news. You will often hear about 'I furbetti del cartellino'—public employees who clock in and then go shopping or to the beach. Characters played by actors like Alberto Sordi or Checco Zalone often embody the 'furbetto'—the average guy trying to navigate life's difficulties with small tricks. In the South, 'furbizia' is sometimes linked to the 'arte di arrangiarsi' (the art of making do), where being a 'furbetto' is a survival mechanism against a difficult system. In the North, 'fare il furbetto' is often used more critically in business contexts to describe someone who isn't being 'serio' (serious/professional).
Use it with a smile
If you use it with a smile, it's a lighthearted tease. If you use it with a frown, it's a real criticism.
Watch the gender
Don't forget to say 'furbetta' for women. It's a very common mistake for English speakers!
Significado
Acting in a cheeky way.
Use it with a smile
If you use it with a smile, it's a lighthearted tease. If you use it with a frown, it's a real criticism.
Watch the gender
Don't forget to say 'furbetta' for women. It's a very common mistake for English speakers!
The 'Furbetto' News
Search for 'furbetti' on Italian news sites like ANSA to see how it's used in real-world scandals.
Ponte a prueba
Complete the sentence with the correct form of 'furbetto'.
Giulia non vuole fare i compiti e dice che le fa male la testa. Sta facendo la _______.
Giulia is feminine singular, so we use 'furbetta'.
Match the situation to the correct use of 'fare il furbetto'.
Situation: A man tries to enter the cinema without a ticket.
Using 'furbetto' fits the context of avoiding payment.
Which sentence is correct?
Select the grammatically correct sentence.
'Fanno' matches 'Loro', and 'i furbetti' matches the plural subject.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Ho saltato tutta la fila!' B: 'Non _______, torna subito indietro!'
After 'Non' in a negative imperative for 'tu', we use the infinitive 'fare'.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Furbo vs. Furbetto
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosGiulia non vuole fare i compiti e dice che le fa male la testa. Sta facendo la _______.
Giulia is feminine singular, so we use 'furbetta'.
Situation: A man tries to enter the cinema without a ticket.
Using 'furbetto' fits the context of avoiding payment.
Select the grammatically correct sentence.
'Fanno' matches 'Loro', and 'i furbetti' matches the plural subject.
A: 'Ho saltato tutta la fila!' B: 'Non _______, torna subito indietro!'
After 'Non' in a negative imperative for 'tu', we use the infinitive 'fare'.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasIt depends on the tone. It can be a playful tease or a mild insult for someone being annoying.
No, it's too weak for a real thief. Use it for someone skipping a line or lying about a small thing.
The plural is 'furbette'. Example: 'Le ragazze fanno le furbette.'
Only if you have a very informal and joking relationship. Otherwise, it's too casual.
Almost, but 'fare il furbo' is slightly more serious and less playful.
Italian idioms often use the definite article before the noun in this structure (fare + il + noun).
Not always. It can just mean they are being cheeky or trying to get a small advantage without lying.
Yes, but 'fare il furbetto' describes the *action* of being cheeky right now.
It's a famous expression for people who try to manipulate the system on a local level.
It's used everywhere in Italy, but the cultural attitude toward it might vary slightly.
Frases relacionadas
fare il furbo
similarTo act clever/sly.
fare il dritto
similarTo act like a wise guy.
fare il finto tonto
relatedTo play dumb.
essere onesto
contrastTo be honest.
