Significado
Used to express regret or sympathy.
Contexto cultural
Italians are famously superstitious. Saying 'che sfortuna' might be followed by 'facciamo le corna' (making the horn sign) to ward off further bad luck. In Naples, the concept of luck (and the 'jella') is very strong. You might hear 'Che jella' more often than 'Che sfortuna'. In Italian football (calcio), 'che sfortuna' is used constantly to describe a ball hitting the post or a referee's bad decision. Younger Italians almost exclusively use 'Che sfiga' in casual settings, which is more energetic than 'Che sfortuna'.
Intonation is everything
Say it with a falling pitch to sound genuinely sympathetic. A rising pitch might sound sarcastic.
Avoid 'Male'
Never say 'Che male fortuna'. It's a common English-speaker mistake.
Significado
Used to express regret or sympathy.
Intonation is everything
Say it with a falling pitch to sound genuinely sympathetic. A rising pitch might sound sarcastic.
Avoid 'Male'
Never say 'Che male fortuna'. It's a common English-speaker mistake.
The Shrug
Pair the phrase with a classic Italian shoulder shrug for maximum authenticity.
Intensify it
Add 'proprio' for emphasis: 'Che proprio sfortuna!' (What real bad luck!)
Teste-se
Choose the most natural response to the following situation: 'Ho perso le chiavi di casa.'
Ho perso le chiavi di casa.
Losing house keys is a classic example of bad luck, making 'Che sfortuna!' the appropriate response.
Complete the exclamation with the correct word.
___ sfortuna! Il treno è già partito.
In Italian, 'Che' is used before a noun to create an exclamation.
Match the phrase to the correct context.
When would you say 'Che sfortuna'?
Rain on a wedding day is considered bad luck (though some say 'Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata'!), making it a perfect context for the phrase.
Complete the dialogue between two friends.
A: 'Non posso venire al mare, devo lavorare.' B: '___'
Having to work instead of going to the beach is an unlucky situation that deserves sympathy.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Sfortuna vs. Peccato
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosHo perso le chiavi di casa.
Losing house keys is a classic example of bad luck, making 'Che sfortuna!' the appropriate response.
___ sfortuna! Il treno è già partito.
In Italian, 'Che' is used before a noun to create an exclamation.
When would you say 'Che sfortuna'?
Rain on a wedding day is considered bad luck (though some say 'Sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata'!), making it a perfect context for the phrase.
A: 'Non posso venire al mare, devo lavorare.' B: '___'
Having to work instead of going to the beach is an unlucky situation that deserves sympathy.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasNo, it is a very common and polite way to show empathy for minor problems.
Yes, it is neutral enough for professional settings, though 'che peccato' might be slightly more formal.
'Sfiga' is slang and can be considered slightly vulgar. Use 'sfortuna' in mixed company.
You say 'Sono sfortunato' (male) or 'Sono sfortunata' (female).
Yes, Italians often shrug or make 'the horns' (le corna) to ward off the bad luck mentioned.
No, that is too trivial. Use 'Mi dispiace tanto' instead.
It is used everywhere in Italy, though regional variations like 'jella' exist in the South.
Yes, if a friend is complaining about something that is actually good, you can say it sarcastically.
The opposite is 'Che fortuna!' (What luck!).
Not always, but in exclamations, 'che' is the standard way to start the sentence.
Frases relacionadas
che peccato
similarWhat a pity
che sfiga
synonymWhat bad luck (slang)
mannaggia
similarDamn / Darn
per fortuna
contrastLuckily
che disdetta
specialized formWhat a setback
