# are you nuts, or what?!



## Tegs

Ciao a tutti! 

We've just had an entertaining discussion about the various ways of saying "are you nuts, or what"/ "are you crazy or what" in English in this forum, and the English speakers, me included, are keen to know the interesting and varied ways this can be translated into Italian.

My suggestion would be "ma che, sei fuori di testa/matto?"

Are there any more slang ways of saying this? 

Sample context: You went on a date with a weird guy you met online....are you nuts, or what?! -- Sei uscita con un tipo strano che hai conosciuto in linea... ma che, sei fuori di testa? 

Any corrections/ new suggestions appreciated


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## Holymaloney

Hi Tegs !
Where I live you will often hear _*'ma sei fuori?' *_with emphasis on 'sei'


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## Tegs

Cool! Thanks - what part of Italy would that be please?


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## london calling

Ma sei fuori?!

Whoops!  Anyway they use it down here as well.

Ma ti ha dato di volta il cervello?
Ma sei impazzita?


Just remembered one my son came out with the other day: è fuori come un balcone!


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## Holymaloney

Tegs said:


> Cool! Thanks - what part of Italy would that be please?


Emilia Romagna luv


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## giuliam9

Ma ti è andato alle cozze il cervello?


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## mosquitoinasequindress

Ma ti sei bevuto il cervello ?
Ma sei scemo ?
Ma ci sei con la testa ?


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## london calling

giuliam9 said:


> Ma ti è andato alle cozze il cervello?


Bello! Mai sentito...

Ma che cos'hai a posto del cervello?
Ma ci fai o ci sei?

Look at what Solo italiano says as well, people.


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## giuliam9

london calling said:


> Bello!  Mai sentito...



Usato spesso qui a Milano  Anche come affermazione "_Ma a tè ti è andato il cervello alle cozze"_ 

Mi è venuto in mente anche: "Ma sei fulminato"?


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## L'Enrico

giuliam9 said:


> Usato spesso qui a Milano




Quelli che sono ggiovani dicono anche _ma sei andato a male_? anzi _ammale_?

E.


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## giginho

Oh, ma sei fuori?
Ma sei bruciato?
Ma ti sei fottuto il cervello?
Ma sei coglione? (strong version of: sei scemo?)
Ti sei fumato il cervello?
Ti è andato in pappa il cervello?
Che c'hai nella testa, merda?

Una che adoro: *Hai gli occhi azzurri(marroni) perchè hai acqua(merda) nel cervello?*

_Il tuo ultimo neurone si è suicidato per disperazione visto quanto sei scemo?_

P.S. le ultime due solo per segnalare che in Italia la fantasia è al potere....specie quando si tratta di insulti. Potremmo continuare per ore!


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## Tegs

Haha, che bello l'espressione di Giuliam  

Ti sei bevuto/fumato il cervello - cosa vuol dire letteralmente? Sarebbe come chiedere se sei ubriaca/ drogata? 

Esserci con la testa è come la nostra espressione "to be all there (in the head)" (che è forse una cosa irlandese)

Grazie a tutti 

PS. Visto il post di Gigi, mi piace un sacco anche quello sull'ultimo neurone


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## giginho

Tegs said:


> Haha, che bello l'espressione di Giuliam
> 
> Ti sei bevuto il cervello - cosa vuol dire letteralmente? Sarebbe come chiedere se sei ubriaca (drunk in the head?)?
> 
> Esserci con la testa è come la nostra espressione "to be all there (in the head)" (che è forse una cosa irlandese)
> 
> Grazie a tutti



You are without the brain because you drank it......and maybe you are now dead for dehydration (little add non compresa nella original sentence!)


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## Tegs

Grazie  (side note - without a brain = brainless )


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## giginho

Tegs said:


> Grazie  (side note - without a brain = brainless )



You're one step beyond!!!

Thank you!


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## giuliam9

giginho said:


> P.S. le ultime due solo per segnalare che in Italia la fantasia è al potere....specie quando si tratta di insulti. Potremmo continuare per ore!



A questo proposito:

- Cos'hai in testa? Un babbuino con la forfora??
- Ma sei completamente scemo o nel tuo cervello c'è ancora qualche zona 
incontaminata?


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## Anja.Ann

Ciao a tutti 

Here: "Che colore avevano le pasticche che hai preso?" or "Ma cosa ti sei fumato/a"?


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## london calling

Anja.Ann said:


> Ciao a tutti
> 
> Here: "Che colore avevano le pasticche che hai preso?" or "Ma cosa ti sei fumato/a"?


Sei sicuro che quella roba bianca che hai messo nel caffé fosse zucchero?


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## Anja.Ann

london calling said:


> Sei sicuro che quella roba bianca che hai messo nel caffé fosse zucchero?



Yes, London! 


P.S.: or, at least, ... sure enough


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## giuliam9

Per cavalcare l'onda della droga: "Ma cambia pusher"!!!

Ps: considerando che siamo già a 20 post, mentre il corrispettivo inglese si è fermato (per ora) a 23, siamo davvero solo noi Italiani così coloriti e fantasiosi?


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## Holymaloney

Just thought of another one too: _*'ma sei fuori di cotenna?'
*_LC , fuori come un balcone is _very _popular here too


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## london calling

Holymaloney said:


> Just thought of another one too: _*'ma sei fuori di cotenna?'
> *_LC , fuori come un balcone is _very _popular here too




_Fuori come un balcone _(and not only that) was discussed here recently.

Tegs, you're spoilt for choice!


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## Tegs

Yippee! Thanks lads and ladies, there are some great answers in there   Now for a chance to use them all......


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## giginho

Tegs said:


> Yippee! Thanks lads and ladies, there are some great answers in there   Now for a chance to use them all......




Well, visit me in Turin and you will use the whole set: I promise you!!


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## Mute

"va a farti vedere, ma da uno bravo però!" (per 'uno' si intende 'dottore')
"ti sei rincoglionito, o cosa?"

Dalle parti di Ancona dicono anche:
"ma cu c'hai 'nte la testa, la renella?" che tradotto significa "ma cosa hai nella testa, la ghiaia (o renella, un misto di sabbia e sassolini)?"


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## Tegs

Mute said:


> "ti sei rincoglionito, o cosa?"



Bello! Ma è volgare? O non molto? 

PS Gigi -


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## AlabamaBoy

mosquitoinasequindress said:


> Ma sei scemo ?


We all discussed that one recently, too. Ma che sei scemo?


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## Mute

Beh, effettivamente può suonare un po' colorito, però dipende dalla persona a cui è rivolto il commento. Un amico o una stretta conoscenza non se la prenderebbe, a meno che non si tratti di una persona particolarmente suscettibile...!

Ad ogni modo, lo si può sentire molto spesso in radio o in televisione, anche se so benissimo che non è per mezzo di questi apparati che si stabilisce cosa è offensivo o meno!


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## Lorena1970

In Tuscany they say "Ma ti sei bacato il cervello?" / "Ma c'hai le pigne in testa?" / "Ma che sei tutto grullo?"/"Ma che ti sei ingrullito?" (none of them is vulgar)


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## felicina

Ma sei stordito?

questo modo di dire si usa dalle mie parti.


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## MR1492

giginho said:


> Una che adoro: *Hai gli occhi azzurri(marroni) perchè hai acqua(merda) nel cervello?*



I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned this but this is similar to the AE version:

"Your eyes are brown because you are full of shit up to here (while pointing to your forehead just above the eyebrows)."


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## Mute

per una variante più leggera di _rincoglionito_ c'è anche *rimbambito*, che dovrebbe voler dire ritornare bambino, nel senso di ritornare all'età in cui non si capisce molto della vita! Dopotutto, dietro all'etimo della parola _bambino _c'è già un significato che rimanda alla 'sciocchezza' o alla 'stoltezza', infatti, stando a quanto indica il dizionario etimologico online (ma anche il mio professore di linguistica), le parole bambino, bimbo e balbettare (così come baby dell'inglese) deriverebbero da una radice comune! 

La cosa simpatica è che un'ulteriore variante di _rincoglionito_ è _*rimbecillito*_ (in espressioni come 'ma ti sei rimbecillito?!") che però, al contrario di prima, indica un _rincoglionirsi _da vecchi anziché da bambini, poiché, stando sempre al dizionario etimologico online, dovrebbe derivare da _bacillum (_diminuitivo di _baculum)_, un bastone usato da chi sta male di gambe...


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## curiosone

As I understand it from Tegs, the English only forum already dissected the English ways of saying it (and who are we non-natives, to attempt to do one better in Italian?).  But if you insist, how about "_Ma che ti sei fumato_?" or "_What have you been smoking_?"

As far as Mute's suggestion of "_rimbambito_" is concerned, I've often heard it said "_rimbambinito_" - which strikes me as stronger - or perhaps we could use the romagnolo "_incicciuito_".


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## giginho

Tegs said:


> Bello! Ma è volgare? O non molto?
> 
> PS Gigi -



Beh, i modi di dire raffinati sono altri.....è abbastanza forte, più di "sei scemo", ma meno di "sei coglione". In generale è considerato volgare


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## Holymaloney

Hi !
I've got another one :_* 'ma sei invornito?' *_! I hear this a lot where I work (Milan) and just as a matter of interest, here's an interesting link with the various expressions used by our youngsters today :http://italiansky.narod.ru/dizionar/giovanil.htm

(....gawd, worra a larf  )


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## GavinW

giginho said:


> Beh, i modi di dire raffinati sono altri.....è abbastanza forte, più di "sei scemo", ma meno di "sei coglione". In generale è considerato volgare



(No need for the warning sign [] on "scemo", it's not vulgar.)


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## giginho

GavinW said:


> (No need for the warning sign [] on "scemo", it's not vulgar.)



Well Gavin, that's not a polite word for sure! The warning sign is just to aware of that.


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## GavinW

giginho said:


> Well Gavin, that's not a polite word for sure! The warning sign is just to aware of that.



I think WR only uses the warning sign for vulgar words: check the rules if you're not sure.


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## giginho

GavinW said:


> I think WR only uses the warning sign for vulgar words: check the rules if you're not sure.



Maybe you're right.....but we've got the Queen of the Mods in this thread, so let's wait for her response while I'm checking the rules!



GavinW said:


> I think WR only uses the warning sign for vulgar words: check the rules if you're not sure.



On this basis:



> Chi impara la lingua deve sapere se una parola è utilizzabile tranquillamente, oppure se è volgare e va evitata o usata con consapevolezza. Pertanto, mettete accanto alle parolacce o ai *termini offensivi *questa icona:  . Questo simbolo si trova nella lista delle "emoticons" (ossia le faccine: ) sopra alla finestra di digitazione.



Scemo è un termine offensivo, per cui il  è doveroso.

Dura lex, sed lex


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## GavinW

Okay, sure!

EDIT: Ah, you posted twice in a row (another forum rule, you're not allowed to do that, you have to use the Edit button...!
I'd be interested in a Mod's interpretation of the rule, at this point, as long as (s)he agrees with my own rigorous (restrictive) interpretation! ;-) It strikes me we'll be opening the flood-gates if we decide the warning sign must be used not only for "swear words", but also for words which, in some contexts, may cause offence. The point is "scemo" will give offense only if used against a particular person (ie give offense to that person, and to nobody else). It's context-dependent. Whereas other words are _always_ offensive, by their very nature. O no?


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## Teerex51

GavinW said:


> It strikes me we'll be opening the flood-gates if we decide the warning sign must be used not only for "swear words", but also for words which, in some contexts, may cause offence.



That would be pretty stupid. It would not please all the boys and girls who hang out here and retard their enjoyment of the Forum...


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## GavinW

Teerex51 said:


> That would be pretty stupid. It would not please all the boys and girls who hang out here and retard their enjoyment of the Forum...



Personally, I take offence over the suggestion that I, for one, "hang out" here. I do no such thing. I frequent these forums with the ambition of occasionally enlightening my own and others' minds. Please to put warning signs around this phrasal verb, too; it is positively riddled with innuendo....

(Seriously: thanks for backing me up on this one....)


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## Teerex51

Anytime Gavin. 
I have been known to kill time on the Forum but, should all posts suddenly become riddled with frivolous warning signs, I'd be disinclined to do so in the future. (Now, where's the bad news?)


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## Tegs

Lads!! A girl leaves a thread for 5 minutes and yous all go bananas with the s. 

Right, this is the craic: 



> Language learners need to know if a word can be used in every context, or if it is offensive, or might be inappropriate in some situations and needs to be used carefully. That's why we ask you to put this icon: near each occurrence of such words.



So, use it if you think it's offensive, but also use your _common sense  _So, I wouldn't stick a  in front of words such as eejit, moron and silly billy, even though nobody wants to be called an eejit, but I would put it in front of bitch, that's a load of bollocks, asshole and slag.

Clear as mud?


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## Teerex51

Tegs said:


> Clear as mud?



_Fuckin' aye_


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## giginho

Well, what can I say?

I have to thank you all for taking the piss out of me for that goddamn shitty sign....I was just trying to be helpfull for those (like me) not skilled in English or Italian (I'm a fucking ignorant, as you know).

Moreover, I'm not a touchy asshole, so no problem about the flood of 

Godness Tegs gave us the Mod's point of view, so I'll obey. Please choose the vulgar words and add the  you need....I'll pay for that!

Cerea neh!


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## GavinW

Thanks for having a sense of humour! And for understanding there are never any targets or butts around here: These are just ways of having fun while dispensing information. Wit and wisdom, I guess. Or attempts at same.
Now please enlighten me: Cerea neh = ?


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## Lorena1970

GavinW said:


> The point is "scemo" will give offense only if  used against a particular person (ie give offense to that person, and to  nobody else). *It's context-dependent*. Whereas *other words are always  offensive, by their very nature*. O no?



I fully agree, as well as I agree with Trx . Sounds like if the Inquisition is back...


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## giginho

GavinW said:


> Thanks for having a sense of humour! And for understanding there are never any targets or butts around here: These are just ways of having fun while dispensing information. Wit and wisdom, I guess. Or attempts at same.
> Now please enlighten me: Cerea neh = ?



I would like to thank you ALL (non so mai come dire: grazie a Voi!)....is always fun learning while laughing!!

Cerea (from the ancient greek kaire) means = arrivederci in my dialect!
neh is the tipical intensifier in use in my region.


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## Teerex51

giginho said:


> Cerea (from the ancient greek kaire) means = arrivederci in my dialect!
> neh is the tipical intensifier in use in my region.



People from the Italian Piedmont area who emigrated to Canada are known to use bizarre expressions like: _Goodbye, eh?

PS: don't start a dogpile. This is complete rubbish. I just made it up._


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## GavinW

giginho said:


> I would like to thank you ALL (non so mai come dire: grazie a Voi!)....is always fun learning while laughing!!
> 
> Cerea (from the ancient greek kaire) means = arrivederci in my dialect!
> neh is the tipical intensifier in use in my region.



Grazie a voi = Thank _you_ (the stress is only apparent when enunciating. Otherwise use italics, like I did! Alternatively (eg in written English), to make the stress/emphasis clear, you can say "I'm the one who should thank/be thanking you" (possibly again italicizing the personal pronouns).

"Neh" I knew, of course. I didn't know there was a fossil survivor of Greek (Kaire/Cerea), at the opposite end of Italy from Magna Grecia!

TR: Are you serious?! What, for real?


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## giginho

Teerex51 said:


> People from the Italian Piedmont area who emigrated to Canada are known to use bizarre expressions like: _Goodbye, eh?_



Oh, That's incredible! So my brothers-in-region (if you pass me the neologism) are still piemontesi enough to use the ending "neh"!!! Fantastic!


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## Teerex51

Sorry guys, I was slow in adding the small-print disclaimer. It's complete bunk but I'm flattered it gave you pause.


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## giginho

GavinW said:


> Grazie a voi = Thank _you_ (the stress is only apparent when enunciating. Otherwise use italics, like I did! Alternatively (eg in written English), to make the stress/emphasis clear, you can say "*I'm the one who should thank/be thanking you*" That's really what I was looking for in written English, thank you again! (possibly again italicizing the personal pronouns).
> 
> "Neh" I knew, of course. I didn't know there was a fossil survivor of Greek (Kaire/Cerea), at the opposite end of Italy from Magna Grecia! there are plenty of that fossils in the northern dialect: think of "cadrega" it comes from kathidra (chair with armrest)


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## GavinW

Cerea: Actually, I've just looked it up: apparently, it actually derives from the English "Cheeri-o"/"Cheeri-oh".

Disclaimer: more complete bunk... ;-)


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## giginho

GavinW said:


> Cerea: Actually, I've just looked it up: apparently, it actually derives from the English "Cheeri-o"/"Cheeri-oh".
> 
> Disclaimer: more complete bunk... ;-)



Well, not to downgrade the English language but I think it's more probable that both come from the ancient greek and you took Cheerio from the piemontese version, as you did with artichoke from the northern italian articiocco (piemontese articiòc, cfr this).

Disclaimer: the ultimate bunk!!


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## london calling

Are you lot going flippin' "bunkers", or what?


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## Mute

If I'm not wrong, I'm not allowed to post links here because I am a junior member .

Anyway, all I could find on the internet is that cerea derives from the contraction of the word 'signoria', meaning 'signoria Vostra', which is a very respectful way of saying 'goodbye'.


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## Tegs

london calling said:


> Are you lot going flippin' "bunkers", or what?



Ha, you've brought us nicely back on topic, congrats  

Well, anyway, thanks to everyone for your input - it's been an interesting thread 

PS. If you decide you want a more indepth discussion on cerea, open a cerea thread  And a "load of bunk" thread - it'd be interesting to find out how Italians say that one


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## Mute

Sì, mi sa proprio che stiamo tutti dando di matto qui!

Here is another one!
But I've also happened to hear it as dare da matti 
In context it would be: "ma dai di matto?" - to go mad 
The young would often say "fai da matti!"  - to act like a mad person
However the expression of the second example can be used (by the young) to show admiration to someone, for any kind of reason!


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