# figura di merda



## rom_itn

Hi everyone,

I'd like to know if there is an English equivalent of the Italian expression
Figura di merda! 

It's supposed to be used in very embarrassing situation.  

I'm not very good at giving examples, perhaps our native Italian friends could give me a hand.

Grazie in anticipo
Rom


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## Elisa68

_How embarrassing!_ or _I made a fool of myself!_
Per qualcosa di  piu' forte non saprei. Ne faccio talmente tante che non so definirle!


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## ElaineG

Elisa68 said:
			
		

> Per qualcosa di piu' forte non saprei.


 
I made the _biggest_ fool of myself.

I made an ass of myself.

I looked like an idiot.


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## Juri

Direi piu' volentieri(io) alla fiorentina:" Fo' la figura del citrullo!"


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## You little ripper!

_Make a proper galah of one's self_  is an Australian expression meaning_ to make a fool of yourself._ This is because of the antics and the noise made by the bird of the same name.


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## moodywop

What about _I looked/felt like a right berk._ I used to hear it in London. Charles, is it used in Australia? The Cockney rhyming slang etymology is too rude for me to post here

_Edit: Yes Manuel, it was a typo - but I can assure you I make my fair share of mistakes _


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## You little ripper!

_ To make a dick of yourself_ is also another expression meaning _to make a fool of yourself._


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## Manuel_M

moodywop said:
			
		

> What about _I looked/felt like a right berk._ I used to hear it in London. Charles, is it used in Australia? The Cockney rhyming slang etymology is too rude for me to post here


 
I looked felt like a berk is an excellent translation of the Italian phrase, in my view.

As for rhyming, unless it's a typo, it must be the first ever mistake I've noticed in Carlo's posts - and I devour all of them!!


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## You little ripper!

> What about _I looked/felt like a right berk._ I used to hear it in London. Charles, is it used in Australia?


We use that expression in Australia too. It means _to feel like a jerk/loser/fool. _



> The Cockney rhyming slang etymology is too rude for me to post here


When has that stopped you before Carlo? Feeling a bit coy today?


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## blingbang

Here's my attempt :

"You made me do a star ass out of myself"


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## coeurdenids

You made me look like a king-size asshole


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## blingbang

coeurdenids said:


> You made me look like a king-size asshole




Ahahah I love it, thanks fella.


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## coeurdenids

You are welcome. I love to introduce "newyorkese" to whomever is interested!


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## leenico

You made me look like shit!


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## You little ripper!

*You made me look like a horse's ass!*


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## Nunty

Reviving this old thread.

At the bottom of an invoice that came across my desk is written "da pagare urgentemente se no, facciamo figura di merda" [sic spelling and punctuation].

Does it really mean that if we don't pay right away we will look "foolish", as opposed to "we will look bad"? 

Just how rude is the expression?

Thank you.


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## silver frog

Nunty said:


> Reviving this old thread.
> 
> At the bottom of an invoice that came across my desk is written "da pagare urgentemente se no, facciamo figura di merda" [sic spelling and punctuation].
> 
> Does it really mean that if we don't pay right away we will look "foolish", as opposed to "we will look bad"?
> 
> Just how rude is the expression?
> 
> Thank you.



To me in this case it means you'll look very bad if you don't pay it immediately. In this case it is used in an extremely informal way, it's supposed to be funny not rude.


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## Nunty

Thank you very much, silver frog.


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## custard apple

Is this a colloquial or a slang expression ?


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## silver frog

custard apple said:


> Is this a colloquial or a slang expression ?



If by slang you mean language associated with a specific, restricted group of people, it is not slang. Everybody understands it. It's just very, very informal. It's a colloquial expression.


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## marco.cur

silver frog said:


> If by slang you mean language associated with a specific, restricted group of people, it is not slang. Everybody understands it. It's just very, very informal. It's a colloquial expression.



Is a very foul mouthed language.

Il termine corretto è "figuraccia"

"Ho fatto una figuraccia"
, oppure, se proprio si vuole dare maggior enfasi, si può dire:
"Ho fatto una di quelle figure ..." 
"Ho fatto una figura barbina"

Usando l'espressione originale (figura di m***) con persone non ben conosciute si rischia di fare un'altra figuraccia.


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## silver frog

Dipende dalla confidenza che si ha con l'interlocutore e dalla situazione. Usare questa espressione con una persona di riguardo o con cui non si ha confidenza ovviamente è fuori luogo perché c'è di mezzo una parolaccia, ma nella parlata colloquiale e di registro basso, tra coetanei e soprattutto tra giovani, è un'espressione molto, molto usata e comune.


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## Nunty

silver frog said:


> Dipende dalla confidenza che si ha con l'interlocutore e dalla situazione. Usare questa espressione con una persona di riguardo o con cui non si ha confidenza ovviamente è fuori luogo perché c'è di mezzo una parolaccia, ma nella parlata *colloquiale e di registro basso, tra coetanei e soprattutto tra giovani*, è un'espressione molto, molto usata e comune.



Thank you for this important information, which is what I was wondering about with my poorly worded question about rudeness. I was surprised to encounter in my workplace, which is generally noted for a polite and respectful tone in interactions. I think my surprise was justified!


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## Sandeiros

You made me look like a right dick/cock/arse/arsehole


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## deedee_20382

Se voglio fare una dedica ad una persona che ha fatto una figuraccia, posso scrivere "for making the best fool of yourself"? Ovvero "per la miglior figura di merda".


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## marcolettici

deedee_20382 said:


> Se voglio fare una dedica ad una persona che ha fatto una figuraccia, posso scrivere "for making the best fool of yourself"? Ovvero "per la miglior figura di merda".



I think you'd say "to make a complete/total fool of yourself."


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## frankofile

To distinguish for those curious about American English: the most commonly used equivalent would be “I made [such] an idiot/fool of myself.”
- “berk” is used in no contexts.
- the words   “dick” and “cock” are used in other contexts, but are not commonly used in any “figuraccia” type idiom.
- “Star ass” non è affatto detto 😊 That phrase doesn’t exist and would not be understood by an American English speaker.
- “look likeshit” is a commonly used phrase, but is more often used to describe the literal / physical - someone being disheveled, unkempt, having dirty clothes or hair, and/or looking ill or tired - than to mean “foolish” or similar.


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## theartichoke

frankofile said:


> - “Star ass” non è affatto detto 😊 That phrase doesn’t exist and would not be understood by an American English speaker.



"Star ass," no, but one certainly could say "I made an ass of myself." Funnily enough, I'm pretty sure this "ass" is the donkey kind (which is why I'm not   -ing it), but by association with the more vulgar meaning, it sounds stronger than "fool / idiot," as well as more colloquial.


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## Pietruzzo

Does "What a poor show!" make sense?


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## theartichoke

Pietruzzo said:


> Does "What a poor show!" make sense?



It sounds very BE to me, and I'd never say it, so I can't tell what contexts it might (or might not) be used in in BE.


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## sound shift

theartichoke said:


> It sounds very BE to me, and I'd never say it, so I can't tell what contexts it might (or might not) be used in in BE.


I'd say that it wouldn't be used in any contexts at all, unless the speaker was being ironic/aiming to amuse.


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