Word of the Day: figurati — don't mention it / just imagine
Today's word: FIGURATI. Pronunciation: /fi-GU-ra-ti/. Interjection (informal imperative of figurarsi), neutral to informal register. Figurati is one of the most context-dependent words in Italian: it can warmly dismiss a 'thank you', enthusiastically confirm 'of course!', or exclaim 'can you imagine!' in disbelief — all from the same five syllables. Mastering it means mastering the Italian art of reading the room.
Figurati is the informal second-person singular imperative of the reflexive verb figurarsi, meaning 'to imagine oneself' or 'to picture something'. The root is figura — figure, image, shape — from Latin figura, related to fingere (to shape, to mould). So figurati literally means 'picture it for yourself' or 'imagine it'. From there, its meanings radiated outward: 'imagine how happy I am to help you' (= you're welcome), 'just imagine it' (= can you believe it?), and 'of course, picture how obvious that is' (= naturally). The formal equivalent is si figuri, used with strangers or in professional contexts.
📖 Significato e uso
Grazie mille per l'aiuto. — Figurati! — Thank you so much for the help. — Don't mention it!
Figurati, ha mangiato tre pizze da solo! — Can you imagine, he ate three pizzas by himself!
🔄 Sinonimi e Contrari
| Italian | English | Register | |
|---|---|---|---|
| synonym 1 | prego | you're welcome | neutral/formal |
| synonym 2 | ma va'! | come on! / no way! | informal/colloquial |
| opposite 1 | grazie | thank you | neutral |
| opposite 2 | davvero? | really? / seriously? | neutral |
🗣️ In contesto
Sei stato così gentile ad aiutarmi. — Figurati, per me è stato un piacere.
You were so kind to help me. — Don't mention it, it was my pleasure.
Figurati se non vengo alla tua festa — ci mancherebbe altro!
Of course I'm coming to your party — as if I'd miss it!
Sai che ha perso il treno e poi ha perso anche il portafoglio? — Figurati!
You know he missed the train and then lost his wallet too? — Can you imagine!
Ti dispiace se mi siedo qui? — Figurati, accomodati pure.
Do you mind if I sit here? — Not at all, please go ahead.
The formal version si figuri is essential in service contexts — a shopkeeper, waiter, or professional will use it instead of figurati. Italians notice the difference and appreciate it. Figurati is also generational in its exclamatory use: older speakers might say 'ma si figuri!' with genuine surprise, while younger speakers use 'figurati' with a slightly ironic edge to mean 'obviously' or 'as if anything else was possible'. Getting the intonation right is everything — flat and fast means 'you're welcome', slow and dramatic means 'can you believe this?'
Vuoi imparare altro italiano? 2.500+ esercizi gratis ti aspettano.
Inizia gratis →