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PhrasesAt the CinemaEra noiosissimo.
B1informal

Era noiosissimo.

It was extremely boring.

Pronunciation

noi-o-SIS-si-mo — the superlative suffix '-issimo' is stressed on the first 's'. Four syllables before the suffix.

When to use it

Strong informal expression for a very boring film. The '-issimo' superlative is a hallmark of Italian expressive speech. Use freely with friends post-cinema.

What it means

Italian uses the absolute superlative '-issimo' extensively. 'Noioso' (boring) → 'noiosissimo' (extremely boring). This is grammatically regular and stylistically characteristic of Italian. Other cinema-related examples: 'bellissimo', 'lentissimo' (very slow), 'lunghissimo' (very long).

Variations

Mi sono addormentato/a in sala.

I fell asleep in the cinema.

Ultimate expression of boredom — very strong statement.

Il ritmo era lentissimo.

The pace was extremely slow.

More analytical — about the film's pacing specifically.

Non succedeva niente per due ore.

Nothing happened for two hours.

Describes the lack of plot — dramatic exaggeration typical of Italian speech.

Mini Dialogue

— Com'era il film? — Era noiosissimo. Non succedeva assolutamente niente. — Davvero? Le recensioni erano ottime. — Mah, forse è una questione di gusti. A me non è piaciuto per niente. — Peccato.

— How was the film? — It was extremely boring. Absolutely nothing happened. — Really? The reviews were great. — Well, maybe it's a matter of taste. I didn't like it at all. — What a shame.

Cultural Note

The '-issimo' superlative is so embedded in Italian that it appears in borrowed words in other languages. English speakers in Italy quickly learn to add '-issimo' to sound more expressive and native-like.