Learn Italian compound nouns

In this video I wanted to talk about two amazing Italian compound nouns. The first one is "GUASTAFESTE", the second one is "ROMPISCATOLE".

This video is aimed at those wonderful people who are learning Italian as a foreign language. If you want to learn Italian well, and speak it like a native, you have come to the right place!

Learn Italian with Luca - unlearningitalian (Channel Intro)

Hi everybody, I'm Luca and in this video I wanted to talk about the noun "guastafeste" and the noun "rompiscatole". These are two compound nouns.

In what sense "compound"?

In the sense that these nouns are formed by joining together one verb and a noun.

In the case of the word "guastafeste" we have the verb "guastare", so "guasta", which is combined with the noun "feste". So "guastafeste".

As for the word "rompiscatole", we have a combination of the verb "rompere" with the noun "scatole". We get "rompiscatole".

Before I talk about the meaning of these 2 Italian nouns, I would like to point out 2 things.

First of all, these words are nouns. I'd like to stress this. We cannot say: "é guastafeste". We should say: "è un guastafeste". Similarly, we can't say "è rompiscatole", we should say "è un rompiscatole". So I want to stress the fact that these are nouns - not adjectives.

The second thing I'd like to stress is that these are invariable nouns.

In what sense?

They remain unchanged in the feminine and plural forms. In other words, it's not that there are a masculine form and a distinct feminine form. Or a singular form and a plural form. These nouns remain unchanged no matter what: "guastafeste" and "rompiscatole".

The only thing that changes is - clearly - the article. So, in case of a masculine singular subject we shoul say "un guastafeste". In case of a grammatically feminine subject, we should say "una guastafeste". The plural forms are "dei guastafeste" and "delle guastafeste".

So it's not that the feminine form is "guastafesta" or the plural form is "guastafesti". It will always be "guastafeste". So the second part of this noun is "feste" (plural).

The same goes for the noun "rompiscatole". This noun too is invariable and its forms are: "un rompiscatole", "una rompiscatole", "dei rompiscatole" and "delle rompiscatole". So, as you can see, only the article changes.

Obviosuly, if these nouns are preceded by an adjective, such adjective should agree. In case of a singular masculine subject, the adjective preceding this word should be singular masculine and so on.

For instance, we can say "questo guastafeste", "questa guastafeste", "questi guastafeste" and "queste guastafeste". The same that applies to articles applies in this case.

But let's try to understand what these nouns mean. Let's start from "guastafeste".

Alright. The meaning of this noun is clearly related to the verb "guastare" and the noun "feste". So "un guastafeste" is someone who "guasta le feste".

You may not know the verb "guastare". "Guastare" is similar in meaning to the verbs "rompere" and "rovinare". Depending on the context, "guastare" could mean breaking or spoiling.

In this case, when talking about parties, spoling the party. Spoiling a party. Strictly speaking, "guastafeste" is someone who spoils a party.

For instance, let's pretend that some people are having a party. They are playing some music.

Then at some point a guy comes in, I don't know, say, a neighbour, and he tells these people that they are making too much noise. That they shouldn't play that music.

Well, this person could be called, by the people at the party, "un guastafeste". Why? Because he spoiled their party. I mean, the party was going well, then this person came saying: "You can't listen to this music! You can't play this music!". And the party was spoiled.

Oh, yes, you are right! I almost forgot!

If you haven't done it yet, consider subscribing to my channel!

Well, I gave you an example of a "guastafeste" coming in and saying: You can't play that music! However, one can also spoil a party in other ways. For example, one could spoil a party by starting to talk about inappropriate topics that spoil the mood.

For example, if during a party one starts talking about inappropriate or inconvenient topics, and that ultimately spoil the mood, we can say that this person is "un guastafeste".

For example, let's suppose that at the party there was a cheerful and joyful mood - or I should hope so! - Then, well, this person comes and causes two people to have an argument by starting to talk about something they shouldn't mention. Well, we can say that this person is "un guastafeste".

So this is what "guastafeste" means, strictly speaking. That is: someone who goes where people are having a party and spoils their party.

Generally speaking, "un guastafeste" is also someone who, if they see someone happy or merry, gets close to this person and so to speak "spoils their joy". I mean, "il guastafeste" sees other people happy, gets close to them and tells them something that all of a sudden kills these people's joy.

Let's suppose that someone is happy, merry, cheerful because they obtained a given result, or that they are happy for whatever reason, right?

Then they talk with a friend (male or female friend), and this friend starts to say: "Yes, but in fact this result is not so positive". Or: "Yes, but... if you look closer, there are are not too many reasons to celebrate".

What is this person doing?

They are saying things that ultimately reduce or kill the joy of the other person. So we can say that they "sta facendo il guastafeste".

And the other person could say: Ok I understand, but now "non fare il guastafeste!"

What does it mean? It means: I understand, but you can see that right now I'm happy, please don't tell me such things that kill my joy.

So you can say both "essere un guastafeste", to refer to a one's constant quality, and "fare il guastafeste", to mean that in a given moment someone says something that ultimately kills other people's joy or happiness.

You surely know such people, right?!

If they see that you are happy, they will come to you and on purpose tell you, I mean intentionally, something that will immediately causes you to be sad. These people are called "guastafeste".

The word "guastafeste" could also be used in a slightly different way. Namely, to refer to someone who doesn't kill other people's joy, but actually spoils other people's projects.

For example, if you have a project and someone intentionally and on purpose prevents you to complete this project, you can say that this individual "fa il guastafeste". Meaning that - figuratively - they spoil your party. In this case it's not an actual party, it's a project, but the idea still applies.

Let's move to the other noun: "rompiscatole".

Alright. Let me say right away that the noun "rompiscatole" has several versions.

This is the most polite version. You also have the words "rompiballe" and "rompipalle", and here the profanity level starts to increase. Then you have more profane versions, which I won't be discussing. Because I'm a gentleman.

But you can guess by yourself, right?! Ultimately, to get more profane versions you only need to change the word "palle" with more profane words.

I would say that the word "rompiscatole" is very unlikely to offend anybody, I'd rather say that this word sounds almost childish. In the sense that practically nobody is using it anymore. Back in the day, this version was quite common, today many say "rompiballe". But I would say that most people say without problems "rompipalle".

Ok, if you look it up in the dictionary, you can see that this version is presented as somewhat profane. But I would say that nowadays nobody really gets offended, because much more profane versions exist.

Therefore, in my opinion, if you say "rompipalle", it's not that bad. If you truly want to be less profane, you could say "rompiballe". In this case the word is less transparent.

In this lesson I talk about the noun "rompiscatole", but what I say also applies to the other versions of this word.

Alright. Thing is, in Italian we have the idiomatic expression "rompere le scatole a qualcuno". Which essentialy means annoying someone. Namely, doing something that annoys this person. In particular if this is done insistently.

So, someone who "rompe le scatole" is someone who is annoying others, someone causing annoyance. Who is doing something that annoys us.

Like I said, this is only one version: "rompere le scatole". In addition to that, you have phrases such as "rompere le balle", "rompere le palle" etc. More profane phrases.

Basically, "rompere le scatole" means annoying, causing annoyance, bothering someone, insistently asking for something, irritating someone.

I don't know if you know the verb "seccare". Well, the verb "seccare" can be used figuratevely to mean exactly this: annoying someone.

In Italian we have the noun "seccatore". What does "seccatore" mean? It indicates someone who "dà fastidio".

What do I mean by "dare fastidio"?

I mean, for example: someone asked you something, you said no, then this person asked again the same thing, you said again no. This person asks you the same thing one more time. And you say no one more time. Well, this person is annoying you.

So someone who "rompe le scatole" is referred to as "un rompiscatole". If I say "Luigi è un rompiscatole", I mean that Luigi is annoying.

That is it. I hope that the meaning of the word "rompiscatole" is clear.

Like I said, keep in mind that these nouns are invariable.

The singular is "rompiscatole", the singular feminine form would be "una rompiscatole". So I should say: "Martina è una rompiscatole".

The plural form will always be "rompiscatole". So:"Luigi e Marco sono dei rompiscatole". "Daniela ed Elisa sono delle rompiscatole".

In the top corner I'll add a card to a playlist with other funny Italian words that you may not know, but should definitely learn, if you want to speak Italian like a native. Please take a look at this playlist!