nefasto

ominous

adjective neh-FAH-stoh Rare

Origin: Latin nefastus (contrary to divine law, ill-omened), from nefas (wrong, sin).

Also means

ill-fated

Usage Note

Nefasto carries a sense of evil omen or catastrophic consequence — una data nefasta (an ill-fated date), conseguenze nefaste (disastrous consequences). It is stronger and more literary than negativo or brutto. The root nefas is also the source of nefando (unspeakable, abominable), a related but even more extreme term.

Examples

"Fu un giorno nefasto per il paese."

Natural Translation

It was an ill-fated day for the country.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Mi Piace vs Mi Piacciono: How to Say 'I Like'

Use mi piace for one thing and mi piacciono for many — because in Italian the thing you like is the subject. The full rule, pronouns, and past tense.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

C'è vs Ci Sono: There Is/Are in Italian

C'è for one thing, ci sono for many — that's the rule. Master Italian's there is/there are with c'era, ci sarà, è vs c'è, and non c'è nessuno.

June 9, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Numbers 1 to 100: Count Like a Local

Learn Italian numbers 1 to 100 by mastering 0-20, the tens, and 3 spelling rules so you can generate any number from ventuno to novantanove on demand.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Dialects vs Standard Italian: A Guide

Standard Italian works everywhere, so relax: this three-layer guide to Italian dialects vs standard Italian shows what to ignore and what to notice.

June 9, 2026 6 min read