To make an exclamation in Italian, you typically start with che (what a / how).
When you want to add extra emotional weight—especially when venting about strict border rules or unexpected inspections—you can add a second, technically unnecessary che right before the verb.
This is called the pleonastic che. It creates an emphatic sandwich effect: Che + [noun or adjective] + che + [verb].
| What a fussy customs officer he is! | Che doganiere pignolo che è! |
| What a nuisance this customs office is! | Che seccatura che è questa dogana! |
You can use this structure with any verb, not just essere (to be). It is incredibly common in everyday spoken Italian for expressing annoyance, shock, or exasperation.
| What an interrogation the police put us through! | Che interrogatorio che ci ha fatto la polizia! |
| What fear the customs officer caused us! | Che paura che ci ha fatto il doganiere! |
You can even use it when the verb is an infinitive describing a frustrating action.
| What a bore it is to rummage through this luggage! | Che noia che è frugare in questi bagagli! |
This extra che is informal, so leave it out of formal writing, but absolutely use it in conversation to make your reactions sound native and expressive!
