Italiano
Italian
Romance
Italian (italiano) is a Romance language of the Italo-Romance branch with ~65M L1 and ~85M total speakers, official in Italy, San Marino, Vatican City, and Switzerland (Canton Ticino + parts of Graubünden). It is the closest of the major Romance languages to Latin in phonology and morphology, retaining doubled consonants (gemination), Latin-style 7-vowel system (a/ɛ/e/i/ɔ/o/u), and SVO word order with rich verbal inflection across moods, tenses, and person/number. Standard Italian descends specifically from the Florentine dialect of Tuscan, established as the literary prestige variety through the 14th-century "Three Crowns" — Dante Alighieri (Divina Commedia, 1308-1320), Petrarca (Canzoniere), and Boccaccio (Decameron) — whose works gave Tuscan continental prestige. The Accademia della Crusca (founded 1583, the world's first language academy) codified spelling and lexicon through its Vocabolario (1612). Standard Italian became the national language only after political unification (1861) and television-driven dialect leveling in the 20th century; ~30% of Italians still use one of the major regional dialects (Lombard, Venetian, Neapolitan, Sicilian) — many of which are linguistically separate Romance languages — alongside the standard. Lingua franca of opera, classical music, art history, and high cuisine.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Italian
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Romance
| Meaning | Italian | Dante-era Italian | Corsican | Sicilian | Venetian | Interlingua | Neapolitan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | acqua /ˈakkwa/ | acqua /ˈakːwa/ | acqua /ˈakwa/ | acqua /ˈakkwa/ | aqua /ˈakwa/ | aqua /akwa/ | acqua /ˈakkwə/ |
| Fire | fuoco /ˈfwɔːko/ | foco /ˈfɔko/ | focu /ˈfɔku/ | focu /ˈfɔku/ | fogo /ˈfoɡo/ | foco /fɔko/ | fuoco /ˈfwɔkə/ |
| Sun | sole /ˈsoːle/ | sole /ˈsole/ | sole /ˈsɔle/ | suli /ˈsuli/ | sol /sol/ | sol /sɔl/ | sole /ˈsolə/ |
| Moon | luna /ˈluːna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | łuna /ˈuna/ | luna /luna/ | luna /ˈlunə/ |
| Star | stella /ˈstɛlla/ | stella /ˈstella/ | stella /ˈstella/ | stidda /ˈstɪɖːa/ | stela /ˈstela/ | stella /ˈstɛla/ | stella /ˈstellə/ |
| Night | notte /ˈnɔtte/ | notte /ˈnotte/ | notte /ˈnɔtːe/ | notti /ˈnɔtti/ | note /ˈnɔte/ | nocte /ˈnokte/ | notte /ˈnɔttə/ |
| Rain | pioggia /ˈpjɔddʒa/ | piova /ˈpjɔːva/ | pioggia /ˈpjɔdʒa/ | chiuvuta /kjuˈvuta/ | piova /ˈpjɔva/ | pluvia /ˈpluvia/ | chiòve /ˈkjɔːvə/ |
| Snow | neve /neːve/ | neve /ˈneve/ | neve /ˈneve/ | nivi /ˈniːvi/ | neve /neve/ | nive /nive/ | neve /ˈneːvə/ |
| Wind | vento /ˈvento/ | vento /ˈvɛnto/ | ventu /ˈventu/ | ventu /ˈvɛntu/ | vento /ˈvento/ | vento /ˈvento/ | viento /ˈvjendə/ |
| Earth | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | tera /ˈtɛra/ | terra /ˈtɛra/ | terra /ˈtɛrːə/ |
| Stone | pietra /ˈpjɛːtra/ | pietra /ˈpjɛtra/ | petra /ˈpɛtra/ | petra /ˈpɛːtra/ | piera /ˈpjɛra/ | petra /ˈpetra/ | preta /ˈprɛtə/ |
| Mountain | montagna /monˈtaɲːa/ | montagna /monˈtaɲɲa/ | muntagna /munˈtaɲɲa/ | muntagna /munˈtaɲɲa/ | montagna /monˈtaɲa/ | montania /monˈtania/ | muntagna /munˈdaɲːə/ |
| Sea | mare /ˈmare/ | mare /ˈmare/ | mare /ˈmare/ | mari /ˈmari/ | mar /mar/ | mar /mar/ | mare /ˈmarə/ |
| Mother | madre /ˈmaːdre/ | madre /ˈmaːdre/ | mamma /ˈmamma/ | matri /ˈmatri/ | mare /ˈmare/ | matre /matre/ | mamma /ˈmammə/ |
| Father | padre /ˈpaːdre/ | padre /ˈpaːdre/ | babbu /ˈbabːu/ | patri /ˈpatri/ | pare /pare/ | patre /patre/ | pate /ˈpatə/ |
| Daughter | figlia /ˈfiʎʎa/ | figlia /ˈfiʎʎa/ | figliola /fiʎˈʎola/ | figghia /ˈfiɟɟa/ | fioła /ˈfjɔe̯a/ | filia /ˈfilia/ | figlia /ˈfiʎʎə/ |
| I | io /ˈio/ | io /ˈio/ | eiu /ˈɛju/ | iu /ju/ | mi /mi/ | io /ˈio/ | io /ˈiːə/ |
| You | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tù /tu/ | tu /tu/ | ti /ti/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ |
| We | noi /noi/ | noi /ˈnoi/ | noi /ˈnoi/ | nuàutri /nuˈawtri/ | noaltri /noˈaltri/ | nos /nos/ | nuje /ˈnujə/ |
| Name | nome /ˈnome/ | nome /ˈnoːme/ | nome /ˈnome/ | nomu /ˈnɔmu/ | nome /ˈnome/ | nomine /ˈnomine/ | nomme /ˈnommə/ |
| Person | persona /perˈsona/ | persona /perˈsona/ | persona /perˈsona/ | pirsuna /pirˈsuna/ | persona /perˈsona/ | persona /perˈsona/ | perzona /perˈtsonə/ |
| Head | testa /ˈtɛsta/ | testa /ˈtɛsta/ | capu /ˈkapu/ | testa /ˈtɛsta/ | tèsta /ˈtɛsta/ | capite /ˈkapite/ | capa /ˈkapə/ |
| Eye | occhio /ˈɔkkjo/ | occhio /ˈɔkːjo/ | ochju /ˈɔcu/ | occhiu /ˈɔkkju/ | ocio /ɔtʃo/ | oculo /okulo/ | uocchio /ˈwɔkkjə/ |
| Ear | orecchio /oˈrekkjo/ | orecchio /oˈrɛkkjo/ | arechja /aˈrɛca/ | aricchia /aˈrikkja/ | récia /ˈretʃa/ | aure /ˈawre/ | 'recchia /ˈrɛkkjə/ |
| Nose | naso /ˈnaːzo/ | naso /ˈnaso/ | nasu /ˈnazu/ | nasu /ˈnaːsu/ | naxo /ˈnazo/ | naso /ˈnazo/ | naso /ˈnaːsə/ |
| Mouth | bocca /ˈbokka/ | bocca /ˈbokka/ | bocca /ˈbɔkka/ | vucca /ˈvukka/ | boca /ˈboka/ | bucca /ˈbuka/ | vocca /ˈvokkə/ |
| Tooth | dente /ˈdɛnte/ | dente /ˈdente/ | dente /ˈdɛnte/ | denti /ˈdɛnti/ | dente /ˈdente/ | dente /ˈdente/ | dente /ˈdɛntə/ |
| Tongue | lingua /ˈliŋɡwa/ | lingua /ˈliŋɡwa/ | lingua /ˈliŋɡwa/ | lingua /ˈlinɡwa/ | léngua /ˈleŋɡwa/ | lingua /ˈliŋɡwa/ | lengua /ˈlɛŋɡwə/ |
| Hand | mano /ˈmaːno/ | mano /ˈmano/ | manu /ˈmanu/ | manu /ˈmanu/ | man /man/ | mano /mano/ | mano /ˈmanə/ |
| Foot | piede /ˈpjɛde/ | piede /ˈpjɛde/ | pede /ˈpɛde/ | pedi /ˈpɛdi/ | pìe /ˈpie/ | pede /pede/ | pere /ˈpɛːrə/ |
| Heart | cuore /ˈkwɔːre/ | core /ˈkɔre/ | core /ˈkɔre/ | cori /ˈkɔri/ | cor /kɔr/ | corde /kɔrde/ | core /ˈkorə/ |
| Bone | osso /ˈɔsso/ | osso /ˈɔsːo/ | ossu /ˈɔssu/ | ossu /ˈɔssu/ | oso /ˈɔso/ | osso /ˈosso/ | uosso /ˈwɔssə/ |
| Blood | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | sangu /ˈsaŋɡu/ | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | sanguine /sanˈɡwine/ | sango /ˈsaŋɡə/ |
| Poop | cacca /ˈkakka/ | merda /ˈmɛrda/ | caca /ˈkaka/ | cacca /ˈkakka/ | caca /ˈkaka/ | caca /ˈkaka/ | cacca /ˈkakːə/ |
| Love | amore /aˈmoːre/ | amore /aˈmore/ | amore /aˈmɔre/ | amuri /aˈmuri/ | amor /amor/ | amor /amor/ | ammore /amˈmorə/ |
| Tree | albero /ˈalbero/ | albero /ˈalbero/ | arburu /ˈarburu/ | àrbulu /ˈarbulu/ | àlbaro /ˈalbaro/ | arbore /arbore/ | àrvero /ˈarvərə/ |
| Dog | cane /ˈkaːne/ | cane /ˈkane/ | cane /ˈkane/ | cani /ˈkani/ | can /kaŋ/ | can /kan/ | cane /ˈkanə/ |
| Cat | gatto /ˈɡatto/ | gatto /ˈɡatːo/ | ghjattu /ˈɟattu/ | jattu /ˈjattu/ | gato /ˈɡato/ | catto /katto/ | jatto /ˈjattə/ |
| Fish | pesce /ˈpeʃʃe/ | pesce /ˈpeʃʃe/ | pesciu /ˈpeʃu/ | pisci /ˈpiʃi/ | pesse /ˈpese/ | pisce /ˈpiʃe/ | pesce /ˈpeʃʃə/ |
| Bird | uccello /utˈtʃɛllo/ | uccello /utˈtʃɛlːo/ | uccellu /utˈtʃɛllu/ | aceddu /aˈtʃɛɖːu/ | oxeło /oˈzeo/ | ave /ˈave/ | auciello /auˈtʃiɛllə/ |
| Butterfly | farfalla /farˈfalla/ | farfalla /farˈfalla/ | farfalla /farˈfalla/ | parpagghiuni /parpaɟˈɟuni/ | pavegia /paˈvedʒa/ | papilion /papiliˈon/ | palomma /paˈlommə/ |
| Egg | uovo /ˈwɔːvo/ | uovo /ˈwɔːvo/ | ovu /ˈɔvu/ | ovu /ˈɔvu/ | vovo /ˈvɔvo/ | ovo /ˈovo/ | uovo /ˈuːovə/ |
| Bear | orso /ˈorso/ | orso /ˈorso/ | orsu /ˈorsu/ | ursu /ˈursu/ | orso /ˈorso/ | urso /ˈurso/ | urzo /ˈurtsə/ |
| Horse | cavallo /kaˈvallo/ | cavallo /kaˈvallo/ | cavallu /kaˈvallu/ | cavaddu /kaˈvaɖːu/ | caval /kaˈval/ | cavallo /kaˈvalo/ | cavallo /kaˈvallə/ |
| House | casa /ˈkaːsa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkaza/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | caxa /ˈkaza/ | casa /kasa/ | casa /ˈkasə/ |
| Milk | latte /ˈlatte/ | latte /ˈlatte/ | latte /ˈlatte/ | latti /ˈlatti/ | late /ˈlate/ | lacte /ˈlakte/ | latte /ˈlattə/ |
| Honey | miele /ˈmjɛːle/ | miele /ˈmjɛːle/ | mele /ˈmɛle/ | meli /ˈmɛli/ | miel /mjɛl/ | melle /ˈmɛle/ | mèle /ˈmɛːlə/ |
| Salt | sale /ˈsale/ | sale /ˈsale/ | sale /ˈsale/ | sali /ˈsali/ | sal /sal/ | sal /sal/ | sale /ˈsalə/ |
| Wine | vino /ˈvino/ | vino /ˈvino/ | vinu /ˈvinu/ | vinu /ˈvinu/ | vin /viŋ/ | vino /ˈvino/ | vino /ˈvinə/ |
| Rice | riso /ˈriːzo/ | — | risu /ˈrizu/ | risu /ˈrizu/ | rixo /ˈrizo/ | ris /ris/ | riso /ˈrisə/ |
| Chocolate | cioccolato /tʃokkoˈlaːto/ | — | cicculata /tʃikkuˈlata/ | cicculatti /tʃikkuˈlatti/ | ciocolata /tʃokoˈlata/ | chocolate /tʃokoˈlate/ | ciucculata /tʃukkuˈlatə/ |
| Iron | ferro /ˈfɛrro/ | ferro /ˈfɛrro/ | ferru /ˈfɛrru/ | ferru /ˈfɛrru/ | fero /ˈfɛro/ | ferro /ˈfɛrro/ | fierro /ˈfjɛrrə/ |
| Wheel | ruota /ˈrwɔta/ | rota /ˈrɔta/ | rota /ˈrɔta/ | rota /ˈrɔːta/ | roda /ˈrɔda/ | rota /ˈrɔta/ | rota /ˈrɔːtə/ |
| Silk | seta /ˈseːta/ | — | seta /ˈseta/ | sita /ˈsita/ | seda /ˈseda/ | seta /ˈseta/ | seta /ˈsetə/ |
| Book | libro /ˈliːbro/ | libro /ˈlibro/ | libru /ˈlibru/ | libbru /ˈlibbru/ | libro /ˈlibro/ | libro /ˈlibro/ | libbro /ˈlibbərə/ |
| Eat | mangiare /manˈdʒaːre/ | mangiare /manˈdʒare/ | manghjà /manˈɟa/ | manciari /manˈtʃari/ | magnàr /maˈɲar/ | manducar /mandukar/ | mangià /manˈdʒa/ |
| Drink | bere /ˈbeːre/ | bevere /ˈbevere/ | beie /ˈbeje/ | vìviri /ˈviviri/ | bévar /ˈbevar/ | biber /biber/ | vevere /ˈvevərə/ |
| Sleep | dormire /dorˈmiːre/ | dormire /dorˈmire/ | durmì /durˈmi/ | dòrmiri /ˈdɔrmɪrɪ/ | dormir /dorˈmir/ | dormir /dorˈmir/ | durmì /durˈmiː/ |
| One | uno /ˈuːno/ | uno /ˈuno/ | unu /ˈunu/ | unu /ˈunu/ | un /un/ | un /un/ | uno /ˈunə/ |
| Two | due /ˈdue/ | due /ˈduːe/ | dui /ˈdui/ | dui /ˈduɪ/ | do /do/ | duo /ˈduo/ | duje /ˈduːjə/ |
| Three | tre /tre/ | tre /tre/ | trè /trɛ/ | tri /tri/ | tre /tre/ | tres /tres/ | tre /trɛ/ |
| Four | quattro /ˈkwattro/ | quattro /ˈkwatːro/ | quattru /ˈkwatːru/ | quattru /ˈkwattru/ | quatro /ˈkwatro/ | quatro /ˈkwatro/ | quatto /ˈkwattə/ |
| Five | cinque /ˈtʃiŋkwe/ | cinque /ˈtʃiŋkwe/ | cinque /ˈtʃiŋkwe/ | cincu /ˈtʃiŋku/ | sìnque /ˈsiŋkwe/ | cinque /ˈtʃiŋkwe/ | cinche /ˈtʃiŋkə/ |
| Hundred | cento /ˈtʃɛnto/ | cento /ˈtʃɛnto/ | centu /ˈtʃɛntu/ | centu /ˈtʃɛntu/ | sento /ˈsento/ | cento /ˈtʃento/ | ciento /ˈtʃjentə/ |
| Hello | ciao /ˈtʃaːo/ | salute /saˈlute/ | salute /saˈlute/ | salutamu /salutamu/ | ciao /tʃao/ | salute /salute/ | uè /wɛ/ |
| Thank you | grazie /ˈɡrattsje/ | mercede /merˈtʃede/ | grazie /ˈɡratsje/ | grazii /ˈɡrattsii/ | grassie /ɡrasje/ | gratias /ɡratias/ | grazie /ˈɡratsjə/ |
| Good | buono /ˈbwɔːno/ | buono /ˈbwɔno/ | bonu /ˈbɔnu/ | bonu /ˈbɔnu/ | bon /bon/ | bon /bon/ | buono /ˈbwɔnə/ |
| New | nuovo /ˈnwɔːvo/ | novo /ˈnɔvo/ | novu /ˈnɔvu/ | novu /ˈnɔvu/ | novo /ˈnovo/ | nove /ˈnove/ | nuovo /ˈnwɔvə/ |
| Red | rosso /ˈrosso/ | rosso /ˈrosso/ | rossu /ˈrossu/ | russu /ˈrussu/ | róso /ˈroso/ | rubie /ˈrubie/ | russo /ˈrussə/ |
| White | bianco /ˈbjaŋko/ | bianco /ˈbjaŋko/ | biancu /ˈbjaŋku/ | biancu /ˈbjaŋku/ | bianco /ˈbjaŋko/ | blanc /blaŋk/ | janco /ˈjaŋkə/ |
| Black | nero /ˈnero/ | nero /ˈnero/ | neru /ˈneru/ | nìuru /ˈniuru/ | negro /ˈneɡro/ | nigre /ˈniɡre/ | niro /ˈnirə/ |
| Green | verde /ˈverde/ | verde /ˈverde/ | verde /ˈverde/ | virdi /ˈvɪrdɪ/ | verde /ˈverde/ | verde /ˈverde/ | verde /ˈverdə/ |
| Blue | blu /blu/ | — | turchinu /turˈkinu/ | azzolu /adˈdzɔlu/ | — | blau /blau/ | — |
| Cuckoo | cuculo /ˈkuːkulo/ | cucco /ˈkukko/ | cuccu /ˈkukku/ | cuccu /ˈkukku/ | cucù /kuˈku/ | cucu /ˈkuku/ | cucù /kuˈku/ |
| Woof | bau bau /baw baw/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | chicchirichì /kikkiriˈki/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Computer | computer /komˈpjuter/ | abbaco /abˈbaːko/ | urdinatore /urdinaˈtore/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ | computator /komputaˈtor/ | computer /komˈpjutə/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwaifai/ | — | — | — | Wi-Fi | — | — |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃʃi/ | tonnina /tonˈniːna/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tè /tɛ/ | — | tè /tɛ/ | tè /tɛ/ | tè /tɛ/ | the /te/ | tè /tɛ/ |
| Coffee | caffè /kafˈfɛ/ | — | caffè /kafˈfɛ/ | cafè /kaˈfɛ/ | cafè /kaˈfɛ/ | caffe /ˈkafe/ | cafè /kaˈfɛ/ |
| Sugar | zucchero /ˈdzukkero/ | — | zuccheru /ˈdzukkeru/ | zuccuru /ˈtsukkuru/ | sùcaro /ˈsukaro/ | sucro /ˈsukro/ | zùccaro /ˈtsukkərə/ |
| Orange | arancia /aˈrantʃa/ | arancia /aˈrantʃa/ | aranciu /aˈrantʃu/ | aranciu /aˈrantʃu/ | naranza /naˈraŋsa/ | orange /oˈrandʒe/ | arancia /aˈrantʃə/ |
| Ninety-nine | novantanove /novantaˈnove/ | — | nuvanta nove /nuˈvanta ˈnɔve/ | novantanovi /nɔvantaˈnɔvi/ | novantanove /novantaˈnove/ | — | nuvantanove /nuvantaˈnɔvə/ |
| Dopamine | dopamina /dopaˈmiːna/ | — | — | dupamina /dupaˈmiːna/ | — | dopamina /dopaˈmina/ | — |
| At sign | chiocciola /ˈkjɔttʃola/ | — | ciuvodda /tʃuˈvɔɖɖa/ | — | — | — | — |
| Internet laughter | ahah /ˈahah/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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