Napulitano
Neapolitan
Romance
Neapolitan (Napulitano) is the most widely spoken Italo-Romance variety of mainland southern Italy, with ~5.7M speakers across Campania and parts of Lazio, Molise, Calabria, and Basilicata. Direct descendant of southern Italian Vulgar Latin with substantial Greek (from Magna Graecia and Byzantine rule), Oscan substrate, Norman, French, Spanish, and Arabic influences. The 10th-century Placiti Cassinesi (960–963) — legal deposition formulas that rank among the earliest surviving vernacular Romance documents rather than literary works — attest to its early written use, followed by a rich literary tradition. The Neapolitan canzone ("'O Sole Mio", 1898) is internationally celebrated. Latin script.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Neapolitan
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Romance
| Meaning | Neapolitan | Corsican | Sicilian | Italian | Dante-era Italian | Venetian | Ido |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | acqua /ˈakkwə/ | acqua /ˈakwa/ | acqua /ˈakkwa/ | acqua /ˈakkwa/ | acqua /ˈakːwa/ | aqua /ˈakwa/ | aquo /ˈakwo/ |
| Fire | fuoco /ˈfwɔkə/ | focu /ˈfɔku/ | focu /ˈfɔku/ | fuoco /ˈfwɔːko/ | foco /ˈfɔko/ | fogo /ˈfoɡo/ | fairo /faˈiro/ |
| Sun | sole /ˈsolə/ | sole /ˈsɔle/ | suli /ˈsuli/ | sole /ˈsoːle/ | sole /ˈsole/ | sol /sol/ | suno /ˈsuno/ |
| Moon | luna /ˈlunə/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | luna /ˈluːna/ | luna /ˈluna/ | łuna /ˈuna/ | luno /ˈluno/ |
| Star | stella /ˈstellə/ | stella /ˈstella/ | stidda /ˈstɪɖːa/ | stella /ˈstɛlla/ | stella /ˈstella/ | stela /ˈstela/ | stelo /ˈstelo/ |
| Night | notte /ˈnɔttə/ | notte /ˈnɔtːe/ | notti /ˈnɔtti/ | notte /ˈnɔtte/ | notte /ˈnotte/ | note /ˈnɔte/ | nokto /ˈnokto/ |
| Rain | chiòve /ˈkjɔːvə/ | pioggia /ˈpjɔdʒa/ | chiuvuta /kjuˈvuta/ | pioggia /ˈpjɔddʒa/ | piova /ˈpjɔːva/ | piova /ˈpjɔva/ | pluvo /ˈpluvo/ |
| Snow | neve /ˈneːvə/ | neve /ˈneve/ | nivi /ˈniːvi/ | neve /neːve/ | neve /ˈneve/ | neve /neve/ | nivo /ˈnivo/ |
| Wind | viento /ˈvjendə/ | ventu /ˈventu/ | ventu /ˈvɛntu/ | vento /ˈvento/ | vento /ˈvɛnto/ | vento /ˈvento/ | vento /ˈvento/ |
| Earth | terra /ˈtɛrːə/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | terra /ˈtɛrra/ | tera /ˈtɛra/ | tero /ˈtero/ |
| Stone | preta /ˈprɛtə/ | petra /ˈpɛtra/ | petra /ˈpɛːtra/ | pietra /ˈpjɛːtra/ | pietra /ˈpjɛtra/ | piera /ˈpjɛra/ | petro /ˈpetro/ |
| Mountain | muntagna /munˈdaɲːə/ | muntagna /munˈtaɲɲa/ | muntagna /munˈtaɲɲa/ | montagna /monˈtaɲːa/ | montagna /monˈtaɲɲa/ | montagna /monˈtaɲa/ | monto /ˈmonto/ |
| Sea | mare /ˈmarə/ | mare /ˈmare/ | mari /ˈmari/ | mare /ˈmare/ | mare /ˈmare/ | mar /mar/ | maro /ˈmaro/ |
| Mother | mamma /ˈmammə/ | mamma /ˈmamma/ | matri /ˈmatri/ | madre /ˈmaːdre/ | madre /ˈmaːdre/ | mare /ˈmare/ | matro /ˈmatro/ |
| Father | pate /ˈpatə/ | babbu /ˈbabːu/ | patri /ˈpatri/ | padre /ˈpaːdre/ | padre /ˈpaːdre/ | pare /pare/ | patro /ˈpatro/ |
| Daughter | figlia /ˈfiʎʎə/ | figliola /fiʎˈʎola/ | figghia /ˈfiɟɟa/ | figlia /ˈfiʎʎa/ | figlia /ˈfiʎʎa/ | fioła /ˈfjɔe̯a/ | filiino /filiˈino/ |
| I | io /ˈiːə/ | eiu /ˈɛju/ | iu /ju/ | io /ˈio/ | io /ˈio/ | mi /mi/ | me /me/ |
| You | tu /tu/ | tù /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | tu /tu/ | ti /ti/ | tu /tu/ |
| We | nuje /ˈnujə/ | noi /ˈnoi/ | nuàutri /nuˈawtri/ | noi /noi/ | noi /ˈnoi/ | noaltri /noˈaltri/ | ni /ni/ |
| Name | nomme /ˈnommə/ | nome /ˈnome/ | nomu /ˈnɔmu/ | nome /ˈnome/ | nome /ˈnoːme/ | nome /ˈnome/ | nomo /ˈnomo/ |
| Person | perzona /perˈtsonə/ | persona /perˈsona/ | pirsuna /pirˈsuna/ | persona /perˈsona/ | persona /perˈsona/ | persona /perˈsona/ | persono /perˈsono/ |
| Head | capa /ˈkapə/ | capu /ˈkapu/ | testa /ˈtɛsta/ | testa /ˈtɛsta/ | testa /ˈtɛsta/ | tèsta /ˈtɛsta/ | kapo /ˈkapo/ |
| Eye | uocchio /ˈwɔkkjə/ | ochju /ˈɔcu/ | occhiu /ˈɔkkju/ | occhio /ˈɔkkjo/ | occhio /ˈɔkːjo/ | ocio /ɔtʃo/ | okulo /oˈkulo/ |
| Ear | 'recchia /ˈrɛkkjə/ | arechja /aˈrɛca/ | aricchia /aˈrikkja/ | orecchio /oˈrekkjo/ | orecchio /oˈrɛkkjo/ | récia /ˈretʃa/ | orelo /oˈrelo/ |
| Nose | naso /ˈnaːsə/ | nasu /ˈnazu/ | nasu /ˈnaːsu/ | naso /ˈnaːzo/ | naso /ˈnaso/ | naxo /ˈnazo/ | nazo /ˈnazo/ |
| Mouth | vocca /ˈvokkə/ | bocca /ˈbɔkka/ | vucca /ˈvukka/ | bocca /ˈbokka/ | bocca /ˈbokka/ | boca /ˈboka/ | boko /ˈboko/ |
| Tooth | dente /ˈdɛntə/ | dente /ˈdɛnte/ | denti /ˈdɛnti/ | dente /ˈdɛnte/ | dente /ˈdente/ | dente /ˈdente/ | dento /ˈdento/ |
| Tongue | lengua /ˈlɛŋɡwə/ | lingua /ˈliŋɡwa/ | lingua /ˈlinɡwa/ | lingua /ˈliŋɡwa/ | lingua /ˈliŋɡwa/ | léngua /ˈleŋɡwa/ | lango /ˈlaŋɡo/ |
| Hand | mano /ˈmanə/ | manu /ˈmanu/ | manu /ˈmanu/ | mano /ˈmaːno/ | mano /ˈmano/ | man /man/ | manuo /ˈmanuo/ |
| Foot | pere /ˈpɛːrə/ | pede /ˈpɛde/ | pedi /ˈpɛdi/ | piede /ˈpjɛde/ | piede /ˈpjɛde/ | pìe /ˈpie/ | pedo /ˈpedo/ |
| Heart | core /ˈkorə/ | core /ˈkɔre/ | cori /ˈkɔri/ | cuore /ˈkwɔːre/ | core /ˈkɔre/ | cor /kɔr/ | kordio /ˈkordio/ |
| Bone | uosso /ˈwɔssə/ | ossu /ˈɔssu/ | ossu /ˈɔssu/ | osso /ˈɔsso/ | osso /ˈɔsːo/ | oso /ˈɔso/ | osto /ˈosto/ |
| Blood | sango /ˈsaŋɡə/ | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | sangu /ˈsaŋɡu/ | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | sangue /ˈsaŋɡwe/ | sango /ˈsaŋɡo/ |
| Poop | cacca /ˈkakːə/ | caca /ˈkaka/ | cacca /ˈkakka/ | cacca /ˈkakka/ | merda /ˈmɛrda/ | caca /ˈkaka/ | feko /ˈfeko/ |
| Love | ammore /amˈmorə/ | amore /aˈmɔre/ | amuri /aˈmuri/ | amore /aˈmoːre/ | amore /aˈmore/ | amor /amor/ | amoro /aˈmoro/ |
| Tree | àrvero /ˈarvərə/ | arburu /ˈarburu/ | àrbulu /ˈarbulu/ | albero /ˈalbero/ | albero /ˈalbero/ | àlbaro /ˈalbaro/ | arboro /arˈboro/ |
| Dog | cane /ˈkanə/ | cane /ˈkane/ | cani /ˈkani/ | cane /ˈkaːne/ | cane /ˈkane/ | can /kaŋ/ | hundo /ˈhundo/ |
| Cat | jatto /ˈjattə/ | ghjattu /ˈɟattu/ | jattu /ˈjattu/ | gatto /ˈɡatto/ | gatto /ˈɡatːo/ | gato /ˈɡato/ | kato /ˈkato/ |
| Fish | pesce /ˈpeʃʃə/ | pesciu /ˈpeʃu/ | pisci /ˈpiʃi/ | pesce /ˈpeʃʃe/ | pesce /ˈpeʃʃe/ | pesse /ˈpese/ | fisho /ˈfiʃo/ |
| Bird | auciello /auˈtʃiɛllə/ | uccellu /utˈtʃɛllu/ | aceddu /aˈtʃɛɖːu/ | uccello /utˈtʃɛllo/ | uccello /utˈtʃɛlːo/ | oxeło /oˈzeo/ | ucelo /uˈtselo/ |
| Butterfly | palomma /paˈlommə/ | farfalla /farˈfalla/ | parpagghiuni /parpaɟˈɟuni/ | farfalla /farˈfalla/ | farfalla /farˈfalla/ | pavegia /paˈvedʒa/ | papiliono /papiliˈono/ |
| Egg | uovo /ˈuːovə/ | ovu /ˈɔvu/ | ovu /ˈɔvu/ | uovo /ˈwɔːvo/ | uovo /ˈwɔːvo/ | vovo /ˈvɔvo/ | ovo /ˈovo/ |
| Bear | urzo /ˈurtsə/ | orsu /ˈorsu/ | ursu /ˈursu/ | orso /ˈorso/ | orso /ˈorso/ | orso /ˈorso/ | urso /ˈurso/ |
| Horse | cavallo /kaˈvallə/ | cavallu /kaˈvallu/ | cavaddu /kaˈvaɖːu/ | cavallo /kaˈvallo/ | cavallo /kaˈvallo/ | caval /kaˈval/ | kavalo /kaˈvalo/ |
| House | casa /ˈkasə/ | casa /ˈkaza/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | casa /ˈkaːsa/ | casa /ˈkasa/ | caxa /ˈkaza/ | domo /ˈdomo/ |
| Milk | latte /ˈlattə/ | latte /ˈlatte/ | latti /ˈlatti/ | latte /ˈlatte/ | latte /ˈlatte/ | late /ˈlate/ | lakto /ˈlakto/ |
| Honey | mèle /ˈmɛːlə/ | mele /ˈmɛle/ | meli /ˈmɛli/ | miele /ˈmjɛːle/ | miele /ˈmjɛːle/ | miel /mjɛl/ | mielo /ˈmi̯elo/ |
| Salt | sale /ˈsalə/ | sale /ˈsale/ | sali /ˈsali/ | sale /ˈsale/ | sale /ˈsale/ | sal /sal/ | salo /ˈsalo/ |
| Wine | vino /ˈvinə/ | vinu /ˈvinu/ | vinu /ˈvinu/ | vino /ˈvino/ | vino /ˈvino/ | vin /viŋ/ | vino /ˈvino/ |
| Rice | riso /ˈrisə/ | risu /ˈrizu/ | risu /ˈrizu/ | riso /ˈriːzo/ | — | rixo /ˈrizo/ | rizo /ˈrizo/ |
| Chocolate | ciucculata /tʃukkuˈlatə/ | cicculata /tʃikkuˈlata/ | cicculatti /tʃikkuˈlatti/ | cioccolato /tʃokkoˈlaːto/ | — | ciocolata /tʃokoˈlata/ | chokolado /tʃokoˈlado/ |
| Iron | fierro /ˈfjɛrrə/ | ferru /ˈfɛrru/ | ferru /ˈfɛrru/ | ferro /ˈfɛrro/ | ferro /ˈfɛrro/ | fero /ˈfɛro/ | fero /ˈfero/ |
| Wheel | rota /ˈrɔːtə/ | rota /ˈrɔta/ | rota /ˈrɔːta/ | ruota /ˈrwɔta/ | rota /ˈrɔta/ | roda /ˈrɔda/ | roto /ˈroto/ |
| Silk | seta /ˈsetə/ | seta /ˈseta/ | sita /ˈsita/ | seta /ˈseːta/ | — | seda /ˈseda/ | silko /ˈsilko/ |
| Book | libbro /ˈlibbərə/ | libru /ˈlibru/ | libbru /ˈlibbru/ | libro /ˈliːbro/ | libro /ˈlibro/ | libro /ˈlibro/ | libro /ˈlibro/ |
| Eat | mangià /manˈdʒa/ | manghjà /manˈɟa/ | manciari /manˈtʃari/ | mangiare /manˈdʒaːre/ | mangiare /manˈdʒare/ | magnàr /maˈɲar/ | manjar /manˈʒar/ |
| Drink | vevere /ˈvevərə/ | beie /ˈbeje/ | vìviri /ˈviviri/ | bere /ˈbeːre/ | bevere /ˈbevere/ | bévar /ˈbevar/ | drinkar /drinˈkar/ |
| Sleep | durmì /durˈmiː/ | durmì /durˈmi/ | dòrmiri /ˈdɔrmɪrɪ/ | dormire /dorˈmiːre/ | dormire /dorˈmire/ | dormir /dorˈmir/ | dormar /dorˈmar/ |
| One | uno /ˈunə/ | unu /ˈunu/ | unu /ˈunu/ | uno /ˈuːno/ | uno /ˈuno/ | un /un/ | un /un/ |
| Two | duje /ˈduːjə/ | dui /ˈdui/ | dui /ˈduɪ/ | due /ˈdue/ | due /ˈduːe/ | do /do/ | du /du/ |
| Three | tre /trɛ/ | trè /trɛ/ | tri /tri/ | tre /tre/ | tre /tre/ | tre /tre/ | tri /tri/ |
| Four | quatto /ˈkwattə/ | quattru /ˈkwatːru/ | quattru /ˈkwattru/ | quattro /ˈkwattro/ | quattro /ˈkwatːro/ | quatro /ˈkwatro/ | quar /kwar/ |
| Five | cinche /ˈtʃiŋkə/ | cinque /ˈtʃiŋkwe/ | cincu /ˈtʃiŋku/ | cinque /ˈtʃiŋkwe/ | cinque /ˈtʃiŋkwe/ | sìnque /ˈsiŋkwe/ | kin /kin/ |
| Hundred | ciento /ˈtʃjentə/ | centu /ˈtʃɛntu/ | centu /ˈtʃɛntu/ | cento /ˈtʃɛnto/ | cento /ˈtʃɛnto/ | sento /ˈsento/ | cent /tsent/ |
| Hello | uè /wɛ/ | salute /saˈlute/ | salutamu /salutamu/ | ciao /ˈtʃaːo/ | salute /saˈlute/ | ciao /tʃao/ | saluto /saˈluto/ |
| Thank you | grazie /ˈɡratsjə/ | grazie /ˈɡratsje/ | grazii /ˈɡrattsii/ | grazie /ˈɡrattsje/ | mercede /merˈtʃede/ | grassie /ɡrasje/ | danko /ˈdanko/ |
| Good | buono /ˈbwɔnə/ | bonu /ˈbɔnu/ | bonu /ˈbɔnu/ | buono /ˈbwɔːno/ | buono /ˈbwɔno/ | bon /bon/ | bona /ˈbona/ |
| New | nuovo /ˈnwɔvə/ | novu /ˈnɔvu/ | novu /ˈnɔvu/ | nuovo /ˈnwɔːvo/ | novo /ˈnɔvo/ | novo /ˈnovo/ | nova /ˈnova/ |
| Red | russo /ˈrussə/ | rossu /ˈrossu/ | russu /ˈrussu/ | rosso /ˈrosso/ | rosso /ˈrosso/ | róso /ˈroso/ | reda /ˈreda/ |
| White | janco /ˈjaŋkə/ | biancu /ˈbjaŋku/ | biancu /ˈbjaŋku/ | bianco /ˈbjaŋko/ | bianco /ˈbjaŋko/ | bianco /ˈbjaŋko/ | blanka /ˈblanka/ |
| Black | niro /ˈnirə/ | neru /ˈneru/ | nìuru /ˈniuru/ | nero /ˈnero/ | nero /ˈnero/ | negro /ˈneɡro/ | nigra /ˈniɡra/ |
| Green | verde /ˈverdə/ | verde /ˈverde/ | virdi /ˈvɪrdɪ/ | verde /ˈverde/ | verde /ˈverde/ | verde /ˈverde/ | verda /ˈverda/ |
| Cuckoo | cucù /kuˈku/ | cuccu /ˈkukku/ | cuccu /ˈkukku/ | cuculo /ˈkuːkulo/ | cucco /ˈkukko/ | cucù /kuˈku/ | kukulo /kuˈkulo/ |
| Computer | computer /komˈpjutə/ | urdinatore /urdinaˈtore/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ | abbaco /abˈbaːko/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ | komputero /kompuˈtero/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃʃi/ | tonnina /tonˈniːna/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tè /tɛ/ | tè /tɛ/ | tè /tɛ/ | tè /tɛ/ | — | tè /tɛ/ | teo /ˈteo/ |
| Coffee | cafè /kaˈfɛ/ | caffè /kafˈfɛ/ | cafè /kaˈfɛ/ | caffè /kafˈfɛ/ | — | cafè /kaˈfɛ/ | kafeo /kaˈfeo/ |
| Sugar | zùccaro /ˈtsukkərə/ | zuccheru /ˈdzukkeru/ | zuccuru /ˈtsukkuru/ | zucchero /ˈdzukkero/ | — | sùcaro /ˈsukaro/ | sukro /ˈsukro/ |
| Orange | arancia /aˈrantʃə/ | aranciu /aˈrantʃu/ | aranciu /aˈrantʃu/ | arancia /aˈrantʃa/ | arancia /aˈrantʃa/ | naranza /naˈraŋsa/ | oranjo /oˈranʒo/ |
| Ninety-nine | nuvantanove /nuvantaˈnɔvə/ | nuvanta nove /nuˈvanta ˈnɔve/ | novantanovi /nɔvantaˈnɔvi/ | novantanove /novantaˈnove/ | — | novantanove /novantaˈnove/ | — |
Word order compared
Compare with major world languages
Compare with languages in the same classification
Open the interactive map: Word Map · HanMap · Name Map · Word Order · Tree
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.
Made by Heuron Inc. · GitHub · cho@heuron.com · LangMap home