‘A tavola!’ 102 words about food in Italian

Italians say “l’appetito vien mangiando” (the appetite comes with eating) and we surely hope to stimulate your appetite for learning with this vocabulary guide to food in Italian. Indeed, Italy and food are almost inseparable concepts and when you think of tasty, soulful cuisine, no country compares with the world-famous Boot. 

So, unbutton those trousers, sit back and get ready for a feast as we review some of the most delicious (and useful!) culinary vocabulary in Italian.

Fruit,Market,With,Various,Colorful,Fresh,Fruits,And,Vegetables

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Vegetables and legumes in Italian

From a country where the sun seems to always shine, you can expect juicy vegetables to toss into colorful salads, to turn into tasty pasta sauces or use as fresh toppings for your pizza.

ItalianEnglish
la lattugalettuce
il pomodorotomato
la cipollaonion
la carotacarrot
la zucchina o il zucchinozucchini/courgette
la patatapotato
la melanzanaeggplant/aubergine
la zuccapumpkin
il peperonebell pepper
il cetriolocucumber
il sedanocelery
il cavolo o la verzacabbage
il cavolfiorecauliflower
il broccolobroccoli
la barbabietolabeetroot
l’asparagoasparagus
il carciofoartichoke
la rucolaarugula/rocket
le lenticchielentils
i fagiolibeans
i pisellipeas
i cecichickpeas
i funghimushrooms
le tegolinegreen beans

Note: Italy produces a rich and variegated assortment of vegetables and legumes, which can differ from region to region. The above vocabulary includes general terms, though regional variants may exist. This also applies to the following sections on fruits and grains.

Fruit in Italian

Pick it from a tree, squeeze it into a juice or chop it into a fruit salad. However and wherever you encounter fruit, you can describe it with these common fruit names in Italian: 

ItalianEnglish
la melaapple
la perapear
l’aranciaorange
il mandarinoclementine
il limonelemon
l’uvagrapes
i kiwikiwi
l’albicoccaapricot
la pescapeach
la nettarinanectarine
l’ananaspineapple
il ficofig
la ciliegiacherry
l’anguriawatermelon
il melonemelon
il coccocococut
la prugnaplum
il melogranopomegranate
il cacopersimmon
il mangomango
le oliveolives

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Grains in Italian

Pasta, rice, barley and spelt are all grains grown in Italy. They make an ideal base for salads, though each can also stand on its own as a main dish.

ItalianEnglish
la pasta di grano durowheat pasta
la pasta all’uovoegg pasta
il risorice
l’orzobarley
il farrospelt

Meats, cheeses and other foods in Italian

Should you find yourself in the meat and cheese section at your local supermarket or reading through a menu, the below vocabulary will help you ask for the right product: 

ItalianEnglish
la carnemeat
il manzobeef
il maialepork
il vitelloveal
l’agnellolamb
il tacchinoturkey
il pollochicken
il prosciutto cottoham
il prosciutto crudocured country ham
il salamesalami
la salsicciasausage
la bisteccasteak
l’hamburgerhamburger
il pescefish
il formaggiocheese
il formaggio stagionatocured cheese
il formaggio spalmabilecream cheese
l’uovoegg
l’uovo sodoboiled egg
l’uovo strapazzatoscrambled egg
l’uovo in camiciapoached egg
il dolcedessert or cake

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Spices, herbs and condiments in Italian

The entire Mediterranean region is a garden for spices and herbs. Most of these are a staple of Italian cuisine and you’ll encounter most of them in backyards and balconies across Italy.

ItalianEnglish
il salesalt
il pepepepper
l’olio (d’oliva, di girasole)oil (olive, sunflower)
l’acetovinegar
l’agliogarlic
il basilicobasil
l’origanooregano
il rosmarinorosemary
la salviasage
il timothyme
l’allorobay leaves
il prezzemoloparsley
il coriandolocoriander/cilantro
la maggioranamajoran
il peperoncinochili flakes
lo zenzeroginger root

Nouns and adjectives to accompany your food

When it comes to describing the sublime experience of Italian cuisine, the right words can be hard to come by. Fortunately, Italian vocabulary about food is just as colorful as the food itself. Let’s discover some helpful words and phrases to use when talking about cibo (food): 

ItalianEnglishContext
la colazionebreakfastItalians usually have breakfast before heading to work, between 7 and 10 a.m.
Mid-morning coffees are not considered breakfast.
il pranzolunchItalians usually sit down between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. and have a proper meal.
la merendaafternoon snackThis is a small sandwich, snack or fruit that children typically enjoy around mid-afternoon.
la cenadinnerItalians typically eat their dinner from 7:30 p.m. onwards. Meal times vary according to the region, with Southern Italians tending to sit down slightly later than Northern Italians.
buonogood
deliziosodelicious
gustosotasty
squisitoexquisite
saporitotasteful
succulentosucculent
nutrientenutritious
aromaticoaromatic
da leccarsi i baffifinger-licking (lit. “it makes you want to lick your mustache”)An informal expression that describes the enjoyment of eating a dish/food/drink.

Quel filetto era da leccarsi i baffi! (That steak was finger-licking good!)
fa venire l’acquolina in boccamouthwatering (lit. “it makes you salivate”)An informal expression that describes the anticipation of eating a delicious dish.

Solo a pensarci, mi viene l’acquolina in bocca. (I salivate just thinking about it.)

‘Tutti a tavola!’

Italy may be world-famous for its dishes and desserts, but it’s now up to you to season your language with some tasty vocabulary about food in Italian. Whether you’re reading a recipe, shopping at the local market in your piazza or describing your favorite meal, this guide will hopefully come in handy.

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Valentina Rampazzo

Valentina Rampazzo

Valentina Rampazzo is an Italian Content Manager and writer. She has lived in five countries across Europe and speaks as many languages. She is based in Berlin where she works at Lingoda. She also collaborates with a Portuguese association focused on helping the integration of migrants through languages by writing for their blog. Apart from writing, she enjoys cooking and experimenting with plant-based food, loves traveling and has a hard time saying no to cuddle time with her black cat.