italiana
/ee-tah-LYAH-nah/
Italian
The word 'italiana' can describe things from Italy, such as 'comida italiana' (Italian food).
italiana(adjective)
Italian
?describing a feminine noun
Italian-style
?referring to fashion or cuisine
📝 In Action
Me encanta la comida italiana.
A1I love Italian food.
Ella tiene una bicicleta italiana muy bonita.
A2She has a very pretty Italian bicycle.
💡 Grammar Points
Matching the Noun
This word is the 'feminine' version of Italian. Use it whenever the thing you are describing is feminine (usually words ending in -a, like 'comida' or 'casa').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Mix-up
Mistake: "el coche italiana"
Correction: el coche italiano (Use 'italiana' only for feminine words; 'coche' is masculine).
⭐ Usage Tips
Don't Capitalize!
Unlike in English, words for nationalities like 'italiana' are not capitalized in Spanish unless they start a sentence.
An 'italiana' is a woman who is from Italy.
italiana(noun)
Italian woman
?a female person from Italy
Italian girl
?referring to a young female from Italy
📝 In Action
Conocí a una italiana en el aeropuerto.
A2I met an Italian woman at the airport.
La nueva vecina es italiana.
A1The new neighbor is Italian.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Una' or 'La'
When talking about a specific Italian woman, use 'la italiana'. If you are just saying she is Italian, you don't always need a word for 'a' or 'the' after the word 'is' (ser).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Language vs. Person
Mistake: "Hablo italiana."
Correction: Hablo italiano. (The language is always 'italiano' with an 'o', even if you are a woman.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Plurals
To talk about a group of Italian women, simply add an 's' to get 'italianas'.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: italiana
Question 1 of 2
Which of these is the correct way to say 'Italian pizza'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I capitalize 'italiana'?
No. In Spanish, nationalities and languages are written in lowercase (italiana, español, francés) unlike in English where they are always capitalized.
When do I use 'italiana' instead of 'italiano'?
Use 'italiana' when describing a woman or a feminine object (like 'la mesa', 'la cultura', 'la ensalada'). Use 'italiano' for men and masculine objects.