italiano
“italiano” means “Italian” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
Italian
📝 In Action
Me encanta la comida italiana, especialmente la pizza.
A1I love Italian food, especially pizza.
Ese coche deportivo es italiano.
A2That sports car is Italian.
Italian man
Also: Italian citizen
📝 In Action
Mi nuevo vecino es italiano y trabaja como chef.
A1My new neighbor is an Italian (man) and works as a chef.
¿Conoces a ese famoso italiano que canta ópera?
B1Do you know that famous Italian (man) who sings opera?
Italian
📝 In Action
El italiano es una lengua muy melódica.
A2Italian is a very melodic language.
Quiero aprender a hablar italiano con fluidez.
B1I want to learn to speak Italian fluently.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: italiano
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'italiano' as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes directly from the Late Latin word *Italianus*, which was derived from the name of the country, Italia.
First recorded: Medieval period (as a Spanish derivative)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to capitalize 'italiano'?
No. In Spanish, words for nationalities and languages are written in lowercase unless they start a sentence. So, 'pizza italiana' is correct, not 'pizza Italiana'.
How do I refer to a group of Italian people of mixed genders?
You use the masculine plural form, 'los italianos.' This is the standard way to refer to mixed-gender groups in Spanish.