‘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.

• Vegetables and legumes in Italian
• Fruit in Italian
• Grains in Italian
• Meats, cheeses and other foods in Italian
• Spices, herbs and condiments in Italian
• Nouns and adjectives to accompany your food

---

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.

Italian	English
la lattuga	lettuce
il pomodoro	tomato
la cipolla	onion
la carota	carrot
la zucchina o il zucchino	zucchini/courgette
la patata	potato
la melanzana	eggplant/aubergine
la zucca	pumpkin
il peperone	bell pepper
il cetriolo	cucumber
il sedano	celery
il cavolo o la verza	cabbage
il cavolfiore	cauliflower
il broccolo	broccoli
la barbabietola	beetroot
l’asparago	asparagus
il carciofo	artichoke
la rucola	arugula/rocket
le lenticchie	lentils
i fagioli	beans
i piselli	peas
i ceci	chickpeas
i funghi	mushrooms
le tegoline	green 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: 

Italian	English
la mela	apple
la pera	pear
l’arancia	orange
il mandarino	clementine
il limone	lemon
l’uva	grapes
i kiwi	kiwi
l’albicocca	apricot
la pesca	peach
la nettarina	nectarine
l’ananas	pineapple
il fico	fig
la ciliegia	cherry
l’anguria	watermelon
il melone	melon
il cocco	cococut
la prugna	plum
il melograno	pomegranate
il caco	persimmon
il mango	mango
le olive	olives

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.

Italian	English
la pasta di grano duro	wheat pasta
la pasta all’uovo	egg pasta
il riso	rice
l’orzo	barley
il farro	spelt

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: 

Italian	English
la carne	meat
il manzo	beef
il maiale	pork
il vitello	veal
l’agnello	lamb
il tacchino	turkey
il pollo	chicken
il prosciutto cotto	ham
il prosciutto crudo	cured country ham
il salame	salami
la salsiccia	sausage
la bistecca	steak
l’hamburger	hamburger
il pesce	fish
il formaggio	cheese
il formaggio stagionato	cured cheese
il formaggio spalmabile	cream cheese
l’uovo	egg
l’uovo sodo	boiled egg
l’uovo strapazzato	scrambled egg
l’uovo in camicia	poached egg
il dolce	dessert or cake

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.

Italian	English
il sale	salt
il pepe	pepper
l’olio (d’oliva, di girasole)	oil (olive, sunflower)
l’aceto	vinegar
l’aglio	garlic
il basilico	basil
l’origano	oregano
il rosmarino	rosemary
la salvia	sage
il timo	thyme
l’alloro	bay leaves
il prezzemolo	parsley
il coriandolo	coriander/cilantro
la maggiorana	majoran
il peperoncino	chili flakes
lo zenzero	ginger 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): 

Italian	English	Context
la colazione	breakfast	Italians usually have breakfast before heading to work, between 7 and 10 a.m. Mid-morning coffees are not considered breakfast.
il pranzo	lunch	Italians usually sit down between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. and have a proper meal.
la merenda	afternoon snack	This is a small sandwich, snack or fruit that children typically enjoy around mid-afternoon.
la cena	dinner	Italians 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.
buono	good
delizioso	delicious
gustoso	tasty
squisito	exquisite
saporito	tasteful
succulento	succulent
nutriente	nutritious
aromatico	aromatic
da leccarsi i baffi	finger-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 bocca	mouthwatering (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.

---