Food names in Italian
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for free Course informationsSign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for free Course informationsWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Our offer
Food (il cibo) is one of the most meaningful aspects of Italian culture.
Let's start with an overview on Italian food.
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
In the following table you'll find the main kinds of meat (la carne).
Italian | English |
---|---|
la bistecca | the steak |
il pollo | the chicken |
il maiale | the pork |
l'arrosto | the roast |
lo stufato | the stew |
le costolette | the ribs |
le polpette | the meatballs |
la salsiccia | the sausage |
il prosciutto cotto | the cooked ham |
il prosciutto crudo | the raw ham |
la pancetta | the bacon |
il salame | the salami |
In the following table you'll find the main kinds of seafood (il pesce/ i frutti di mare).
Italian | English |
---|---|
il pesce | the fish |
il merluzzo | the cod |
il tonno | the tuna |
l'acciuga | the anchovy |
il polpo | the octopus |
il gambero | the shrimp |
il gamberetto | the little shrimp |
il calamaro | the squid |
l'aragosta | the lobster |
l'ostrica | the oyster |
la vongola | the clam |
la cozza | the mussel |
il salmone | the saumon |
la trota | the trout |
la sardina | the sardine |
In the following table you'll find the main kinds of vegetables (le verdure).
Italian | English |
---|---|
il pomodoro | the tomato |
la carota | the carrot |
la lattuga | the lettuce |
l'insalata | the salad |
il carciofo | the artichoke |
il cavolo | the cabbage |
il cavolfiore | the cauliflower |
la melanzana | the eggplant |
la zucchina | the zucchini |
il peperone | the pepper |
il peperoncino | the chili pepper |
il cetriolo | the cucumber |
la zucca | the pumpkin |
l'aglio | the garlic |
la cipolla | the onion |
la patata | the potato |
i fagioli | the beans |
i fagiolini | the green beans |
i piselli | the peas |
i funghi | the mushrooms |
In the following table you'll find the main kinds of fruit (la frutta).
Be careful!
"Il frutto" is one singular unit of fruit (the fruit)," i frutti" are more than one frutto (the fruits), "la frutta" is a part of the meal or a category among food.
Italian | English |
---|---|
la mela | the apple |
l'arancia | the orange |
il limone | the lemon |
la pera | the pear |
l'uva | the grapes |
la pesca | the peach |
l'albicocca | the apricot |
la fragola | the strawberry |
il mirtillo | the blueberry |
la mora | the blackberry |
la ciliegia | the cherry |
l'ananas | the pineapple |
il melone | the melon |
l'anguria | the watermelon |
In the following table you'll find the main desserts (i dolci).
Italian | English |
---|---|
il dolce | the dessert |
il cioccolato | the chocolate |
la torta | the cake |
la crostata | the pie |
il gelato | the ice cream |
la panna | the cream |
la panna montata | the whipped cream |
la crema pasticcera | the custard |
Another typical Italian dessert are:
The most important Italian meals are breakfast (la colazione), lunch (il pranzo) e dinner (la cena).
Especially among kids, it's also common to have a snack (la merenda).
Some expression that can be useful in this context are to be hungry that translates as avere fame and to be thirsty that translates as avere sete.
Be careful! To express the need of eating/drinking:
In English verb to be + adjective vs. in Italian verb to have + noun
Breakfast is eaten right after waking up and usually involves:
Italian | English |
---|---|
il latte | the milk |
i cereali | the cereals |
il cornetto | the croissant |
la marmellata | the jam |
i biscotti | the biscuits |
il burro | the butter |
le fette biscottate | the crisp bread |
il té | the tea |
il caffé | the coffee |
la cioccolata calda | the hot chocolate |
lo zucchero | the sugar |
il miele | the honey |
il succo di frutta | the fruit juice |
la frutta | the fruit |
la nutella | the nutella |
As you can see, Italian breakfast is usually based on sweet food.
Lunch is eaten from 12 am or 2 pm while dinner is usually eaten from 7.30 pm to 9 pm.
The most typical Italian food of these meals are la pasta, la pasta al forno/le lasagne and la pizza.
In the following table you'll find some other vocabs about food eaten and used during lunch and dinner.
Italian | English |
---|---|
il pane | the bread |
il riso | the rice |
il sugo | the tomato sauce |
l'arrosto | the roasted meat |
la zuppa | the soup |
il formaggio | the cheese |
le uova | the eggs |
l'aceto | the vinegar |
l'olio d'oliva | the olive oil |
il prezzemolo | the parsley |
il rosmarino | the rosemary |
il basilico | the basil |
il maionese | the mayonnaise |
il sale | the salt |
il pepe | the black pepper |
Snack, very common among kids (but not only among them) when they come back from school, is usually eaten around 4 or 5 pm.
In the following table you'll find some other vocabs about food eaten and used during snack.
Italian | English |
---|---|
le patatine | chips |
i popcorn | popcorns |
i biscotti | biscuits |
la torta | cake |
il succo | fruit juice |
le bibite | soft drinks |
il budino | pudding |
la pizza e la focaccia | pizza and focaccia |
il panino | sandwich |
In the following table you'll find some vocabs about the main drinks (le bevande).
Italian | English |
---|---|
l'acqua naturale | the still water |
l'acqua frizzante | the sparkling water |
l'aranciata | the orange juice |
la limonata | the lemon juice |
il vino | the wine |
la birra | the beer |
il liquore | the liqueur |
Italy is one of the leading wine-producing countries in the world.
Some of the most famous and appreciated wines are:
White, sparkling sweet wine is called spumante, commonly drank on special occasions such as celebrations and informal events.
After big meals, sometimes Italian people drink some liqueurs called digestivi.
The most known are:
Take a look at the following dialogue about food.
Italian | English | |
---|---|---|
Anna | Per colazione, prima di andare al lavoro, bevo sempre il té con latte e biscotti | For breakfast, before going to work, I always drink tea with milk and biscuits |
Sara | Io non mangio tanto a colazione, preferisco mangiare una mela o bere un succo verso le 10 | I don't eat a lot at breakfast, I prefer eating an apple or drink some juice around 10 am |
Anna | E a pranzo? Preferisci la pasta o il riso? | And at lunch? Do you prefer pasta or rice? |
Sara | Mangio spesso la pasta con il sugo, anche se durante la settimana di solito mangio un panino con prosciutto o salame. Per cena mia madre cucina spesso una zuppa. | I often eat pasta with tomato sauce, even if during the week I usually eat a sandwich with ham or salami. For dinner my mum often cooks a soup. |
Anna | Anche la mia! Però il sabato sera ordiniamo le pizze con i miei amici. La mia preferita è quella con carciofi, olive, prosciutto crudo e funghi. | Mine too! However, on Saturday nights we order some pizzas with my friends. My favourite is the one with artichokes, olives, raw ham, and mushrooms. |
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Rina is a pleasure to work with. Her lessons go by quickly, because they are a lot of fun. She is always on time, sends the material beforehand, is always available for questions and corrects homework right away. She is funny & energetic. She speaks German and Italian. I can only recommend taking lessons with her, because it is fun and you learn quickly and good.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
**** Please contact me before booking a lesson, thanks! :-)*** Hello everyone, I'm Federica and I'm an italian and english teacher. Before being a teacher I've been a student infact I graduated in languages so I know very well how hard can be learning a new language. I'm interested in music, cinema, literature and I enjoy talking about several topics. I've been teaching since 2009 and in 2012 I've qualified as italian language teacher. I've experience with children and adults, with in company courses, with total beginners as well as with advanced. Also I've succesfully prepared a number of students for the most important english and italian certification (CELI, CILS, FIRST, PET, KET). Over the last years I've became specialized in one-to-one or small groups lessons because in this way I can create a tailored programme for each student. I follow a communicative approach and in my classes there's lot of room for speaking but I don't neglect grammar, listening and writing. I provide you with material, sometimes selfmade, other times taken from books, videos, or songs, but always useful to help you to immerse in the target language! At the end of every lesson I always assign homework in order to revise the things learnt. I define myself as a happy, positive and very patient person and I do my best to make the class a funny and relaxed moment. I look forward to meet you online!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Federica has been a great teacher - our lessons are mainly for conversation and she is very patient, making corrections when necessary with pronunciation, translations, which words to use, etc. Her explanations are very clear as well. Most importantly she is very punctual with classes which I appreciate. In summary, I have enjoyed the classes immensely and look forward to future improvement!
Federica C.Thanks, I'm sure you will improve a lot! :-)
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello Everybody
My name is Luisa and I teach Italian for foreign students, English, French and German for Italian students
Since 1994, I have dedicated myself to translating and teaching thanks to my travels, abroad studies, foreign reading and writing. I provide fun and customized lessons based on the student's goals. I also triy to minimize English speaking during the lessons. I give homework exercises, and my lessons are intermixed with grammar, conversation, customs and traditions. My goal is to make certain that each student finds learning Italian exciting.
I am available for any explanations also via e mail
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Luisa is the best! Always enthusiastic and she makes the lessons fun and interesting. She's an expert teacher and my Italian has improved enormously.
Luisa A.Dear Janice thank you !!!! thank you so much !!!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello everyone! I have been teaching Italian to foreigners in Bologna for 10 years, collaborating with local associations. I graduated in History, but later I specialized in teaching Italian by obtaining the Ditals, and in 2019 a master's degree at the Ca 'Foscari University of Venice in "Advanced planning of teaching Italian language and culture to foreigners". I love my job very much and I do it with dedication and passion. I have experience with students of all levels of Italian, from beginners to advanced, and in preparing for language tests. I adapt my teaching methods to the characteristics and training needs of my students, so as to favor a more effective, engaging and motivating learning. The materials I use are authentic, original texts and videos adapted for educational purposes. I love to use computer technologies for the preparation of interactive exercises, especially for the exercise of grammar. If you want to learn Italian in an engaging and motivating way, contact me! I'm waiting for you for a trial lesson!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I can only recommend Cristiana as a teacher! The lessons are well structured and adjusted to the students needs. She explains a lot and motivates the students to speak in Italian. She supports the learning with a lot of material and explains the logic of the language.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Fabulous teacher. Very clear, very encouraging and very helpful. Also very flexible and accommodating. Cannot recommend Daniela highly enough.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I am from Calabria, but over the years I have felt at home in various places. In each one I have searched for my way and in the end in each one I have found little clues that have allowed me to understand that I want to teach my language to those who do not yet know it.
I have always loved the word, its power and the infinite possibilities it offers; at first I only thought of writing it down but there was still something missing. What use is the word if it is not shared, if it does not become an opportunity for exchange between cultures, or better, between individuals?
So, between one suitcase and another, I graduated in Italian literature and specialised in journalism, then I obtained the Ditals II from the University for Foreigners of Siena and the two-year specialisation school as a teacher of Italian to foreigners at the same university.
I have been teaching Italian for more than ten years: in Italy in state schools, in schools for adult migrants (Cpia in Modena and Rome) and in public schools; abroad at the Dante Alighieri in Valletta and at the University of Cork.
I have a passion for music, cinema, documentaries and photography, different mo(n)es which allow me to learn and tell stories.
Step by step I have become more and more aware of how much I love this job which has given me the opportunity to meet wonderfully unique people, now very often friends.
I look forward to sharing more details of my experience and motivations with you. Thank you for your time consideration.
Sincerely,
Federica Lento
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Just great experience! Thank you. To be continued. What a nice and easy platform. Good and interesting teacher.. Congradulations. Nina
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello German learner! I am a dedicated teacher for DaF (German as a foreign language) studying and working in Germany. I have already gained teaching experience with different age groups and nationalities while teaching German in various language schools.
Currently, I'm doing my second studies in German, English, and Teaching at the University of Bonn. (I already got my Master's Degree in German and Literature). Besides, I teach in a local language school as well as tutor students online on Colanguage.
In my free time, I learn French and Dutch and hope to become a true polyglot one day :)
So as you can see, I'm all into languages and love my profession as a teacher!
I can help you learn general German, develop your communicational skills as well as prepare you for language tests (Goethe Zertifikat, Telc, etc).
Just book a trial lesson with me and we'll find out which course is right for you.
See you soon
Anush
PS. IMPORTANT! Currently, I only work with adults aged 18 and over - so NO courses for children, sorry.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hranush is a teacher with a lot of experience in teaching German. She has many materials and is well-structured!
This review was written by a coLanguage team member during a manual screening of this teacher profile.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello Everybody
My name is Luisa and I teach Italian for foreign students, English, French and German for Italian students
Since 1994, I have dedicated myself to translating and teaching thanks to my travels, abroad studies, foreign reading and writing. I provide fun and customized lessons based on the student's goals. I also triy to minimize English speaking during the lessons. I give homework exercises, and my lessons are intermixed with grammar, conversation, customs and traditions. My goal is to make certain that each student finds learning Italian exciting.
I am available for any explanations also via e mail
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Luisa is pleasant and very focused, I purchased 12 lessons after the first lesson with Luisa because I felt confident that she will teach me Italian at a level I’m able to follow with. I can’t wait to get stuck on and learn! :)
Luisa A.Thank you Julian !!! Thank you so much !!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Daniela is a fantastic teacher: competent and kind and attentive to the needs of the student. You learn a lot due to the lesson and the abundant learning material. Moreover you learn and have fun at the same time.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello Everybody
My name is Luisa and I teach Italian for foreign students, English, French and German for Italian students
Since 1994, I have dedicated myself to translating and teaching thanks to my travels, abroad studies, foreign reading and writing. I provide fun and customized lessons based on the student's goals. I also triy to minimize English speaking during the lessons. I give homework exercises, and my lessons are intermixed with grammar, conversation, customs and traditions. My goal is to make certain that each student finds learning Italian exciting.
I am available for any explanations also via e mail
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I have had many lessons with Luisa and I always look forward to them. We begin by chatting about the past week's events and them move to Espresso which I find very useful as a good review of material I have done in the past. There is often additional words used I had not met before. Luisa is always a pleasure to talk with and is a kind and pleasant teacher. She corrects me gently and offers useful words or meanings when appropriate.
Luisa A.Dear Martin thank you so much ! It's my pleasure taking class with you. And thanks a lot for your suggestion about Us movies ( Just Mercy) or Us books
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi everyone!
My name is Daniela, I am Italian and I come from a small town in Sicily, Southern Italy. I am a qualified Italian language teacher and a CELI examiner! I work in two language schools teaching Italian and I also teach English at school.
I love foreign languages, translating, reading and listening to music. Are you ready to start your language learning path with me? We are going to learn many things and to talk a lot, if you allow me to! Don’t worry if you’ve never studied the language before: everyone can attend my classes – from beginner to advanced students. You just need passion for what you're going to do and... a good Internet connection. Materials are provided by me!
See you online!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Daniela is a well skilled teacher with patience and a great personality, always joyful and happy. She understands my needs well and the lessons are tailored to give me a good learning experience. The lessons are always a good combination of speaking, reading and grammar. Daniela is always flexible when I need to change the schedule. I can highly recommend choosing Daniela. You'll for sure have a fun learning experience with her.
Daniela V.Thanks so much for your words, Wouter! I am very happy that you feel comfortable with the lessons together and I hope to help you grow more and more. You are doing a great job. Keep it up! :-D
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello my name is Lucia and I am a native Italian speaker.
I have a degree as an interpreter for English and French so I know how hard it may be to learn a foreign language. I work as a free-lance interpreter and private English and French teacher. I have a strong passion for languages which I have been studying for many years. I am studying Spanish now and always trying to improve my English and French knowledge. I am a friendly person and my lessons mainly focus on conversation. As a teacher I am very patient and I always propose tailor-made lessons with respect to your needs. I am really enthusiastic about being a teacher because this activity allows you to share your culture and habits with foreign people. Learning a language is also learning a new culture.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Lucia is wonderful! I have no experience with Italian and it has thus far been a lovely fun process. She is easy to schedule with. Sends documents with notes/teaching points from each of our lessons immediately and tailors lesson to exactly my level/experience. Would highly recommend!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi! I have been teaching Italian for several years and I offer Italian lessons for all levels and all ages. In my lessons I often use ad hoc didactized Italian movies and songs, to bring students closer to the authentic language and culture and I always try to stimulate interest in literature. I try to start each lesson with a motivating lexical activization and then to analyze in detail the text (video, audio, written, oral) to face also some grammatical or cultural aspects. I always try to make the lessons fun using even educational games. I’m avaible for individual and group lessons and exam preparation.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Serena is really good teacher. I like it to learn with her. We have very good conversations in different themes like italian food, sports, italian and german culture, politics and the real life. This is a good way to learn how to speak italian in a natural way. Not to forget, she is very authenticly and funny :-)
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Buongiorno gente!
Are you ready to learn italian with me?
My name is Mojra and I'm a qualified mother tongue tutor. Whether you need to prepare yourself for a job interview, you're planning to relocate to Italy or to spend your next holiday there, I look forward to assisting you to achieve your goals!
I am here to help you improve you grammar, sentence structure and to teach you helpful phrases in a fun and relaxed way.
I graduated from university majoring in Linguistic Mediation and in Modern Languages and then I specialized in the teaching of Italian as a second language, attending a one-year post-graduate course devoted to this and receiving excellent grades (FILIS: Formatori Interculturali di Lingua Italiana per Stranieri). I also teach in the Italian public schools.
If you'd like to learn Italian fluently, I'd love to be your teacher, then why not book a trial class with me now? In this lesson, we will design a lesson plan especially for you discussing how you will reach your specific goals.
IMPORTANT: Please contact me before booking your lesson with me and let me know your Italian level as well as the reasons why you want to learn Italian.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I just had my first Italian lesson with Mojra and it was great. She is a very enthusiastic and happy person and seemed to really care about helping me to improve my Italian. Although her English is very good, she was quite strict about making me speak almost only in Italian during the entire lesson. My Italian is at an A2 (low intermediate) level but with seemingly infinite patience and useful hints, Mojra helped me to ask my questions in Italian and I felt my confidence grow as the lesson progressed. I asked for help on knowing when I should use the dreaded subjunctive in Italian (congiuntivo). Mojra had some interesting material on the subject and some exercises that both helped me to practice and, at the same time, taught me some interesting things about Italy. We laughed a lot and I was quite surprised to find that I had been speaking almost entirely in Italian for an hour. The time flew past. I think Mojra is an excellent teacher. You should try a lesson with her.
Mojra G.Thank you very much for your words Abner! You are a very diligent student, continua così!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials