Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
ITALIAN in Spanish: ITALIANO
Italiano · adjective · ee-tah-lee-AH-noh
Italiano functions as both an adjective (Italian food, Italian culture) and a noun (an Italian person, the Italian language) in Spanish. Unlike English, Spanish does not capitalize nationalities when used as adjectives—so it is comida italiana, not comida Italiana. The word changes gender to match what it describes: italiano for masculine, italiana for feminine.
ee-tah-lee-AH-noh
La comida italiana es mi favorita.
Italian food is my favorite.
italian in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for italian, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| italiano | italian | ee-tah-lee-AH-noh | Default, widely understood |
| italiana | italian | feminine form |
How Native Speakers Use Italiano
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Cuisine
Vamos a un restaurante italiano esta noche.
Let's go to an Italian restaurant tonight.
Describing the type of cuisine or restaurant.
Language
Estoy aprendiendo italiano porque me encanta la música ópera.
I'm learning Italian because I love opera music.
Referring to the Italian language.
Person
Mi vecina es italiana, de Roma.
My neighbor is Italian, from Rome.
Describing someone's nationality with feminine agreement.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Italiano
Capitalization Error
Incorrect: Me gusta la música Italiana.
Correct: Me gusta la música italiana.
In Spanish, nationalities and languages are never capitalized when used as adjectives or common nouns. Only proper nouns (country names like Italia) are capitalized.
Gender Agreement
Incorrect: La cultura italiano es fascinante.
Correct: La cultura italiana es fascinante.
Since cultura is feminine, the adjective must also be feminine: italiana, not italiano.
Lock in italian Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Italiano used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using italiano in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear La comida italiana es mi favorita. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
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Common Questions About italian in Spanish
- Do I capitalize italiano in Spanish?
- Nationalities in Spanish are never capitalized whether used as adjectives (comida italiana) or as nouns referring to people (los italianos). Only the country name itself (Italia) takes a capital letter.
- How do I say I speak Italian in Spanish?
- You say Hablo italiano. When referring to the language, italiano is lowercase and does not need an article. You can also say Sé italiano (I know Italian) or Estudio italiano (I study Italian).
- What is the difference between italiano and itálico?
- Italiano means Italian (the nationality, language, or culture). Itálico means italic (the font style) or Italic (referring to the ancient Italic peoples of the peninsula). They are false friends within Spanish itself.