pasta di mandorle
feminine
The English phrase 'almond paste' is translated into Italian as pasta di mandorle. Wiktionary also lists pasta reale.
Meaning: paste made from ground almonds and sugar in equal quantities (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pasta di mandorle | feminine | |
| pasta reale | /ˈpas.ta reˈa.le/ (word by word) | feminine |
The term refers to a paste made from ground almonds and sugar in equal quantities. You may use pasta di mandorle to describe the ingredients themselves, or pasta reale when referring specifically to the confectionery product used for marzipan-style decorations and modeling sweets.
What does it mean word for word?
pasta di mandorle is a literal description of the ingredients, composed of pasta (paste or dough), di (of) and mandorle (almonds).
Which one should you use?
While both terms refer to almond paste, pasta di mandorle is a literal description of the ingredients, whereas pasta reale is the specific name for the confectionery product often used in marzipan-style decorations.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both pasta di mandorle and pasta reale are feminine nouns.
Did you know?
- In Sicily, pasta di mandorle is traditionally crafted into 'frutta martorana', highly realistic edible sculptures of fruit.
- The term pasta reale is a curious way to name a sweet, as it translates literally to 'royal paste'.
- The Italian word pasta covers everything from the dough in pasta di mandorle to the noodles in spaghetti.
Examples in context
- Vorrei comprare della pasta di mandorle per preparare dei dolci.I would like to buy some almond paste to make desserts.
- Ho bisogno di un po' di marzapane per una ricetta.I need some almond paste for a recipe.
- Hai provato la pasta di mandorla nell'ultimo dolce che ho preparato?Have you tried the almond paste in the last dessert I made?
- Vorrei un dolce con la pasta di mandorle.I would like a sweet with almond paste.
- Questa pasta di mandorle è molto dolce.This almond paste is very sweet.
- Preferisco la pasta di mandorle a quella di pistacchio.I prefer almond paste to pistachio paste.
- Serve un po' di pasta di mandorle per il dolce.Some almond paste is needed for the dessert.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are at a pastry shop.
- LorenzoMartina, hai provato questa pasta di mandorle?Martina, have you tried this almond paste?
- MartinaNo, è buona la pasta di mandorle qui?No, is the almond paste here good?
- LorenzoSì, è deliziosa e molto fresca.Yes, it is delicious and very fresh.
- MartinaAllora ne prendo un po' anche per me.Then I will take some for myself too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “almond paste” translations and entries pasta di mandorle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (pasta, reale) and can differ in connected speech.
