mela
/ˈme.la/feminine
The English word for apple is mela in Italian. Wiktionary also lists pomo.
Meaning: fruit of Malus domestica (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mela | /ˈme.la/ | feminine |
| pomo | /ˈpo.mo/ | masculine |
The term refers to the fruit of the Malus domestica plant.
Which one should you use?
mela is the standard and most common way to say apple in Italian, whereas pomo is an alternative masculine form.
How does it change in a sentence?
mela is a feminine noun. Its plural form is mele.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈme.la/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The Italian word mela shares a distant ancestor with the Greek word mêlon, which also gave rise to the English word 'melon'.
- The word pomo used to be a general term for any fruit, not just apples. This is why you still see it in the name of the fruit pomodoro, which actually means 'golden apple'.
- When talking about the 'forbidden fruit' in the Garden of Eden, Italians typically use mela, even though the Bible does not specify the fruit was an apple.
Examples in context
- La mela è mia.The apple is mine.This sentence shows the possessive use of mela.Tatoeba #10109978 by Guybrush88, translation #10109976 by ddnktr
- Io ho una mela.I have an apple.This sentence shows the use of mela with the verb to have.Tatoeba #3569180 by Guybrush88, translation #3527268 by adamtrousers
- Mi dia una mela.Give me an apple.This sentence shows how to request mela.Tatoeba #2531172 by Guybrush88, translation #1041627 by aleyda
- Vorrei una mela.I would like an apple.
- Questo melo produce mele delizioseThis apple tree produces delicious apples
- Ho appena comprato un telefono con la mela morsicataI just bought a phone with the bitten apple
- 787 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are in the kitchen preparing a snack.
- LorenzoVuoi una mela, Giulia?Do you want an apple, Giulia?
- GiuliaSì, grazie, ne prendo una.Yes, thanks, I'll take one.
- LorenzoQuesta mela è molto dolce.This apple is very sweet.
- GiuliaHai ragione, è buonissima!You're right, it's delicious!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “apple” translations and entries mela, pomo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mela, pomo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
