zaino
/ˈd͡zaj.no/masculine
The English word "backpack" is zaino in Italian.
The term zaino refers to a bag worn on a person's back, such as those used for hiking.
Meaning: worn on a person's back, e.g., for hiking (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of zaino is zaini. When using the partitive article meaning "of the" with zaino, it combines to form dello zaino.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈdzaj.no/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- If you are traveling through Spain and Italy, you might see the word 'zaino' used to describe a specific color of horse, which is a dark, brownish-black.
- The word zaino comes from the Lombardic word zeina, which meant 'basket'.
- In historical contexts, a zaino often referred to a small pouch or satchel used by shepherds rather than the large frames used for modern hiking.
Examples in context
- Dov'è il mio zaino?Where's my backpack?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of your zaino.Tatoeba #13383728 by Guybrush88, translation #10352548 by DJ_Saidez
- Dov'è il tuo zaino?Where's your backpack?Tatoeba #13383848 by Guybrush88, translation #1886593 by CK
- Lo zaino di Tom è laggiù.Tom's backpack is over there.This sentence is useful for describing the location of Tom's zaino.Tatoeba #3901424 by Guybrush88, translation #3448845 by CK
- Ho bisogno di un nuovo zaino per la scuola.I need a new backpack for school.
- Mi piace il tuo zaino, è molto elegante.I like your backpack, it's very stylish.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are preparing for a walk in the mountains.
- MartinaAlessandro, hai preso lo zaino?Alessandro, did you take the backpack?
- AlessandroSì, Martina, è pronto.Yes, Martina, it is ready.
- MartinaOttimo, partiamo subito!Great, let's leave immediately!
- AlessandroAspetta, controllo lo zaino un'ultima volta.Wait, I'll check the backpack one last time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “backpack” translations and entries zaino, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries zaino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
