letto
/ˈlɛt.to/masculine
The Italian word for bed is letto. Wiktionary also lists giaciglio.
Meaning: piece of furniture (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| letto | /ˈlɛt.to/ | masculine |
| giaciglio | /d͡ʒaˈt͡ʃiʎ.ʎo/ | masculine |
The primary way to refer to a bed as a piece of furniture is using the masculine noun letto. When expressing that someone is currently 'in bed', use the phrase a letto instead of using the preposition 'in'.
Which one should you use?
letto is the standard word for a piece of furniture, whereas giaciglio refers to a makeshift bed, a pallet or a place to lie down, often used in a more literary or poetic sense.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
letto is a masculine noun. Its plural form is letti.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlɛt.to/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
When saying someone is 'in bed', do not say 'in letto'. Use the preposition 'a' to say a letto.
Did you know?
- The word letto shares a surprising root with the English word 'lecture' and the verb 'to read'.
- In Italian, the word letto is used to describe a 'river bed', referred to as letto del fiume.
- Italian has a specific term for a 'double bed' called letto matrimoniale, which literally translates to 'matrimonial bed'.
Examples in context
- Tom è a letto.Tom is in bed.This sentence shows how to use letto to say someone is in bed.Tatoeba #2369493 by Guybrush88, translation #2273213 by CK
- Non è a letto.He isn't in bed.This sentence shows the negative form of being in bed using letto.Tatoeba #8487764 by Guybrush88, translation #8479177 by CH
- È il mio letto.That's my bed.This sentence uses letto to identify a specific bed.Tatoeba #13177817 by Guybrush88, translation #11956288 by zogwarg
- Ho bisogno di un nuovo letto.I need a new bed.
- Si può dormire nel letto matrimoniale?Can one sleep in the double bed?
- Il re riposava sul suo morbido giaciglio.The king rested on his soft bed.
- Tira fuori la brandina per l'ospite.Take out the folding bed for the guest.
- Dopo una lunga giornata, mi piace dormire nella mia comoda brandina.After a long day, I enjoy sleeping on my comfortable camp bed.
- 1532 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Giulia are rearranging the furniture in a bedroom.
- MatteoDove mettiamo il letto?Where do we put the bed?
- GiuliaMettiamolo vicino alla finestra.Let's put it near the window.
- MatteoSì, così il letto ha più spazio.Yes, that way the bed has more space.
- GiuliaPerfetto, ora spostiamolo.Perfect, now let's move it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bed” translations and entries letto, giaciglio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries giaciglio, letto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
