Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| manzo | /ˈman.d͡zo/ | masculine |
| carne bovina | feminine |
Manzo is the standard way to refer to beef in everyday culinary contexts and on menus. When discussing beef as a general food category, it is common to use the definite article, such as il manzo.
What does it mean word for word?
The term carne bovina is a literal construction where carne means meat and bovina is the adjective for bovine.
Which one should you use?
While carne bovina is the technical term for beef, manzo is much more common in everyday culinary situations.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Tuscany, the term tagliata di manzo is frequently used to describe a specific dish consisting of a sliced, grilled beef steak served with arugula and Parmesan cheese.
How does it change in a sentence?
Manzo is a masculine noun. This means it requires masculine articles and adjectives, such as il manzo buono.
How do you pronounce it?
Manzo is pronounced /ˈman.dzo/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In traditional Italian butchery, a manzo is technically a castrated male bovine, whereas bovino is the gender-neutral species term.
- The word manzo might not be Latin at all, but instead stems from a mysterious pre-Latin root shared by Albanian and Romanian.
- Italian distinguishes between manzo and vitello, the latter referring specifically to veal from a younger calf.
Examples in context
- Mi piace il manzo.I like beef.This sentence shows how to express a preference for manzo.Tatoeba #6609515 by Guybrush88, translation #6777209 by CK
- Ti piace il manzo?Do you like beef?This sentence is useful for asking if someone likes manzo.Tatoeba #13102984 by Guybrush88, translation #9855427 by CK
- Tu mangi il manzo?Do you eat beef?This sentence is a way to ask if someone eats manzo.Tatoeba #13103012 by Guybrush88, translation #7346005 by Hamidb
- Vorrei un filetto di manzo ben cotto, per favore.I would like a well-done beef fillet, please.
- Vorrei assaggiare la tagliata di manzo toscana.I would like to taste the Tuscan sliced beef steak.
- 122 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are ordering dinner at a restaurant.
- MartinaCosa vuoi ordinare stasera, Francesco?What do you want to order tonight, Francesco?
- FrancescoVorrei un piatto a base di manzo.I would like a beef-based dish.
- MartinaIl manzo qui è molto buono.The beef here is very good.
- FrancescoAllora prendo la bistecca!Then I'll have the steak!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beef” translations and entries manzo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bovina, carne, manzo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
