grande
/ˈɡran.de/
To say big in Italian, use grande. Wiktionary also lists grosso.
Meaning: of a great size (adj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| grande | /ˈɡran.de/ |
| grosso | /ˈɡrɔs.so/ |
The word grande is the standard term used to describe something of a large size. Beyond physical scale, it is also used to mean 'great' when referring to the importance, quality or character of a person or their achievements.
Which one should you use?
While grande is the standard word for size and importance, grosso is used when you want to imply that something is thick, bulky or coarse.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of grande is grandi. For the word grosso, the masculine plural is grossi and the feminine plural is grosse.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈɡran.de/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In a family context, fratello grande does not just mean a big brother in size, but specifically refers to an older brother.
- Calling someone un pezzo grosso literally means they are a 'big piece', but it is the Italian idiom for a 'big shot' or a powerful person.
- The word grosso is the root of the English word 'gross'. While in English 'gross' often implies something disgusting, in Italian, 'grosso' remains a neutral term for thickness or volume.
Examples in context
- La casa è grande.The house is big.This sentence demonstrates the use of grande to describe the size of a house.Tatoeba #2983685 by Guybrush88, translation #2983683 by Fenrir
- È un cane grande.It's a big dog.This sentence shows how to use grande when describing a dog.Tatoeba #3111557 by Guybrush88, translation #2661312 by shekitten
- È un uomo grande.He's a big man.This sentence illustrates using grande to describe a man.Tatoeba #9056009 by Guybrush88, translation #8478365 by CH
- una casa grandeA big house
- una macchina grandeA big car
- un giardino vastoA big garden
- una spiaggia vastaA big beach
- una cattedrale imponenteA big cathedral
- una montagna imponenteA big mountain
- una pizza grossaA big pizza
- un cane grossoA big dog
- una festa grandeA big party
- una sorpresa grandeA big surprise
- una città grande quanto MilanoA city as big as Milan
- Voglio comprare una macchina grossa come quella di tuo padre.I want to buy a car as big as your father's.
- una notizia di rilievoNews of relevance
- 1075 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are looking at a new apartment.
- GiuliaChe grande appartamento!What a big apartment!
- MatteoSì, è davvero spazioso.Yes, it is really spacious.
- GiuliaTi piace, Matteo?Do you like it, Matteo?
- MatteoSì, Giulia, è perfetto.Yes, Giulia, it is perfect.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “big” translations and entries grande, grosso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries grande, grosso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
