ghiaccio nero
/ˈɡjat.t͡ʃo ˈne.ro/word by wordmasculine
The English phrase "black ice" can be translated into Italian as ghiaccio nero or vetrone.
Meaning: invisible film of ice (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ghiaccio nero | /ˈɡjat.t͡ʃo ˈne.ro/ (word by word) | masculine |
| vetrone | masculine |
ghiaccio nero refers specifically to the thin, transparent layer of ice that forms on roads. vetrone is used to describe a large, smooth sheet of ice that looks like a pane of glass.
Which one should you use?
Use ghiaccio nero to refer specifically to the thin, transparent layer of ice on roads, whereas ghiaccio is the general word for ice. Use vetrone when referring to a large, glass-like sheet of ice.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of ghiaccio nero is /ˈɡjat.tʃo ˈne.ro/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word ghiaccio shares a common ancestor with the English word 'glass', both originating from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to shine' or 'bright'.
- In Italian, the word vetrone can also be used colloquially to refer to a large, impressive piece of glass, not just a sheet of ice.
- The word ghiacciaio (glacier) is a close relative of ghiaccio, showing how the language scales from a small patch of ice to a mountain of it.
Examples in context
- Attenti al ghiaccio nero sulle strade!Beware of black ice on the roads!
- Attento, c'è del ghiaccio nero sulla strada.Watch out, there is black ice on the road.
- Il ghiaccio nero è molto pericoloso per la guida.Black ice is very dangerous for driving.
- Ho visto del ghiaccio nero sul ponte.I saw black ice on the bridge.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are getting into a car on a cold morning.
- MatteoMartina, guida piano oggi.Martina, drive slowly today.
- MartinaPerché, c'è il ghiaccio nero?Why, is there black ice?
- MatteoSì, la strada è quasi invisibile.Yes, the road is almost invisible.
- MartinaVa bene, farò molta attenzione.Alright, I will be very careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “black ice” translations and entries vetrone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ghiaccio, nero) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ghiaccio, nero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
