cinghiale
/t͡ʃinˈɡja.le/
The English word 'boar' is translated into Italian as cinghiale.
The term refers to a male pig.
Meaning: male pig (noun)
Which one should you use?
While cinghiale refers specifically to a wild boar, the word maiale is the general term used for a domestic pig.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Sicilian dialect, the term marroccu is used to describe wild boars.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of cinghiale is cinghiali.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /tʃinˈɡja.le/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The Italian word cinghiale is a linguistic doublet of the word singolare, meaning 'singular'. They both descend from the same Latin root referring to a 'single' or solitary animal.
- In Italy, cinghiale is not just a forest animal but a common sight in the streets of Rome, where they are managed by city teams to prevent urban chaos.
- The term cinghiale is deeply tied to Tuscan identity, where the animal is a culinary staple often prepared as a slow-cooked stew with red wine.
Examples in context
- Ha ucciso un cinghiale.He killed a boar.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use cinghiale in the context of hunting.Tatoeba #10462851 by Guybrush88, translation #10190041 by ddnktr
- I cacciatori uccisero un cinghiale.The hunters killed a boar.This sentence shows the use of cinghiale when referring to hunters.Tatoeba #11443013 by Guybrush88, translation #10190039 by ddnktr
- Un cinghiale è un maiale selvatico.A boar is a wild pig.This sentence provides a definition of cinghiale as a wild pig.Tatoeba #13164887 by Guybrush88, translation #12296532 by Miktsoanit
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Giulia are walking through a forest.
- AlessandroGuarda, c'è un cinghiale tra gli alberi!Look, there is a boar among the trees!
- GiuliaOh no, è molto grande.Oh no, it is very big.
- AlessandroDobbiamo allontanarci da quel cinghiale subito.We need to move away from that boar immediately.
- GiuliaHai ragione, Alessandro, andiamo via.You are right, Alessandro, let's go away.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cinghiale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cinghiale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
