fondo
/ˈfon.do/
The English word 'bottom' is translated into Italian as fondo.
fondo refers to the lowest part of something, such as the bottom of a container, a body of water or a metaphorical 'rock bottom'. It can also mean the 'background' of an image or a scene. Additionally, the phrase in fondo is used to express 'at the bottom' (such as the bottom of a page or a street) or 'at the end' (such as at the end of a road).
Meaning: lowest part (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use fondo when referring to the physical bottom of a container, the depth of water or a metaphorical low point. If you are referring to the lowest or last place or position as an adjective, you may use inferiore or più basso. When referring to the anatomical bottom (the buttocks), do not use fondo. Instead, use sedere or culo.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced as /ˈfon.do/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use fondo to refer to a person's buttocks. Use sedere or the slang term culo instead.
Did you know?
- In Italy, a fondo can refer to a financial fund or a piece of land, such as a fondo agricolo.
- When Italians talk about the fondo of a glass during a toast, they often use the expression fondo fondo to encourage drinking the very last drop.
- The word fondo shares its roots with the English word 'fund', as both stem from the Latin fundus meaning 'bottom' or 'base'.
Examples in context
- Tom toccò il fondo.Tom hit rock bottom.This sentence is useful for expressing the idea of hitting rock bottom using fondo.Tatoeba #5826176 by Guybrush88, translation #1555511 by Spamster
- Ho iniziato dal fondo.I started at the bottom.This sentence shows how to use fondo to indicate starting at the lowest point.Tatoeba #7029433 by Guybrush88, translation #5746723 by CM
- Vedo il fondo del mare.I see the bottom of the sea.This sentence demonstrates using fondo to describe the bottom of a body of water.Tatoeba #8667549 by Guybrush88, translation #8667508 by ajje
- Il vaso è rotto nella parte inferiore.The vase is broken at the bottom.
- Siediti sul sedere!Sit on your bottom!
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are cleaning the kitchen.
- MartinaFrancesco, guarda il fondo di questa pentola!Francesco, look at the bottom of this pot!
- FrancescoÈ molto bruciata, Martina.It is very burnt, Martina.
- MartinaDobbiamo strofinare bene il fondo.We need to scrub the bottom well.
- FrancescoSì, lo farò subito.Yes, I will do it immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bottom” translations and entries fondo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fondo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
