ponte
/ˈpon.te/masculine
The Italian word for bridge is ponte.
ponte refers to a construction or natural feature that spans a divide. Additionally, the idiomatic phrase fare il ponte is used to describe taking a long weekend, which usually involves taking a day off (typically a Monday or Friday) when a public holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday.
Meaning: construction or natural feature that spans a divide (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of ponte is ponti.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpon.te/. The word has 2 syllables and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When a public holiday occurs on a Tuesday or Thursday, Italians may use the expression fare il ponte to describe creating a long weekend by taking the intervening Monday or Friday off.
Did you know?
- In Italian maritime terminology, a 'ponte' is not just a physical bridge but also refers to the 'deck' of a ship.
- The word ponte is also used in music to refer to a 'bridge', the transitional section of a song that connects a verse to a chorus.
- The Italian word ponte is a cognate of the English word 'pontoon', which refers to a floating structure used to support a bridge.
Examples in context
- Il ponte è alto.The bridge is high.This example uses ponte to describe the height of a bridge.Tatoeba #6953474 by dnnywld, translation #2002552 by bichodebola
- C'è un ponte lì.There's a bridge there.This example uses ponte to indicate the presence of a bridge in a location.Tatoeba #13324595 by Guybrush88, translation #12210889 by Miktsoanit
- Il ponte è basso.The bridge is low.Tatoeba #7496295 by Guybrush88, translation #2002553 by bichodebola
- 413 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Chiara are walking through the city.
- AlessandroDobbiamo attraversare quel ponte.We need to cross that bridge.
- ChiaraSì, è la via più veloce.Yes, it is the fastest way.
- AlessandroGuarda che bello questo ponte!Look how beautiful this bridge is!
- ChiaraÈ davvero molto antico.It is truly very ancient.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bridge” translations and entries ponte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ponte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
