letto a castello
/ˈlɛt.to a kasˈtɛl.lo/word by wordmasculine
The English phrase "bunk bed" is letto a castello in Italian.
letto a castello is a masculine noun used to describe two or more beds that are fixed on top of one another.
Meaning: two or more beds fixed on top of one another (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase translates to "bed with a castle", which refers to the tiered structure.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural "bunk beds", change the noun to letti a castello. Only the word letto changes to letti.
Did you know?
- The Italian word letto is a homonym. Depending on the context, it can mean 'bed' or be the past participle of the verb 'to read'.
- The word castello is a diminutive of the Latin castrum, meaning 'fort'. In Italian, the bunk bed is envisioned as a miniature fortress because of its towering structure.
- Italian uses the word castello for a bunk bed, but in other Romance languages like Spanish, the term is litera, which has no connection to castles.
Examples in context
- Voglio un letto a castello.I want a bunk bed.Tatoeba #13177954 by Guybrush88, translation #11885272 by CK
- Ho visto un bel letto a ponte in negozio, può essere perfetto per i ragazzi.I saw a nice bunk bed in the store, it could be perfect for the kids.
- Il letto a castello occupa poco spazio.The bunk bed takes up little space.
- I bambini dormono in un letto a castello.The children sleep in a bunk bed.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are looking at furniture for their children's room.
- LorenzoPrendiamo un letto a castello per la cameretta?Should we get a bunk bed for the bedroom?
- ChiaraSì, è un'ottima idea per risparmiare spazio.Yes, it is a great idea to save space.
- LorenzoHai visto quel letto a castello in legno?Did you see that wooden bunk bed?
- ChiaraSì, è molto bello e robusto.Yes, it is very beautiful and sturdy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bunk bed” translations and entries letto a castello, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (letto, a, castello) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, castello, letto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
