farfalle
The English phrase butterflies is translated into Italian as farfalle.
farfalle refers to winged insects with colorful wings. The word is also used to refer to a popular type of butterfly-shaped pasta.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the butterflies specifically, use the phrase le farfalle. Because the noun is feminine, the plural definite article used is le.
Did you know?
- Unlike English, where 'butterfly' is a single noun, the Italian farfalla shares a phonetic root with the verb farfallare, which means to fail or to flutter aimlessly.
- In Italian folklore, farfalle were sometimes seen as symbols of the soul or spirits of the deceased visiting the living.
- The word farfalla is an onomatopoeic creation meant to mimic the light and erratic fluttering sound and movement of the wings.
Examples in context
- Io amo le farfalle.I love butterflies.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal preference for farfalle.Tatoeba #5283702 by Guybrush88, translation #3186583 by piterkeo
- Io amo le farfalle!I love butterflies!Tatoeba #13297707 by Guybrush88, translation #5278931 by phoonaz
- Sami studiò le farfalle.Sami studied butterflies.This sentence is useful for describing the subject of a study involving farfalle.Tatoeba #6456860 by Guybrush88, translation #6456848 by OsoHombre
- Ho visto tante farfalle nel parco oggi.I saw many butterflies in the park today.
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are walking through a blooming meadow.
- FrancescoChiara, guarda che belle farfalle!Chiara, look at such beautiful butterflies!
- ChiaraSì, ci sono moltissime farfalle qui.Yes, there are so many butterflies here.
- FrancescoRiesci a vederne una blu?Can you see a blue one?
- ChiaraSì, è proprio sopra quel fiore.Yes, it is right above that flower.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
