farfalla
/farˈfal.la/feminine
The Italian word for butterfly is farfalla.
The word farfalla refers to the insect known as a butterfly.
Meaning: insect (noun)
Which one should you use?
While farfalla is the standard term, lepidottero is used in formal or scientific contexts to refer to the biological order. Farfallina is an informal, endearing term used to describe a small or delicate butterfly.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word farfalla is a feminine noun. Its plural form is farfalle.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /farˈfal.la/.
Did you know?
- The shape of the pasta known as farfalle is named after the butterfly because the pieces are pinched in the middle to look like wings.
- In Italian, the word farfalla is also used to describe a specific type of bow tie, known as a papillon or farfalla.
- The word may have roots in North African Berber or Arabic, suggesting a historical connection between the Mediterranean and Italy through this insect's name.
Examples in context
- Oh, c'è una farfalla!Oh, there's a butterfly!This sentence shows how to express excitement when spotting a farfalla.Tatoeba #376593 by Pharamp, translation #1328 by brauliobezerra
- La farfalla volò via.The butterfly flew away.This sentence illustrates the use of farfalla in a simple past tense context.Tatoeba #7815562 by Guybrush88, translation #7805705 by sharris123
- È una farfalla pavone.It's a peacock butterfly.This sentence demonstrates how to use farfalla when identifying a specific type of butterfly.Tatoeba #13437410 by Guybrush88, translation #10937756 by shekitten
- La farfalla è un simbolo di libertà e bellezza.The butterfly is a symbol of freedom and beauty.
- La farfallina danzava tra i fiori del prato.The little butterfly danced among the flowers in the meadow.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are walking in a summer garden.
- GiuliaGuarda, una bellissima farfalla colorata!Look, a beautiful colorful butterfly!
- AlessandroSì, la farfalla è molto grande.Yes, the butterfly is very large.
- GiuliaAlessandro, prova a non spaventarla.Alessandro, try not to scare it.
- AlessandroNon preoccuparti, resterà qui.Don't worry, it will stay here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “butterfly” translations and entries farfalla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries farfalla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
