Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| torta | /ˈtor.ta/ /ˈtɔr.ta/ |
feminine |
| pasticcino | /pas.titˈt͡ʃi.no/ | masculine |
| dolce | /ˈdol.t͡ʃe/ | masculine |
In Italian, torta refers to a cake, but it is also used for savory pies or tarts. You can use it to specify a fruit cake by saying torta alla frutta.
Which one should you use?
Use torta when referring to a whole cake or a large dessert. In contrast, pasticcino refers to a small, individual pastry or a bite-sized cake. If you are speaking more generally about any sweet treat or dessert, use the term dolce instead of specifying a cake.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern Italy, specifically from Verona, the traditional Christmas cake is called Pandoro. Another iconic sweet bread-like cake hailing from Milan is called Panettone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun torta becomes torte in its plural form. The masculine noun dolce has the plural form dolci, and the masculine noun pasticcino has the plural form pasticcini.
How do you pronounce it?
torta is pronounced /ˈtor.ta/. The stress is on the first of the two syllables.
Did you know?
- The word torta is a linguistic relative of the English word 'tortuous', as both share a root meaning 'twisted'.
- In Italian culture, pasticcini are often bought in large assorted boxes to bring as a gift when visiting someone's home.
- The term pasticcio is the root of pasticcino, but in modern Italian, it can also mean a 'mess' or a 'muddle'.
Examples in context
- Io ho una torta.I have a cake.This is useful for stating that you possess a torta.Tatoeba #14038189 by Guybrush88, translation #12202615 by MarekMazurkiewicz
- La torta è buona.Cake is good.This is useful for describing the quality of a torta.Tatoeba #14038155 by Guybrush88, translation #12823094 by GustaBR
- La torta è dolce.The cake is sweet.This is useful for describing the taste of a torta.Tatoeba #14038160 by Guybrush88, translation #13723935 by an_hien
- 633 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are in the kitchen during a birthday party.
- SofiaMatteo, hai visto la torta al cioccolato?Matteo, have you seen the chocolate cake?
- MatteoSì, è sul tavolo in salotto.Yes, it is on the table in the living room.
- SofiaÈ una torta molto grande!It is a very big cake!
- MatteoSpero che piaccia a tutti.I hope everyone likes it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cake” translations and entries torta, pasticcino, dolce, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dolce, pasticcino, torta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
