totano
masculine
In Italian, the English phrase calamari can be referred to as totano. Wiktionary also lists calamaro.
Meaning: as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| totano | masculine | |
| calamaro | /ka.laˈma.ro/ | masculine |
When referring to the food, calamari is the most widely recognized and frequently used term in Italy. You may often see the phrase calamari fritti used to mean fried calamari.
Which one should you use?
The term totano is used specifically to refer to the larger species of squid, while calamaro refers to the smaller species.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Venice and the Veneto region, the term seppioline is used to refer to baby calamari.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word calamari is the masculine plural form of calamaro. Similarly, the masculine plural of totano is totani.
Did you know?
- The Italian word calamaro shares a surprising linguistic ancestor with the English word 'pen', via the Latin 'calamus' which refers to a reed used for writing.
- The Italian word calamaio for an 'inkwell' is a close linguistic relative of calamaro, reflecting the ink-producing nature of the creature.
- Ordering calamari in the Veneto region might result in receiving seppioline, which are specifically baby cuttlefish rather than standard squid.
Examples in context
- Vorrei deliziosi calamari fritti, per favoreI would like some delicious fried calamari, please
Example conversation
Alessandro and Chiara are ordering dinner at a restaurant.
- AlessandroCosa ordiniamo da mangiare, Chiara?What shall we order to eat, Chiara?
- ChiaraIo prendo il totano in umido.I will have the stewed calamari.
- AlessandroOttima scelta, lo prendo anche io.Great choice, I'll have it too.
- ChiaraPerfetto, chiamiamo il cameriere.Perfect, let's call the waiter.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “calamari” translations and entries totano, calamaro, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calamaro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
