canarino
The English word "canary" is canarino in Italian.
canarino is used to refer to a small yellow bird in general. The same word, canarino, can also be used as an adjective to describe something of a light yellow colour.
Meaning: small yellow bird in general (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the regions of Piedmont and Liguria, the term Passarino may be used to refer to a canary.
Related words
Did you know?
- In older Italian literature, the word canarino was often used metaphorically to describe a person with a high-pitched, sweet, or somewhat shrill singing voice.
- The word canarino shares a linguistic lineage with the Canary Islands, though in Italian, the connection to the bird is more direct through the Spanish canario.
- The diminutive suffix in canarino comes from -ino, which is a common way in Italian to express endearment or to denote something particularly small and cute.
Examples in context
- Il mio canarino è stato ucciso da un gatto.My canary was killed by a cat.This sentence shows how to describe a canary being killed by a cat.Tatoeba #423796 by Pharamp, translation #250282 by CK
- Un canarino è un piccolo uccello e la gente talvolta lo tiene come animale domestico.A canary is a small bird, and people sometimes keep it as a pet.This sentence explains that a canary is a small bird often kept as a pet.Tatoeba #3545530 by ema_rega, translation #63624 by Luornu
- Il canarino è un uccellino giallo.The canary is a little yellow bird.This sentence is useful for describing a canary as a little yellow bird.Tatoeba #11671447 by carlosalberto, translation #11671410 by carlosalberto
- Mi piace osservare gli uccelli canarini nel mio giardinoI enjoy watching canary birds in my garden
- Ho preso un canarino come animale domesticoI got a canary as a pet
- Mio fratello ha un uccellino giallo adorabileMy brother has an adorable little yellow bird
- Adoro i canarini perché il loro canto mi rende felice.I love canaries because their song makes me happy.
- I canari sono noti per il loro piumaggio giallo vivace.Canaries are known for their vibrant yellow feathers.
Example conversation
Chiara and Alessandro are looking at a pet shop window.
- ChiaraGuarda quel bellissimo canarino giallo!Look at that beautiful yellow canary!
- AlessandroSì, il canarino sembra molto felice.Yes, the canary looks very happy.
- ChiaraVorrei un canarino per il mio appartamento.I would like a canary for my apartment.
- AlessandroSarebbe un ottimo compagno per te, Chiara.It would be a great companion for you, Chiara.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “canary” translations and entries canarino, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries canarino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
