ingollare
/in.ɡolˈla.re/
The English phrase 'chug' can be translated into Italian as ingollare. If unsure, use ingollare. Wiktionary also lists ingurgitare.
Meaning: to drink a large amount in a single action (verb)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| ingollare | /in.ɡolˈla.re/ |
| ingurgitare | /in.ɡur.d͡ʒiˈta.re/ |
To chug means to drink a large amount in a single action. In Italian, you can use ingollare to express swallowing or chugging a liquid. Other related nouns include sorso and sorsata for a large gulp, or sbuffo and scoppiettio when referring to a sound.
Which one should you use?
While ingollare is a standard way to say swallow or chug, ingurgitare is more intense and often implies swallowing food or drink greedily or in large, messy quantities.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of the verb ingollare is ingollato.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /in.ɡolˈla.re/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word ingollare is frequently used metaphorically to mean 'to swallow' an insult or a bitter pill of truth without protesting.
- If an Italian describes someone as a gola, they are not talking about a throat but calling the person a 'glutton' who loves to eat and drink.
- The word ingollare is built from the Latin word collum, which is the same root used for the English word 'collar' because both refer to the neck.
Examples in context
- Ho bevuto la birra di un fiato perché avevo molta sete.I chugged the beer because I was very thirsty.
- La sera scorsa ho buttato giù un bicchierone di limonata al volo.Last night, I chugged down a big glass of lemonade in one go.
- Devo ingollare tutta l'acqua velocemente.I have to chug all the water quickly.
- Non ingollare il drink in un colpo solo!Don't chug the drink in one go!
- Ha cercato di ingollare il succo tutto d'un fiato.He tried to chug the juice all at once.
Example conversation
At a sports event, Matteo and Giulia are very thirsty.
- MatteoHo troppa sete, voglio ingollare tutta questa birra.I'm so thirsty, I want to chug this whole beer.
- GiuliaMatteo, non ingollare tutto così in fretta!Matteo, don't chug it all so fast!
- MatteoMa è troppo buona, non riesco a fermarmi.But it's so good, I can't stop.
- GiuliaFai attenzione a non strozzarti.Be careful not to choke.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chug” translations and entries ingollare, ingurgitare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ingollare, ingurgitare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
