cartina per sigarette
The English phrase "cigarette paper" is cartina per sigarette in Italian.
The phrase refers to the thin paper used to roll tobacco into a cigarette. While you may occasionally see carta per sigarette, the term cartina is more common when referring specifically to the thin, small sheets used for rolling.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cartina (small piece of paper/thin paper), per (for) and sigarette (cigarettes).
Which one should you use?
The word carta can be used instead of cartina, though cartina is more common when referring specifically to the thin, small sheets used for rolling. Additionally, you may use the singular cartina per sigaretta to refer to the paper used for a single cigarette.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many regions of Italy, Rizla is a popular informal term used to refer to cigarette paper.
How does it change in a sentence?
While the default form uses the plural sigarette, it is also grammatically correct to use the singular sigaretta to refer to the paper used for a single cigarette.
Did you know?
- If you use the word carta instead of cartina when shopping, the clerk might mistakenly assume you want heavy stationery or thick sheets of paper rather than rolling paper.
- Rolling your own cigarettes in Italy is sometimes viewed as a cultural marker of a slower and more artisanal lifestyle than using pre-rolled ones.
- In Italy, the word carta is a linguistic multitasker used to describe everything from a standard sheet of A4 paper to a map and a playing card.
Examples in context
- Devo comprare la cartina per sigarette.I need to buy cigarette paper.
- Questa cartina per sigarette è molto sottile.This cigarette paper is very thin.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are at a small cafe.
- LorenzoMartina, hai una cartina per sigarette?Martina, do you have a cigarette paper?
- MartinaNo, mi dispiace, Lorenzo.No, I'm sorry, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoAllora vado in tabaccheria.Then I'll go to the tobacco shop.
- MartinaVa bene, porta anche un pacchetto.Okay, bring a pack too.
