Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vestiti | /vesˈti.ti/ | masculine, plural |
| abbigliamento | /ab.biʎ.ʎaˈmen.to/ | masculine |
The most common way to refer to one's clothes in everyday conversation is vestiti. While vestiti refers to the actual items of clothing you wear, the term abbigliamento is a collective noun used to describe the concept of clothing or a category of apparel.
Which one should you use?
vestiti refers to the physical items of clothing, whereas abbigliamento is used to describe clothing as a general category or concept, such as 'apparel' or 'attire'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
vestiti is the standard term for everyday use. For more formal, professional, commercial or technical contexts, such as discussing workwear, you should use abbigliamento. In casual settings among friends, you might hear the informal term roba used to refer to clothes.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun vestiti is derived from the verb vestire, which means to dress or to wear. While vestiti is plural, the singular form vestito can refer to a single piece of clothing, but it is also the standard word for a suit or a dress.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /vesˈti.ti/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- Italian has a strong cultural concept called la bella figura, which is the art of presenting oneself well. This makes the choice of vestiti a matter of social standing and dignity, not just utility.
- The verb behind the word, vestire, is also used in Italian to describe how a piece of furniture or a room is 'dressed' or decorated.
- The formal term abbigliamento is a semi-learned borrowing from the French word habillement.
Examples in context
- Ci dà dei vestiti.She gives us clothes.This sentence shows someone giving clothes to others.Tatoeba #3889503 by Guybrush88, translation #1817023 by Amastan
- Si tolga i vestiti.Take off your clothes.This sentence is a polite command to take off one's clothes.Tatoeba #4000924 by Guybrush88, translation #1946889 by Spamster
- Si tolga i vestiti!Take off your clothes!This sentence is an emphatic command to take off one's clothes.Tatoeba #4467043 by Guybrush88, translation #4466781 by maizewen
- Mi piace il tuo abbigliamento elegante.I like your elegant attire.
- Dove posso trovare nuovi vestiti in questa città?Where can I find new clothes in this city?
- Che bel vestito!What a beautiful dress!
- Mi piace la roba che indossi.I like the clothes you're wearing.
- Dobbiamo andare a fare shopping per nuovi abiti.We need to go shopping for new clothes.
- 602 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are packing for a weekend trip.
- GiuliaHai preso tutti i tuoi vestiti?Did you pack all your clothes?
- LorenzoSì, ho messo i vestiti in valigia.Yes, I put the clothes in the suitcase.
- GiuliaRicordati di prendere dei vestiti caldi.Remember to take some warm clothes.
- LorenzoCerto, porterò i miei vestiti più pesanti.Sure, I will bring my heaviest clothes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clothes” translations and entries vestiti, abbigliamento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries abbigliamento, vestiti, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
