cacao
/kaˈka.o/
The English phrase "cocoa" is translated into Italian as cacao.
cacao refers to the raw cocoa or cacao powder, or the plant itself. When you want to specify the hot drink, Italians typically use the phrase cacao caldo or cioccolata calda.
Meaning: hot drink (noun)
Which one should you use?
cacao is used for the raw material or powder, whereas cioccolato is used for the finished confectionery product, known as chocolate. While cacao is a valid term, in a cafe or restaurant, the specific hot drink known as "hot cocoa" is more commonly ordered as cioccolata calda.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /kaˈka.o/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italy, cioccolata calda is often so thick that it has the consistency of a melted pudding and is eaten with a spoon rather than sipped from a cup.
- While cacao refers to the raw powder, the word cioccolato comes from the Nahuatl word 'xocolatl', which meant 'bitter water'.
- The English word 'cocoa' is actually a phonetic corruption of the Spanish word cacao, which the Italians also use to describe the raw ingredient.
Examples in context
- I principali prodotti del paese sono il cacao e l'oro.The country's main products are cocoa and gold.This sentence is useful for seeing cacao used in the context of country products.Tatoeba #11725265 by Guybrush88, translation #47900 by CM
- La Costa d'Avorio è il più grande produttore mondiale di cacao.Ivory Coast is the world's biggest cocoa producer.This sentence shows cacao used when discussing global production.Tatoeba #11729045 by WM3DAS, translation #1801643 by Spamster
- Vuoi un po' di cacao caldo?Do you want some hot cocoa?
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are in a cozy kitchen on a cold afternoon.
- LorenzoFa molto freddo oggi.It is very cold today.
- ChiaraSì, preferirei un cacao caldo.Yes, I would prefer a hot cocoa.
- LorenzoLo preparo subito per te, Chiara.I will prepare it for you right away, Chiara.
- ChiaraGrazie mille, Lorenzo.Thank you very much, Lorenzo.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cacao, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cacao, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
