granchio
/ˈɡran.kjo/masculine
The Italian word for crab is granchio.
Granchio is a masculine noun used to refer to the crustacean known as a crab.
Meaning: crustacean (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular masculine form is granchio, and the plural form is granchi.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈɡran.kjo/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the expression prendere un granchio literally means 'to catch a crab' but is used idiomatically to mean making a clumsy mistake or missing a target completely.
- The Italian word granchio is a linguistic sibling to cancro, the word for 'cancer'. Both evolved from the Latin word for 'crab' because of the way the disease was thought to spread like the movement of the crustacean.
Examples in context
- Io mangio il granchio.I eat the crab.This sentence shows how to use granchio to express eating the crustacean.Tatoeba #10813224 by WM3DAS, translation #8993350 by Nylez
- Preferite l'aragosta o il granchio?Do you prefer lobster or crab?This sentence uses granchio to offer a choice between a lobster and a crab.Tatoeba #7042667 by Guybrush88, translation #3774703 by Hybrid
- Cos'è un granchio?What is a crab?This sentence is useful for asking for a definition of a granchio.Tatoeba #11155766 by carlosalberto, translation #11155747 by carlosalberto
- Ho ordinato un piatto di granchio al ristorante stellato.I ordered a plate of crab at the Michelin-starred restaurant.
- Guarda quell'adorabile granchetto che cammina sulla spiaggia!Look at that adorable little crab walking on the beach!
- Ho visto un granchetto rosso correre veloce sulla sabbia.I saw a small red crab sprinting on the sand.
- La pasta con il granchio è una prelibatezza tipica della cucina siciliana.Pasta with crab is a delicious delicacy typical of Sicilian cuisine.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A seafood restaurant during lunch.
- MartinaPrendo il granchio con la salsa.I'll have the crab with the sauce.
- FrancescoÈ un granchio molto fresco.It is a very fresh crab.
- MartinaOttimo, allora lo prendo.Great, then I'll take it.
- FrancescoVuoi anche del vino bianco?Do you want some white wine too?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crab” translations and entries granchio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries granchio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
