culinario
/ku.liˈna.rjo/masculine
The Italian word for culinary is culinario.
The word is an adjective used to describe things relating to the practice of cookery or the activity of cooking.
Meaning: relating to the practice of cookery or the activity of cooking (adj)
Which one should you use?
While culinario is the standard translation, the term gastronomico is also a formal way to express the concept of culinary.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, the form changes to match the gender and number of the noun it modifies. Use the masculine singular culinario, the feminine singular culinaria (such as for tradizione), the masculine plural culinari (such as for sapori) and the feminine plural culinarie (such as for esperienze).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has four syllables, with the stress on the third syllable. It is pronounced /ku.liˈna.rjo/.
Did you know?
- Because culinario is quite formal, an Italian speaker in a casual home setting would likely avoid it entirely and use the simple word di cucina to describe culinary things.
- In Italy, the term arte culinaria is frequently used to elevate cooking to a fine art. This phrasing frames the kitchen as a studio and the chef as an artist.
- If you are looking for a 'culinary school' in Italy, you will more frequently see it referred to as a scuola di cucina rather than a scuola culinaria.
Examples in context
- Le ricette tradizionali vengono ancora tramandate, preservando il nostro patrimonio culinario.Traditional recipes are still passed down, preserving our culinary heritage.This sentence shows how to use culinario when discussing the preservation of culinary heritage.Tatoeba #13483533 by Nuel, translation #13483530 by Nuel
- La scuola culinaria francese è rinomata in tutto il mondo.The French culinary school is renowned worldwide.
- La nostra tradizione gastronomica è un tesoro nazionale.Our gastronomic tradition is a national treasure.
- Il suo talento culinario è davvero sorprendente.His culinary talent is truly surprising.
- Abbiamo partecipato a un tour culinario in Toscana.We participated in a culinary tour in Tuscany.
Example conversation
Alessandro and Sofia are discussing a trip to Italy.
- AlessandroTi piace l'aspetto culinario di questo viaggio?Do you like the culinary aspect of this trip?
- SofiaSì, non vedo l'ora di provare i piatti locali.Yes, I can't wait to try the local dishes.
- AlessandroPossiamo visitare un famoso centro culinario a Bologna.We can visit a famous culinary center in Bologna.
- SofiaSarebbe fantastico, Alessandro!That would be fantastic, Alessandro!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “culinary” translations and entries culinario, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
