tazza
/ˈtat.t͡sa/feminine
The Italian word for cup is tazza. Wiktionary also lists coppa.
Meaning: drinking vessel (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tazza | /ˈtat.t͡sa/ | feminine |
| coppa | /ˈkɔp.pa/ /ˈkop.pa/ |
feminine |
Tazza is the most common and widely-used term for cup in Italian. While tazza refers to standard drinking vessels, a diminutive form, tazzina, is specifically used to refer to an espresso cup.
Which one should you use?
Use tazza for a standard cup or mug. In contrast, coppa refers to a goblet, a large bowl-shaped vessel or a trophy. In religious contexts, the word calice is used specifically for a cup used during religious ceremonies or sacraments.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both tazza and coppa are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtat.tsa/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word coppa also refers to a specific type of cured pork neck meat in Italian cuisine.
- The word tazza actually traces its roots back to the Arabic word ṭās, which entered the Italian language via historical trade routes.
- While tazza is a vessel you drink from, the word coppa can also refer to the 'nape' of the neck, a term used in anatomy.
Examples in context
- La tazza si ruppe.The cup broke.This sentence shows how to describe a cup breaking using tazza.Tatoeba #6104826 by Guybrush88, translation #63659 by CK
- Ha rotto la tazza.He broke the cup.This sentence shows the action of breaking a cup using tazza.Tatoeba #8483537 by Guybrush88, translation #8480594 by CH
- La tazza è bianca.The cup is white.This sentence describes the color of a cup using tazza.Tatoeba #10269441 by Guybrush88, translation #10248821 by ddnktr
- Mi porti una tazza di caffè?Could you bring me a cup of coffee?
- Il prete ha sollevato il calice durante la celebrazione.The priest lifted the cup during the ceremony.
- Preferisci una tazzina di caffè?Would you like a cup of coffee?
- Mi prendi un bicchiere d'acqua?Can you get me a cup of water?
- 424 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo are in the kitchen during breakfast.
- SofiaDove si trova la mia tazza?Where is my cup?
- LorenzoLa tua tazza è sul tavolo.Your cup is on the table.
- SofiaGrazie, Lorenzo.Thanks, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoPrego, Sofia.You're welcome, Sofia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cup” translations and entries tazza, coppa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coppa, tazza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
