ribes
/ˈri.bes/
The Italian word for currant is ribes.
The term ribes can refer to the plant itself or the fruit.
Meaning: fruit of the genus Ribes (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈri.bes/.
Did you know?
- While ribes refers to the berry, the Italian term for 'Zante currants' is uva di Zante. This translates to 'grapes of Zante' because these fruits are actually dried grapes and not true berries.
- The word ribes traces its origins back to a Persian word for 'rhubarb', making it a linguistic relative of the plant rather than a purely botanical description of the fruit.
- While ribes is the general term, Italians usually specify the color to distinguish the fruit, such as ribes rosso for red currants and ribes nero for black currants.
Examples in context
- Mi piace il gelato al ribes.I like currant ice cream.
- Il ribes rosso è molto dolce.The red currant is very sweet.
- Ho comprato del ribes fresco al mercato.I bought some fresh currant at the market.
- Vuoi un po' di confettura di ribes?Do you want some currant jam?
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are preparing a fruit tart in the kitchen.
- LorenzoSofia, hai preso il ribes per la torta?Sofia, did you get the currant for the tart?
- SofiaSì, Lorenzo, l'ho messo nel cestino.Yes, Lorenzo, I put it in the basket.
- LorenzoOttimo, è proprio quello che ci serve.Great, it's exactly what we need.
- SofiaCominciamo pure a preparare la base.Let's start preparing the base.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “currant” translations and entries ribes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ribes, CC BY-SA 4.0.
