porta
/ˈpɔr.ta/feminine
The English word door is porta in Italian. Wiktionary also lists uscio and portiera.
Meaning: portal of entry into a building, room or vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| porta | /ˈpɔr.ta/ | feminine |
| uscio | /ˈuʃ.ʃo/ | |
| portiera | /porˈtjɛ.ra/ | feminine |
| sportello | /sporˈtɛl.lo/ | masculine |
The word door refers to a portal of entry into a building, room or vehicle.
Which one should you use?
Use portiera specifically for the doors of a car rather than porta. Use sportello for small doors like those on a car's glove compartment, a bank teller's window or a small hatch. The word uscio is an archaic or literary term for a door, often used in poetic contexts or to refer to a humble entrance.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun porta becomes the plural porte. The feminine noun portiera becomes the plural portiere. The masculine noun sportello becomes the plural sportelli.
How do you pronounce it?
porta is pronounced /ˈpɔr.ta/. It has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word for a goalkeeper in soccer is portiere, derived from the same root as porta because they guard the goal.
- While portiera refers to a car door, it can also mean a female doorman or concierge.
- If you are talking about a cupboard or a cabinet door, you will often use the word ante instead of porte, even though they are both types of doors.
Examples in context
- Tu apri la porta.You open the door.This sentence shows the use of porta for opening a door.Tatoeba #3353041 by bailujia, translation #2925944 by AlanF_US
- La porta si aprì.The door opened.This sentence shows porta in the context of a door opening.Tatoeba #4464727 by Guybrush88, translation #39118 by CK
- Le tené la porta.He held the door for her.This sentence demonstrates using porta when holding a door for someone.Tatoeba #8933228 by Guybrush88, translation #8514082 by CH
- Scusi, dov'è la porta?Excuse me, where is the door?
- Chiudi la porta, per favore!Close the door, please!
- Vieni dentro dal portoneCome in through the front door.
- 1233 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Matteo are at the entrance of their house.
- MartinaMatteo, puoi aprire la porta?Matteo, can you open the door?
- MatteoSì, certo, Martina.Yes, of course, Martina.
- MartinaGrazie, la porta è un po' pesante.Thanks, the door is a bit heavy.
- MatteoHai ragione, è molto vecchia.You are right, it is very old.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “door” translations and entries porta, uscio, portiera, sportello, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
