Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| colomba | /koˈlom.ba/ | feminine |
| piccione | /pitˈt͡ʃo.ne/ | masculine |
Italian uses different words for this bird depending on whether you are speaking about the animal itself or its symbolic meaning. colomba is used for the dove as a symbol of peace or in poetic and religious contexts, while piccione refers to the common birds often found in cities or the biological species in a non-symbolic sense.
Which one should you use?
Use colomba when referring to a dove in a symbolic, poetic or religious context. Use piccione when referring to common birds found in urban environments or when discussing the biological species in a general way.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun colomba has the plural form colombe. The masculine noun piccione has the plural form piccioni.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /koˈlom.ba/. The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word piccione is used in Italian slang to describe a person who is naive or easily fooled, similar to the English term 'pigeon'.
- The word piccione has its roots in the Neapolitan dialect, making its standard Italian form a linguistic traveler from Southern Italy.
- The word colomba is frequently used in Italian to describe a person who is pacifist or avoids conflict, whereas piccione has no such political connotation.
Examples in context
- Quel piccione è ferito.That dove is wounded.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe a wounded piccione.Tatoeba #13373119 by Guybrush88, translation #13371805 by rul
- La colomba rappresenta la pace.The dove stands for peace.This sentence shows the use of colomba as a representation of peace.Tatoeba #2588036 by Guybrush88, translation #35128 by Jesse
- La colomba è un simbolo di pace.The dove is a symbol of peace.This sentence illustrates how colomba is used as a symbol of peace.Tatoeba #4434154 by Guybrush88, translation #35131 by CK
- Scusi, dov'è la stazione?Excuse me, where is the train station?
- Mi scusi, dov'è l'ufficio del turismo?Excuse me, where is the tourist office?
- Ciao Giovanni, dove sei?Hi Giovanni, where are you?
- Dove andiamo a cena stasera?Where are we going for dinner tonight?
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Matteo are watching birds in a park.
- ChiaraGuarda quella bella colomba bianca!Look at that beautiful white dove!
- MatteoSì, è molto elegante.Yes, it is very elegant.
- ChiaraLa colomba sta volando verso l'albero.The dove is flying toward the tree.
- MatteoSpero che non scappi via.I hope it doesn't fly away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dove” translations and entries colomba, piccione, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries colomba, piccione, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
