orientale
/o.rjenˈta.le/
The Italian word for "eastern" is orientale.
orientale is used to describe things related to the east. In a geographical sense, it translates to "eastern," but it is also the standard term for "oriental" when referring to various styles, arts or cultures from the East.
Meaning: related to the east (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective orientale is invariant for gender, meaning it remains the same for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. For plural nouns, use orientali for both masculine and feminine forms.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable: /o.rjenˈta.le/.
Did you know?
- Unlike in modern English, where the word 'oriental' can be considered dated or offensive when describing people, orientale remains a standard and neutral descriptor in Italian.
- In Italy, the phrase medicine orientale often refers specifically to acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine rather than a general geographic region.
- In Italian, the opposite of orientale is occidentale, which is used not just for geography but to describe Western philosophical and political systems.
Examples in context
- Il Giappone è nell'Asia orientale.Japan is in eastern Asia.This sentence shows how to use orientale to describe a region in Asia.Tatoeba #8576973 by Guybrush88, translation #281592 by CK
- Persero la guerra sul fronte orientale.They lost the war on the eastern front.This sentence uses orientale in the context of a military front.Tatoeba #728315 by Guybrush88, translation #463212 by lukaszpp
- Ci manca un incentivo per perseguire il mercato orientale.We lack an incentive for pursuing the eastern market.This sentence demonstrates the use of orientale when discussing a market.Tatoeba #5673602 by Guybrush88, translation #22792 by GiggyMantis
- I paesi orientali sono famosi per le loro ricche tradizioni culturali.Eastern countries are famous for their rich cultural traditions.
- La zona dell'Est del paese è ricca di bellezze naturali.The eastern area of the country is rich in natural beauty.
- Possiamo incontrarci nella parte est della città?Can we meet in the eastern part of the city?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Matteo are discussing a new travel guide.
- ChiaraHai letto l'articolo sulla cultura orientale?Have you read the article about eastern culture?
- MatteoNo, non mi interessa molto l'Oriente.No, I'm not very interested in the East.
- ChiaraÈ davvero affascinante, Matteo.It is truly fascinating, Matteo.
- MatteoForse dovrei approfondire la questione.Maybe I should look into it more.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eastern” translations and entries orientale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
