camminata
/kam.miˈna.ta/feminine
The English word 'gait' can be translated into Italian as camminata, postura or portamento.
Meaning: manner of walking (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| camminata | /kam.miˈna.ta/ | feminine |
| postura | /posˈtu.ra/ | feminine |
| portamento | /por.taˈmen.to/ | masculine |
Camminata is the most common term for the physical manner or rhythm of a person's walking.
Which one should you use?
While camminata refers to the physical manner of walking, portamento describes a person's carriage or bearing, specifically referring to an elegant or graceful way of carrying oneself. Postura is also available to describe a person's gait.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe a specific type of gait, such as a fast one, you add the adjective after the noun: camminata veloce.
How do you pronounce it?
The word camminata has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /kam.miˈna.ta/.
Did you know?
- In Italian artistic contexts, portamento is also a musical term describing a smooth glide from one note to another, mirroring the fluidity of a graceful gait.
- The word camminata may have been influenced by the word for 'fireplace', camino, due to a linguistic confusion between different Latin roots over time.
- The root of portamento is the verb portare, which means 'to carry', treating a person's gait as the way they carry their own body.
Examples in context
- Mio nonno ha un'andatura lenta e misurata.My grandfather has a slow and measured gait.
- Devi migliorare la tua andatura per sembrare più sicuro.You need to improve your gait to appear more confident.
- L'andatura dei cavalli era elegante e regale.The horses' gait was elegant and majestic.
- Mi piace la tua camminata sicura e decisa!I like your confident and determined gait!
- La mia camminata è un po' strana, ma non mi importa.My gait is a bit weird, but I don't care.
- Ha una camminata molto elegante.She has a very elegant gait.
- Riconosco la sua camminata da lontano.I recognize her gait from afar.
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are observing people in a park.
- FrancescoGuarda quella donna, ha una camminata sicura.Look at that woman, she has a confident gait.
- ChiaraSì, sembra molto atletica.Yes, she looks very athletic.
- FrancescoHai ragione, è davvero elegante.You are right, she is truly elegant.
- ChiaraÈ proprio vero.That is very true.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gait” translations and entries camminata, postura, portamento, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camminata, portamento, postura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
