omino di pan di zenzero
masculine
The English phrase 'gingerbread man' is omino di pan di zenzero in Italian. Wiktionary also lists omino di pan di spezie.
Meaning: a cookie in the shape of a person, flavored with ginger (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| omino di pan di zenzero | masculine |
| omino di pan di spezie | masculine |
The term refers to a cookie in the shape of a person, flavored with ginger.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase omino di pan di zenzero literally translates to 'little man of ginger bread'.
Which one should you use?
omino di pan di zenzero specifically highlights ginger, whereas omino di pan di spezie refers to a man made of spice bread, which may or may not contain ginger.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, change the noun omino to omini, resulting in omini di pan di zenzero.
Did you know?
- In Italy, gingerbread men are not a traditional local treat but are seen as an Anglo-Saxon import, often associated with the Christmas season and the influence of American films.
- The word zenzero traces its history back to South India. It traveled from Old Tamil through Ancient Greek and Latin before arriving in the Italian language.
- Italian culture has its own traditional spiced Christmas cake called panpepato, which shares the 'pepper' and 'spice' concept with gingerbread but has a very different texture and shape.
Examples in context
- Ho comprato un omino di pan di zenzero.I bought a gingerbread man.
- L'omino di pan di zenzero è decorato con glassa.The gingerbread man is decorated with icing.
- Vuoi mangiare l'omino di pan di zenzero?Do you want to eat the gingerbread man?
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are in a kitchen looking at Christmas cookies.
- SofiaGuarda questo bellissimo omino di pan di zenzero!Look at this beautiful gingerbread man!
- MatteoÈ molto carino, Sofia.It is very cute, Sofia.
- SofiaPosso dargli un morso?Can I take a bite?
- MatteoCerto, mangialo pure!Sure, go ahead and eat it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gingerbread man” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries di, omino, spezie, zenzero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
