oca
/ˈɔ.ka/feminine
The English word 'goose' is translated into Italian as oca.
The word oca refers to the grazing waterfowl of the family Anatidae. It is also used in idiomatic expressions such as pelle d'oca, which refers to goosebumps or goose pimples caused by either a physical sensation or an emotional reaction. Additionally, oca arrosto is the term used to mean roast goose.
Meaning: a grazing waterfowl of the family Anatidae (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word oca is a feminine noun. To talk about more than one goose, use the plural form oche.
How do you pronounce it?
oca is pronounced /ˈɔ.ka/. The stress is on the first of the two syllables.
Did you know?
- The phrase fare l'oca can be used to describe someone who is pretending to be ignorant or unaware of a situation.
- The term oca is derived from the Late Latin auca, which was a shortened version of avica from the Classical Latin word for 'bird'.
- In Italian, calling someone an oca is a common way to describe them as silly, naive or a bit dim-witted.
Examples in context
- Ho la pelle d'oca.I've got goose bumps.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say 'I've got goose bumps' using oca.Tatoeba #10592117 by Valdast, translation #3825995 by CK
- Abbiamo la pelle d'oca.We've got goose pimples.This sentence is useful for seeing how to say 'We've got goose pimples' using oca.Tatoeba #10592120 by Valdast, translation #8790501 by blackslate
- Ha ucciso l'oca, lo sciocco.He foolishly killed the goose.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use oca in a sentence about killing a goose.Tatoeba #10592122 by Valdast, translation #9579230 by AlanF_US
- Il mio bambino ama guardare le oche nel parcoMy child loves watching the geese in the park
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Giulia are walking in a park.
- FrancescoGuarda quell'oca, Giulia!Look at that goose, Giulia!
- GiuliaÈ molto carina quella piccola oca.That little goose is very cute.
- FrancescoSì, sembra molto felice.Yes, she seems very happy.
- GiuliaFrancesco, ha appena mangiato tutto il pane!Francesco, she just ate all the bread!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goose” translations and entries oca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oca, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
