grande
/ˈɡran.de/
grande is the Italian word for large or great.
grande is used to describe something that has a large size or scale. While it primarily refers to physical size, it is also used metaphorically to describe importance, greatness or scale, such as when referring to a great person or a great deal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of grande is grandi.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈɡran.de/.
Did you know?
- In Italy, grande is frequently used as a slang exclamation to mean 'Great!' or 'Well done!' when praising someone's achievement.
- When talking about age, using grande for a person can be a polite way to avoid the word 'old'. Calling someone 'una persona grande' can suggest they are mature or grown-up rather than just physically large.
- While 'grande' describes size, the Italian word for 'big' in terms of volume or mass is often 'grosso'. Using grande for a heavy or thick object might sound slightly unnatural to a native speaker.
Examples in context
- Attraversò il fiume Rio Grande.He crossed the Rio Grande River.This sentence is useful for seeing how grande is used as part of a proper name.Tatoeba #911044 by Guybrush88, translation #803040 by Source_VOA
- Un caffè grande, per favoreA large coffee, please
- È un edificio enorme!It's an enormous building!
- La tavola è di dimensioni notevoliThe table is of substantial dimensions
- Questa è una grande città.This is a big city.
- Ho comprato un grande tavolo.I bought a large table.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are looking at a map of a city.
- GiuliaGuarda, questo parco è grande!Look, this park is huge!
- AlessandroSì, è perfetto per una passeggiata.Yes, it is perfect for a walk.
- GiuliaC'è anche un lago grande qui.There is also a large lake here.
- AlessandroAndiamo a visitarlo domani.Let's go visit it tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry grande, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
