uva
/ˈu.va/
The Italian word for grapes is uva.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word uva is a feminine singular noun in Italian. Because of this, it is typically used with a singular definite article, such as l'uva (the grapes), even though the word refers to a collection of fruit.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈu.va/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly pluralize the word to uve when referring to grapes in general. In Italian, the singular form uva is the standard way to refer to the fruit as a collective noun.
Did you know?
- The Latin root of uva is also the source of the English word 'uvea', which refers to a part of the eye.
- While uva is the collective noun, Italians use the word acino to refer to a single individual grape berry.
- In some southern Italian traditions, it is common to eat uva with local cheeses as a savory-sweet appetizer, a pairing less common in English-speaking cultures.
Examples in context
- A te piace l'uva?Do you like grapes?Tatoeba #7709195 by Guybrush88, translation #7610671 by Hybrid
- Vuoi un po' d'uva?Do you want some grapes?Tatoeba #3432742 by Guybrush88, translation #3432740 by Hybrid
- L'uva è come le uova.Grapes are like eggs.Tatoeba #11760254 by Guybrush88, translation #10515747 by DJ_Saidez
- Mi piace l'uva.I like grapes.
- Lei desidera un po' di uva?Would you like some grapes?
- L'uva è molto dolce quest'anno.The grapes are very sweet this year.
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are shopping at a local market.
- MatteoPrendiamo un chilo di uva?Shall we buy a kilo of grapes?
- ChiaraSì, l'uva sembra molto dolce.Yes, the grapes look very sweet.
- MatteoVuoi anche le fragole?Do you want strawberries too?
- ChiaraNo grazie, solo l'uva.No thanks, just the grapes.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry uva, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries uva, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
