chitarra
/kiˈtar.ra/feminine
The Italian word for guitar is chitarra.
chitarra refers to the musical instrument. To express that you play the guitar, you use the verb suonare followed by the definite article and the instrument, as in suonare la chitarra.
Meaning: musical instrument (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
chitarra is a feminine noun. The plural form is chitarre.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /kiˈtar.ra/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, chitarra can also refer to a traditional tool used to cut pasta. This 'guitar' consists of a wooden frame with parallel metal strings that slice dough into long noodles.
- While English speakers say they 'play' the guitar, Italians use the verb suonare, which is also the word used for sounding a bell or an alarm.
- The word chitarra shares its DNA with the English word 'guitar' and the Greek 'kithara', tracing a long journey from ancient stringed instruments to the modern version.
Examples in context
- Ken ha una chitarra.Ken has a guitar.This sentence shows how to use chitarra to indicate possession.Tatoeba #373506 by Pharamp, translation #62507 by CN
- Non ho una chitarra.I don't have a guitar.This sentence shows how to use chitarra in a negative sentence regarding possession.Tatoeba #4739616 by Guybrush88, translation #4759538 by cairnhead
- Io suono la chitarra.I play the guitar.This sentence demonstrates the phrase for playing the instrument using chitarra.Tatoeba #2206779 by Guybrush88, translation #2050553 by CK
- Mi piace suonare la chitarra.I enjoy playing the guitar.
- 769 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A living room where two friends are talking about music.
- MartinaHai una chitarra nuova?Do you have a new guitar?
- FrancescoSì, è una chitarra classica.Yes, it is a classical guitar.
- MartinaÈ molto bella, Francesco.It is very beautiful, Francesco.
- FrancescoGrazie, Martina, mi piace molto.Thanks, Martina, I like it a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guitar” translations and entries chitarra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chitarra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
