bomba a mano
/ˈbom.ba a ˈma.no/word by wordfeminine
The English phrase "hand grenade" is translated into Italian as bomba a mano or granata.
Meaning: explosive device (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bomba a mano | /ˈbom.ba a ˈma.no/ (word by word) | feminine |
| granata | /ɡraˈna.ta/ | feminine |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase bomba a mano literally translates to "hand bomb".
Which one should you use?
Granata is the direct cognate for the English word "grenade", whereas bomba a mano is a descriptive phrase for a hand-thrown bomb.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun granata is feminine, and its plural form is granate. The phrase bomba a mano is also feminine, and its plural form is bombe a mano.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbom.ba a ˈma.no/. The word has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- While bomba means 'bomb', in Italian slang it is often used to describe something exciting or an excellent party, as in una festa bomba.
- In Italian, the word bomba is also used to describe a very high-calorie dessert or a specific style of rich cake.
- The word granata comes from the Latin word for 'pomegranate'. Early grenades were shaped like the fruit and filled with small seeds of gunpowder.
Examples in context
- Mi scusi, sa come si dice 'hand grenade' in italiano?Excuse me, do you know how to say 'hand grenade' in Italian?
- Scusa, come si dice 'hand grenade' in italiano?Sorry, how do you say 'hand grenade' in Italian?
- Questo sembra una bomba a mano.This looks like a hand grenade.
- Ha lanciato una bomba a mano.He threw a hand grenade.
- L'esercito ha usato una bomba a mano.The army used a hand grenade.
- Il soldato ha lanciato la bomba a mano.The soldier threw the hand grenade.
- Hanno trovato una vecchia bomba a mano.They found an old hand grenade.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are watching a historical war documentary on TV.
- LorenzoGuarda, hanno appena lanciato una bomba a mano.Look, they just threw a hand grenade.
- SofiaÈ una scena molto intensa, Lorenzo.It is a very intense scene, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoSì, il film è molto realistico.Yes, the movie is very realistic.
- SofiaSpero che finisca presto.I hope it ends soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hand grenade” translations and entries bomba a mano, granata, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bomba, a, mano) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, bomba, granata, mano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
