portellone
/por.telˈlo.ne/masculine
The English phrase "hatchback" can be translated into Italian as portellone. Wiktionary also lists auto con portellone posteriore.
Meaning: a car with a sloping, hinged rear door that opens upwards (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| portellone | /por.telˈlo.ne/ | masculine |
| auto con portellone posteriore | masculine |
The term refers to a car with a sloping, hinged rear door that opens upwards.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of portellone is portelloni.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /por.telˈlo.ne/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word portellone can also be used to describe any large gate or heavy door in a building, not just a car part.
- While portellone refers to the door itself, Italians often use the term utilitaria to describe the small hatchback cars commonly found in narrow city streets.
- The word portellone is the augmentative form of portello, meaning the suffix -one literally turns a 'small door' into a 'big door'.
Examples in context
- Quella utilitaria è perfetta per girare in città.That hatchback car is perfect for city driving.
- Preferisco le macchine a tre o cinque porte, così ho più spazio per i passeggeri.I prefer three or five-door cars so that I have more space for passengers.
- Il portellone si apre verso l'alto.The hatchback door opens upwards.
- Ho incastrato la borsa nel portellone.I stuck the bag in the hatchback door.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are looking at cars at a dealership.
- LorenzoGuarda questa macchina, ha un portellone spazioso.Look at this car, it has a spacious hatchback.
- ChiaraSì, Lorenzo, è perfetta per i nostri viaggi.Yes, Lorenzo, it is perfect for our trips.
- LorenzoPossiamo mettere tutto nel portellone.We can put everything in the hatchback.
- ChiaraHai ragione, compriamola!You are right, let's buy it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hatchback” translations and entries portellone, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries auto, con, portellone, posteriore, CC BY-SA 4.0.
