Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| salute | /saˈlu.te/ | feminine |
| sanità | /sa.niˈta/ | feminine |
Salute refers to the state of being free of physical or psychological disease, illness or malfunction. It is also used as an informal toast when drinking, similar to 'Cheers!' in English.
Which one should you use?
Use salute when referring to an individual's physical or mental well-being. In contrast, sanità is used to refer to the healthcare system, public health or the medical field in an institutional sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both salute and sanità are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/saˈlu.te/. The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
When do people say it?
In social settings, if someone sneezes, you can say Salute! as a way to say 'Bless you!' Additionally, when making a toast while drinking, it is common to say Salute! to mean 'Cheers!'
Did you know?
- The word salute shares a root with the English word 'salvation', linking physical health with spiritual rescue.
- In some traditional Italian settings, a toast using salute is traditionally accompanied by making direct eye contact with everyone involved.
- The word salute shares the same ancient root as the English word 'whole', stemming from a Proto-Indo-European term meaning 'complete' or 'undivided'.
Examples in context
- Ho la mia salute.I have my health.This sentence uses salute to state that one possesses their health.Tatoeba #5917112 by Guybrush88, translation #5758207 by CM
- Lo sport è salute.Sport is health.This sentence uses salute to associate sport with health.Tatoeba #3595951 by Guybrush88, translation #7425891 by Igider
- La salute è tutto.Health means everything.This sentence uses salute to express that health is everything.Tatoeba #4090956 by Guybrush88, translation #238986 by CM
- Tieniti in saluteTake care of your health
- Mi preoccupo per il tuo benessereI am concerned for your well-being
- La salubrità dell'aria è essenziale per la nostra saluteAir quality is essential for our health
- Ciao, dai tanti salutini a tuo padreHi, give my regards to your father
- Spero che tu stia beneI hope you are well
- 349 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Francesco are talking about a new healthy lifestyle.
- ChiaraFrancesco, devi dare priorità alla tua salute.Francesco, you must prioritize your health.
- FrancescoHai ragione, Chiara, mi sento spesso stanco.You are right, Chiara, I often feel tired.
- ChiaraDormire a sufficienza migliora la salute.Sleeping enough improves health.
- FrancescoInizierò a seguire questo consiglio subito.I will start following this advice immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “health” translations and entries salute, sanità, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salute, sanità, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
