tallone
/talˈlo.ne/masculine
The English phrase heel translates to Italian as tallone. Wiktionary also lists calcagno.
Meaning: anatomy: part of the foot (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tallone | /talˈlo.ne/ | masculine |
| calcagno | /kalˈkaɲ.ɲo/ | masculine |
This refers to the anatomical part of the foot.
Which one should you use?
While tallone is the common word for the heel, calcagno is the specific anatomical term for the heelbone (calcaneus). Additionally, when referring to the heels of shoes, such as in high heels, Italians use the word tacchi rather than talloni.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable. The IPA is /talˈlo.ne/.
Did you know?
- The word tallone is used in Italian to refer to a 'voucher' or 'coupon' that you tear off from a ticket.
- The English word 'talon' is a direct cognate of the Italian tallone, stemming from the same ancient Latin source.
- The Italian word tacchi for shoe heels is the plural form of tacco, which means 'block' or 'chunk' of material.
Examples in context
- Ho il tallone sinistro infiammato.My left heel is inflamed.Tatoeba #1653473 by Guybrush88, translation #1656490 by Mofli
- A parte nel suo tallone, Achille era invulnerabile.Apart from his heel, Achilles was invulnerable.Tatoeba #1062345 by Guybrush88, translation #326806 by Zifre
- I tacchi alti sono molto eleganti.High heels are very elegant.
- Ho un forte dolore al tallone.I have a strong pain in my heel.
- Ho comprato un paio di scarpe con tacchetti bassi per l'ufficio.I bought a pair of shoes with low heels for the office.
- Mia sorella adora le scarpe con la zeppa.My sister loves shoes with a wedge heel.
- Mi fa male il tallone destro.My right heel hurts.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are walking in the park.
- GiuliaLorenzo, camminiamo più piano.Lorenzo, let's walk slower.
- LorenzoPerché, Giulia? Tutto bene?Why, Giulia? Is everything okay?
- GiuliaSì, ma ho un dolore al tallone.Yes, but I have a pain in my heel.
- LorenzoVuoi sederti un momento?Do you want to sit down for a moment?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “heel” translations and entries tallone, calcagno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calcagno, tallone, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
