Italie
/i.ta.li/feminine
The French word for Italy is Italie.
Italie refers to the country in southern Europe.
Meaning: country in southern Europe (name)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal contexts, you may see the term La République italienne. In informal speech, the phrase La Botte is sometimes used to refer to Italy by its shape on a map, meaning "the boot".
How does it change in a sentence?
Because Italie is a feminine country name, you use the preposition en to say "in Italy" (en Italie). When referring to Italy as a subject or object, such as in "I love Italy", you must use the definite article, resulting in l'Italie.
How do you pronounce it?
/i.ta.li/. The word has 3 syllables.
When do people say it?
In formal settings, the expression Le pays de Dante may be used as a way to pay homage to the Italian poet.
Did you know?
- The name Italie likely traces back to a word meaning 'land of bulls', referring to the livestock raised in the region in antiquity.
- The word Italie is a phonetic descendant of the Ancient Greek Ītalíā, which the French adopted via Latin.
Examples in context
- Rome est en Italie.Rome is in Italy.This example shows the use of Italie with the preposition en.Tatoeba #13803 by Micsmithel, translation #29415 by CK
- Je reste en Italie.I'm staying in Italy.Tatoeba #653410 by Salutlolo, translation #253082 by CN
- Vous voyagez en Italie.You travel in Italy.Tatoeba #6620901 by felix63, translation #6796828 by Eccles17
- La République italienne est un pays magnifique.The Italian Republic is a magnificent country.
- 155 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are discussing their travel plans at a cafe.
- ManonTu veux aller en Italie cet été ?Do you want to go to Italy this summer?
- NathanOui, j'adore l'Italie.Yes, I love Italy.
- ManonC'est une destination magnifique.It is a magnificent destination.
- NathanJe suis d'accord avec toi.I agree with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “italy” translations and entries Italie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Italie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
