carretta
/karˈret.ta/feminine
The English phrase "jalopy" can be translated into Italian using carretta. Wiktionary also lists catorcio and macinino.
Meaning: old, dilapidated car (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| carretta | /karˈret.ta/ | feminine |
| catorcio | masculine | |
| macinino | /ma.t͡ʃiˈni.no/ | masculine |
| bagnarola | feminine |
All these terms are used to describe an old, dilapidated car.
Which one should you use?
Use catorcio when you want to emphasize that the car is a piece of junk or a total wreck. Macinino is a humorous way to refer to such a vehicle. Bagnarola and carretta are also used to describe these old cars.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word carretta is a feminine noun, so any accompanying adjectives must also be in the feminine form. In contrast, catorcio is a masculine noun, meaning any accompanying adjectives must be in the masculine form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word carretta is pronounced /karˈret.ta/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word bagnarola is historically linked to the word for 'bathtub' (bagna). This suggests the car is as useless for transport as a tub or leaks like one.
- The term macinino literally translates to 'little grinder' or 'little mill'. It playfully suggests that driving the old car is as noisy and repetitive as an industrial grinding machine.
- While catorcio describes a wreck of a car, the word originally referred to a fragment or a scrap of something broken. It is used for any object that is a 'piece of junk', not just vehicles.
Examples in context
- Luca aveva un vecchio catorcio che faceva fatica a muoversi.Luca had an old jalopy that struggled to move.
- La mia vecchia carretta non parte mai.My old jalopy never starts.
- Non comprare quella carretta, è troppo rovinata.Don't buy that jalopy, it's too dilapidated.
- Hai ancora quella carretta in garage?Do you still have that jalopy in the garage?
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are looking at a car for sale in a lot.
- LorenzoGuarda quella carretta lì in fondo.Look at that jalopy over there in the back.
- GiuliaÈ davvero vecchia, Lorenzo.It is really old, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoSì, ma costa molto poco.Yes, but it costs very little.
- GiuliaNon mi interessa, non voglio una carretta così.I am not interested, I don't want a jalopy like that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jalopy” translations and entries carretta, catorcio, macinino, bagnarola, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carretta, macinino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
