terra
/ˈtɛr.ra/feminine
In Italian, land is terra.
terra is a versatile and common term used to refer to land, soil, ground or territory. Depending on the context, it can also mean the planet Earth (la Terra). For more specific technical needs, you might use il suolo for soil or la superficie for a surface.
Meaning: part of Earth that is not covered by oceans or other bodies of water (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word terra literally means earth, soil or land.
Which one should you use?
While terra is the general term for land, terreno is often used when referring to a specific plot of ground, a piece of terrain or the physical nature of the ground. Additionally, terreno is the preferred term in formal contexts such as real estate or agriculture to describe land from a property perspective.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of terra is le terre when you are referring to specific territories or lands. The word is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈtɛr.ra/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the expression terra terra describes a person or a way of thinking that is very practical, simple and lacking in sophistication.
- The word terra shares an ancient root with the English word 'dry', as both descend from the Proto-Indo-European root meaning to dry or be parched.
- When someone is very tired or exhausted, Italians might say essere a terra, which literally means 'to be on the ground'.
Examples in context
- Perse la sua terra.He lost his land.This sentence shows the use of terra to indicate a loss of land.Tatoeba #10004084 by Guybrush88, translation #7385532 by CH
- Di chi è questa terra?Whose land is this?This sentence demonstrates how to ask ownership of a piece of land using terra.Tatoeba #5020595 by Guybrush88, translation #5020472 by CK
- Rivoleva la sua terra.He wanted his land back.This sentence illustrates the use of terra when discussing reclaiming land.Tatoeba #8117763 by Guybrush88, translation #7391588 by CH
- Ci siamo approdati sulla terrafermaWe landed on the mainland.
- Un vasto terreno agricoloA vast agricultural land.
- Hanno costruito una casetta sul loro terrenettoThey built a little house on their small plot of land.
- La terra è fertileThe land is fertile.
- Il terreno della Toscana è rinomato per la produzione di vinoThe land of Tuscany is renowned for wine production.
- Il posto ideale per costruire una casa è su un terreno pianeggiante vicino al mareThe ideal place to build a house is on flat land near the sea.
- 72 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are looking at a landscape from a mountain viewpoint.
- LorenzoGuarda quanta terra fertile c'è qui.Look how much fertile land there is here.
- SofiaÈ davvero un panorama bellissimo, Lorenzo.It is truly a beautiful view, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoSì, la terra sembra molto scura.Yes, the land looks very dark.
- SofiaProbabilmente è per l'umidità della pioggia.It is probably because of the moisture from the rain.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “land” translations and entries terra, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries terra, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
