Ways to say it
| Italian | Note |
|---|---|
| torre di Pisa | feminine |
| torre pendente di Pisa | feminine |
| torre pendente | feminine, informal |
This phrase refers to the famous leaning bell tower located in the Italian town of Pisa.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase torre pendente literally means 'leaning tower', where torre is 'tower' and pendente is the present participle of pendere, meaning 'to hang' or 'to lean'.
Which one should you use?
torre di Pisa is the standard way to refer to the tower, while torre pendente di Pisa is used when you want to specifically emphasize its leaning characteristic. You may also see the variation torre pendente.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
torre pendente di Pisa is the formal way to say the name. In casual conversation, Italians often drop the 'di Pisa' and simply refer to it as torre pendente, which is an informal variation.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because torre is a feminine noun, the definite article used with the phrase is la, such as in la torre pendente.
Did you know?
- In Italy, the torre di Pisa is part of a larger complex called the Piazza dei Miracoli, meaning the 'Square of Miracles'.
- The name of the city Pisa is thought to have roots in the Etruscan language, an ancient civilization that inhabited Italy long before the Romans.
- Despite its fame as a 'tower', the torre di Pisa is technically a campanile, which is a free-standing bell tower separated from the main church building.
Examples in context
- Voglio davvero vedere la Torre Pendente di Pisa.I really want to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to see the torre pendente di Pisa.Tatoeba #8426510 by Guybrush88, translation #3732206 by CK
- La Torre Pendente di Pisa è più alta della chiesa.The Leaning Tower of Pisa is taller than the church.This sentence is useful for comparing the height of the torre pendente di Pisa to a church.Tatoeba #341627 by MUIRIEL, translation #499594 by witbrock
- All'ombra della torre pendente di Pisa siede il cantore della città, mangiando un piatto di zuppa di piselli. Dopodiché egli racconterà ai bambini la fiaba "La principessa sul pisello".In the shadow of the Leaning Tower of Pisa sits the town storyteller, eating a bowl of pea soup. After that he tells some children the fairy tale "The Princess and the Pea".This sentence describes a scene occurring in the shadow of the torre pendente di Pisa.Tatoeba #2176933 by Manfredo, translation #2176938 by Manfredo
- La Torre di Pisa è davvero unica!The Leaning Tower of Pisa is truly unique!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are planning a trip to Tuscany.
- GiuliaAndiamo a vedere la torre di Pisa?Shall we go see the tower of Pisa?
- MatteoSì, mi piacerebbe molto visitarla.Yes, I would really like to visit it.
- GiuliaDicono che la torre di Pisa sia incredibile.They say that the tower of Pisa is incredible.
- MatteoAllora partiamo domani mattina!Then let's leave tomorrow morning!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “leaning tower of pisa” translations and entries torre di Pisa, torre pendente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
