pelle
/ˈpɛl.le/
The Italian word for leather is pelle.
pelle refers to the material produced by tanning animal skin. It is the standard term used when discussing fashion goods.
Meaning: material produced by tanning animal skin (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word pelle is ambiguous as it is used for both 'leather' and 'skin' (referring to human or animal skin). If you are specifically looking for the term for suede, use scamosciato.
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing what an object is made of, use the preposition di before pelle, such as in the phrase di pelle.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈpɛl.le/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using cuoio when referring to fashion items. cuoio specifically refers to heavy, thick or industrial leather used for things like boots or saddles.
When do people say it?
The term pelletteria is used in a formal context to refer to the craft or industry of working with leather.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the phrase aver la pelle dura literally means 'to have hard leather' and describes someone who is resilient or tough.
- When someone is extremely frightened, Italians say they have la pelle d'oca, which translates to 'goose leather' or 'goose skin'.
- The English word 'pelisse', a type of woman's cloak, shares the same ancient root as the Italian pelle.
Examples in context
- È fatto di pelle.It's made of leather.This sentence is useful for saying an object is made of pelle.Tatoeba #2034965 by Guybrush88, translation #1541492 by Spamster
- Questi sono di pelle.These are leather.This sentence is useful for stating that certain items are leather using pelle.Tatoeba #9707603 by Guybrush88, translation #9189387 by DJ_Saidez
- Questa borsa è fatta di pelle.This bag is made of leather.This sentence is useful for specifying that a bag is made of pelle.Tatoeba #609564 by Guybrush88, translation #60653 by CK
- Ho comprato una giacca di pelle molto elegante.I bought a very elegant leather jacket.
- Vorrei una borsa in pelle di coccodrillo.I would like a crocodile leather bag.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are shopping for accessories in a boutique.
- MatteoTi piace questa borsa in pelle?Do you like this leather bag?
- MartinaSì, è bellissima, Matteo.Yes, it is beautiful, Matteo.
- MatteoÈ fatta di pelle scamosciata.It is made of suede leather.
- MartinaAllora è molto elegante.Then it is very elegant.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pelle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pelle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
