fulmine
/ˈful.mi.ne/masculine
In Italian, lightning is translated as fulmine. Wiktionary also lists lampo and saetta.
Meaning: discharge (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fulmine | /ˈful.mi.ne/ | masculine |
| lampo | /ˈlam.po/ | masculine |
| saetta | /saˈet.ta/ | feminine |
The word fulmine refers to the electrical discharge itself. It is also used in the common idiom veloce come un fulmine, which means 'fast as lightning'.
Which one should you use?
While fulmine refers to the discharge, lampo specifically refers to the visual flash of lightning. Additionally, saetta is often used to describe the visual shape of a lightning bolt or a sudden, striking flash.
How does it change in a sentence?
Fulmine is a masculine noun. Its plural form is fulmini. Saetta is a feminine noun. Its plural form is saette.
How do you pronounce it?
The word fulmine is pronounced /ˈful.mi.ne/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the phrase colpo di fulmine literally means 'lightning strike' but is the standard way to say 'love at first sight'.
- The word fulmine comes from the Latin fulmen, which was specifically associated with the thunderbolts of the god Jupiter.
- In Italian, a 'flash' of insight or a sudden realization is often called a lampo di genio, meaning 'a flash of genius'.
Examples in context
- È veloce come un fulmine.She's as fast as lightning.This sentence shows the idiom for being very fast using fulmine.Tatoeba #10231929 by Guybrush88, translation #6328572 by sundown
- Il fulmine precede il tuono.Lightning precedes thunder.This sentence describes the relationship between fulmine and thunder.Tatoeba #7671057 by Guybrush88, translation #27161 by CK
- Tom fu colpito da un fulmine.Tom was hit by lightning.This sentence describes being struck by fulmine.Tatoeba #2822775 by Guybrush88, translation #2821491 by CK
- Durante la tempesta, il fulmine illuminava il cielo.During the storm, the lightning illuminated the sky.
- L'artista descrisse il suo dipinto come un trionfo di colori e saette.The artist described his painting as a triumph of colors and lightning.
- Quando ho visto il temporale, ho pensato: 'Che spettacolo di saette!'When I saw the thunderstorm, I thought: 'What a show of lightning!'
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Martina are watching a thunderstorm from a window.
- FrancescoGuarda, c'è stato un fulmine enorme!Look, there was a huge lightning bolt!
- MartinaSì, è caduto proprio vicino all'albero.Yes, it struck right near the tree.
- FrancescoSperiamo che il fulmine non abbia causato incendi.I hope the lightning didn't cause any fires.
- MartinaHai ragione, Francesco, è davvero pericoloso.You're right, Francesco, it's really dangerous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lightning” translations and entries fulmine, lampo, saetta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fulmine, lampo, saetta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
