letteratura
/let.te.raˈtu.ra/feminine
The English phrase 'literature' is translated into Italian as letteratura.
letteratura refers to the body of all written works.
Meaning: body of all written works (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from lettera (letter) and the suffix -tura (denoting a result or collection), literally meaning the collection of letters.
How does it change in a sentence?
letteratura is a feminine noun, which means that any accompanying adjectives must also be feminine, such as letteratura italiana (Italian literature).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /let.te.raˈtu.ra/. It has 5 syllables, and the stress is on the 4th syllable.
Did you know?
- In an Italian bookstore, the section for 'literature' is typically labeled Narrativa if it focuses on fiction, rather than using the word letteratura itself.
- Italian often distinguishes between letteratura as a general concept and le lettere ('the letters'), which is used specifically to refer to the humanities or the study of classical literature.
- The word letterato is used to describe someone who is well-read or a man of letters, but it can sometimes carry a sarcastic tone implying that a person is overly pretentious.
Examples in context
- Io amo la letteratura.I love literature.This sentence is useful for expressing a personal love for literature using letteratura.Tatoeba #13297358 by Guybrush88, translation #11415494 by Agestur
- È brava in letteratura.You are good at literature.This sentence is useful for describing someone's proficiency in literature using letteratura.Tatoeba #3891494 by Guybrush88, translation #1828479 by Amastan
- Lui ama la letteratura.He loves literature.This sentence is useful for stating that someone else loves literature using letteratura.Tatoeba #13932186 by unforgiven95, translation #11415495 by Agestur
- La letteratura italiana è famosa in tutto il mondo.Italian literature is famous worldwide.
- Gli studenti studiano molte opere letterarie durante il corso.The students study many literary works during the course.
- Mi piace leggere libri di fantascienza.I like to read science fiction books.
- 95 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Chiara are discussing their university courses.
- AlessandroTi piace la letteratura moderna?Do you like modern literature?
- ChiaraSì, è la mia materia preferita.Yes, it is my favorite subject.
- AlessandroAllora studierai molto questa settimana.Then you will study a lot this week.
- ChiaraSpero di finire presto i libri.I hope to finish the books soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “literature” translations and entries letteratura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
