pastiglia
/pasˈtiʎ.ʎa/
The Italian word for lozenge is pastiglia.
pastiglia refers to a medicated sweet. You can use the phrase pastiglia per la gola to specifically mean a throat lozenge, or use caramella medicata to specify a medicated lozenge.
Meaning: medicated sweet (noun)
Which one should you use?
While pastiglia can mean a lozenge, it is also used as a general term for a small pill or tablet.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of pastiglia is pastiglie.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /pasˈtiʎ.ʎa/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word pastiglia is also used in art history to describe a technique of applying raised relief ornaments made of gesso and glue to furniture or panels.
- Unlike the English 'lozenge', which describes the diamond shape, pastiglia refers to the consistency of the material, coming from the word for 'paste'.
- The word pastiglia is a linguistic sibling to the Italian word pastello, which refers to a pastell or a crayon.
Examples in context
- Per favore, mi passi una pastiglia per il mal di gola?Could you please pass me a lozenge for a sore throat?
- Non riesco a trovare le caramelle medicinali nel negozio.I can't find the lozenges at the store.
- Mi passi una caramella per il mal di gola?Could you pass me a lozenge for a sore throat?
- Vuoi una caramella medicata?Do you want a medicated lozenge?
- Prendi una pastiglia per calmare la tosse.Take a lozenge to soothe your cough.
- Prendo una pastiglia per la gola.I am taking a throat lozenge.
- Hai una pastiglia per la tosse?Do you have a cough lozenge?
- Questa pastiglia al miele è molto dolce.This honey lozenge is very sweet.
Example conversation
Chiara is feeling unwell and asks Francesco for help.
- ChiaraFrancesco, mi fa male la gola.Francesco, my throat hurts.
- FrancescoVuoi una pastiglia per la tosse?Do you want a cough lozenge?
- ChiaraSì, grazie, ne ho proprio bisogno.Yes, please, I really need one.
- FrancescoEccola, prendila subito.Here it is, take it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lozenge” translations and entries pastiglia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pastiglia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
