collo
/ˈkɔl.lo/masculine
The Italian word for neck is collo.
collo is a masculine noun used to refer to the part of the body that connects the head and the trunk.
Meaning: part of body connecting the head and the trunk (noun)
Which one should you use?
While collo refers to the neck in an anatomical sense, you should use nuca if you are referring specifically to the back of the neck or the nape.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing that you have pain in your neck, you use the preposition a with the indirect object, as seen in the phrase Ho male al collo.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈkɔl.lo/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word collo is used in the expression mettersi il collo al cappio, which literally means to put one's neck in a noose and describes taking a huge risk.
- The word collo shares a common ancestor with the English word 'collar', as both stems relate to the idea of 'turning' or revolving.
- If you describe someone as having a 'collo lungo', you might be complimenting their elegance, as a long neck is often associated with grace in Italian aesthetics.
Examples in context
- Ho male al collo.My neck hurts.This sentence is useful for expressing physical discomfort in the collo.Tatoeba #3258519 by Guybrush88, translation #2471465 by Hybrid
- Mi baciò il collo.He kissed my neck.This sentence is useful for describing an action performed on the collo.Tatoeba #7263982 by Guybrush88, translation #2260273 by Hybrid
- Ahi! Il mio collo!Ow! My neck!This sentence is useful for expressing sudden pain in the collo.Tatoeba #11152625 by Guybrush88, translation #10268850 by shekitten
- Ha una bella collana intorno al collo.She has a beautiful necklace around her neck.
- Sono tesa e ho i muscoli della nuca contratti.I'm tense, and my neck muscles are strained.
- Oggi mi fa male la cervicale.Today my neck hurts.
- Gli ho consigliato di fare degli esercizi per alleviare i dolori cervicali.I advised him to do some exercises to relieve neck pain.
- 67 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina is helping Francesco with a scarf.
- MartinaQuesta sciarpa è troppo stretta intorno al collo.This scarf is too tight around your neck.
- FrancescoHai ragione, non riesco a respirare bene.You're right, I can't breathe well.
- MartinaSposta il collo un po' a destra.Move your neck a bit to the right.
- FrancescoEcco, ora va molto meglio, grazie Martina.There, now it's much better, thanks Martina.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “neck” translations and entries collo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries collo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
