oliva
/oˈli.va/feminine
The Italian word for olive is oliva.
oliva refers to the fruit itself. When you want to describe the color olive, use the phrase verde oliva.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Which one should you use?
oliva is used for the fruit, whereas olivo is the masculine noun used to refer specifically to the olive tree. When speaking informally, you might encounter the term olivetta to refer to a single olive.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
oliva is a feminine noun. The plural form of the noun is olive.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /oˈli.va/.
Did you know?
- The word oliva is a cognate of the English 'olive', but it traces its ancient roots back to the Etruscan word eleiva before it entered Latin.
- In Italian culture, the olivo is a profound symbol of peace and longevity, often appearing in art and poetry to represent the enduring spirit of the Mediterranean.
- In some Italian regions, the process of harvesting the olive is a communal social event involving entire families, often accompanied by specific local songs and feasts.
Examples in context
- Questo è olio d'oliva.This is olive oil.This sentence shows how to use oliva when identifying olive oil.Tatoeba #13284328 by Guybrush88, translation #8962729 by CK
- Ha dell'olio di oliva?Do you have any olive oil?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has olive oil using the form oliva.Tatoeba #13284352 by Guybrush88, translation #12210588 by CK
- Mi piace l'olio d'oliva.I like olive oil.This sentence demonstrates expressing a preference for olive oil using the form oliva.Tatoeba #6609534 by Guybrush88, translation #6922437 by CK
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A small market in Italy where Sofia and Alessandro are shopping.
- SofiaQuesta oliva è molto grande.This olive is very big.
- AlessandroSì, ma è un po' verde, Sofia.Yes, but it is a bit green, Sofia.
- SofiaPreferisco l'oliva nera, Alessandro.I prefer the black olive, Alessandro.
- AlessandroAllora prendiamo quelle nere.Then let's take the black ones.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “olive” translations and entries oliva, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oliva, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
