pane
/ˈpa.ne/
The Italian word for bread is pane.
The word pane means bread. You may also encounter related terms such as un panino, which refers to a sandwich or the expression Guadagnarsi il pane, which means to earn one's bread. Another common expression is Avere le mani in pasta, which literally translates to 'to have your hands in the dough' and is used to describe being involved in something. To speak directly and honestly, one might use the phrase Pane al pane e vino al vino, which translates to 'bread to bread, wine to wine'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Piedmont region, the informal term michetta is used to refer to a specific type of bread roll.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to refer to an unspecified amount of bread, use the partitive article to form del pane (some bread). The plural form i pani is used specifically when referring to different types or varieties of bread.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈpa.ne/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In many traditional Italian households, it is considered bad luck to place a loaf of pane upside down on the table.
- The word pane can be used as a metaphor for a person's character, such as calling someone un pezzo di pane to describe them as incredibly kind.
- The word pane shares an ancient-sounding root with the English word 'food', as both descend from the Proto-Indo-European root *peh₂- which meant 'to feed'.
Examples in context
- Grazie per il pane, signora.Thank you for the bread, madam.
- Mi scusi, potrebbe passarmi il pane?Excuse me, could you pass me the bread?
- Hai comprato la pagnotta di oggi?Did you buy today's loaf of bread?
- Mangia il pane, ma non dimenticare di goderti anche tutto il percorso!Eat the bread, but don't forget to enjoy the journey as well!
- Vorrei un pezzo di pane.I would like a piece of bread.
- Il pane è appena sfornato.The bread has just been baked.
- Non dimenticare di comprare il pane.Don't forget to buy the bread.
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
- GiuliaLorenzo, c'è del pane fresco?Lorenzo, is there any fresh bread?
- LorenzoSì, ho appena comprato del pane.Yes, I just bought some bread.
- GiuliaOttimo, lo prendo per la colazione.Great, I'll take it for breakfast.
- LorenzoVuoi anche un po' di burro?Do you want some butter too?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pane, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pane, CC BY-SA 4.0.
