carta assorbente
feminine
The English phrase "paper towel" is translated into Italian as carta assorbente. Wiktionary also lists carta da cucina.
Meaning: paper used in kitchens (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| carta assorbente | feminine | |
| carta da cucina | /ˈkar.ta da kuˈt͡ʃi.na/ (word by word) | feminine |
What does it mean word for word?
The term carta assorbente literally translates to "absorbent paper", while carta da cucina translates to "paper for the kitchen".
Which one should you use?
Carta assorbente is a descriptive term that focuses specifically on the paper's ability to absorb liquids. In contrast, carta da cucina is a more common and functional way to refer to paper towels within a household context.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both carta assorbente and carta da cucina are feminine nouns.
Did you know?
- The adjective assorbente is also the standard term for sanitary napkins and tampons in Italian.
- In Italy, Scottex is so dominant that people use the brand name to mean any paper towel, similar to how English speakers might say 'Kleenex' for any tissue.
- The word carta shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'chart', as both stem from the Greek word for papyrus.
Examples in context
- Puoi portarmi un asciugamano di carta, per favore?Can you bring me a paper towel, please?
- Mi passi l'asciugatutto?Can you pass me the paper towel?
- Dovremmo comprare degli asciugatutto per la cucinaWe should buy some paper towels for the kitchen
- Mi serve un po' di carta assorbente.I need some paper towel.
- Hai preso la carta assorbente per pulire il tavolo?Did you get the paper towel to clean the table?
- Usa la carta assorbente per asciugare l'acqua.Use the paper towel to dry the water.
Example conversation
Chiara and Matteo are cleaning the kitchen counter.
- ChiaraMatteo, c'è del latte versato sul tavolo.Matteo, there is some milk spilled on the table.
- MatteoPrendo subito la carta assorbente.I'll get the paper towel right away.
- ChiaraGrazie, pulisci bene tutto il bordo.Thanks, clean the whole edge well.
- MatteoFatto, ora è tutto pulito.Done, now everything is clean.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “paper towel” translations and entries carta assorbente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (carta, da, cucina) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carta, cucina, da, CC BY-SA 4.0.
