parcheggio a spina di pesce
/parˈked.d͡ʒo a ˈspi.na di ˈpeʃ.ʃe/word by word
The English phrase 'parallel parking' is translated into Italian as parcheggio a spina di pesce.
This term refers to the action of parking a vehicle with side parallel to curb.
Meaning: action of parking a vehicle with side parallel to curb (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/parˈked.dʒo a ˈspi.na di ˈpeʃ.ʃe/. The word has 7 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often attempt to translate 'parallel parking' literally as parcheggio in parallelo, but this is not the standard term used in Italy.
Did you know?
- If you are looking for actual 'parallel parking' in an Italian manual, you might see parcheggio in linea or parcheggio parallelo. The term a spina di pesce is actually a common linguistic trap for learners.
- The word spina in this phrase comes from the Latin word for a 'sharp point' or 'thorn'.
- The Italian language uses the same 'fishbone' imagery (a spina di pesce) to describe the specific way a certain type of diagram or architectural layout is organized.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are in a car looking for a spot.
- LorenzoGuarda, c'è un posto per il parcheggio a spina di pesce.Look, there is a spot for parallel parking.
- GiuliaPuoi farlo tu, Lorenzo?Can you do it, Lorenzo?
- LorenzoCerto, non è così complicato.Sure, it's not that complicated.
- GiuliaPerfetto, allora prova a entrare.Perfect, then try to pull in.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (parcheggio, a, spina, di, pesce) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, di, parcheggio, pesce, spina, CC BY-SA 4.0.
