perla
/ˈpɛr.la/feminine
The English word pearl is translated into Italian as perla.
perla is a feminine noun used to refer to a rounded, shelly concretion produced by certain mollusks.
Meaning: rounded shelly concretion produced by certain mollusks (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of perla is perle.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpɛr.la/. The stress is on the first of the two syllables.
Did you know?
- In a figurative sense, perla can be used ironically in Italian to describe a particularly ridiculous or absurd statement made by someone.
- The term perla was used by the printer Jean Jannon in the 1620s to name a specific miniature font used for his tiny editions of classical texts.
- Calling a person a perla is a high compliment in Italian, suggesting they possess a rarity of kindness, grace or perfection.
Examples in context
- Ci si riferisce spesso alle Hawaii come "la perla del Pacifico".Hawaii is often referred to as "The Pearl of the Pacific."This sentence shows how perla is used in a metaphorical sense to describe a location.Tatoeba #1999653 by Guybrush88, translation #34967 by mailohilohi
- Mi piace indossare una collana con una perla.I like to wear a necklace with a pearl.
- Ho trovato questa piccola perla sulla spiaggia.I found this little pearl on the beach.
- La perla brilla nel mare.The pearl shines in the sea.
- Ha trovato una perla rara.She found a rare pearl.
Example conversation
At a jewelry shop, Sofia is looking at a necklace.
- SofiaQuesta perla è bellissima, Francesco.This pearl is beautiful, Francesco.
- FrancescoSì, è una perla molto bianca.Yes, it is a very white pearl.
- SofiaQuanto costa questa perla?How much does this pearl cost?
- FrancescoCosta molto, ma ne vale la pena.It costs a lot, but it is worth it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pearl” translations and entries perla, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries perla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
