torba
/ˈtɔr.ba/feminine
The English word 'peat' is torba in Italian.
torba refers to the soil known as peat.
Meaning: soil (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
torba is a feminine noun. Its plural form is torbe.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈtɔr.ba/.
Did you know?
- While torba refers to the soil, the very similar word turba refers to a mob or a tumultuous crowd. Using the wrong vowel can accidentally change your description of a garden into a description of a riot.
- The Italian word torba was borrowed from the French word tourbe, which itself came from a Frankish term. This shows how Northern European agricultural terms moved south into the Italian language.
- Though it is a feminine noun, the plural form torbe is used rarely in common speech, as torba is typically treated as an uncountable mass noun, much like 'soil' or 'water' in English.
Examples in context
- La torba è usata in giardinaggio.Peat is used in gardening.
- Questa torba è ottima per le piante.This peat is excellent for plants.
- Ho comprato un sacco di torba.I bought a bag of peat.
- La torba trattiene bene l'umidità.Peat retains moisture well.
Example conversation
Alessandro and Chiara are at a garden center.
- AlessandroChiara, serve della torba per il giardino.Chiara, we need some peat for the garden.
- ChiaraHai già preso la torba?Have you already gotten the peat?
- AlessandroNo, devo ancora prenderla.No, I still have to get it.
- ChiaraAndiamo allora, così la prendiamo subito.Let's go then, so we can get it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “peat” translations and entries torba, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries torba, CC BY-SA 4.0.
