peculiare
/pe.kuˈlja.re/
The English phrase peculiar can be translated into Italian using peculiare, strano or particolare.
Meaning: out of the ordinary (adj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| peculiare | /pe.kuˈlja.re/ |
| strano | /ˈstra.no/ |
| particolare | /par.ti.koˈla.re/ |
These words are used to describe things that are out of the ordinary.
Which one should you use?
The choice between these words depends on the nuance you wish to convey. Peculiare is most commonly used in a formal sense to mean 'characteristic of' or 'specific to' a certain person or thing. Particolare can mean particular or specific, and it is often used as a neutral euphemism to describe something as unusual or peculiar without being explicitly negative.
How do you pronounce it?
The word peculiare has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /pe.kuˈlja.re/.
Did you know?
- The Italian word strano shares its roots with the English word 'extraneous', both deriving from the Latin for 'external' or 'outside'.
- Calling a person peculiare in Italian is often a compliment about their unique characteristics, whereas calling them strano is more likely to be seen as a critique of their oddity.
- In Italian, particolare can be used as a noun to mean a 'detail' or a 'feature' of an object, not just as an adjective.
Examples in context
- Questo yogurt ha un sapore particolare.This yoghurt tastes peculiar.This sentence uses particolare to describe a taste.Tatoeba #13312618 by Guybrush88, translation #11948996 by sundown
- L'uomo che vive accanto a Tom è piuttosto strano.The man who lives next to Tom is quite peculiar.This sentence uses strano to describe a person.Tatoeba #6473487 by Guybrush88, translation #3345373 by patgfisher
- È un comportamento stranoIt is peculiar behavior.
- Una cosa stranaA peculiar thing.
- Un caso particolareA peculiar case.
- Un odore particolareA peculiar smell.
- Un tipo stramboA peculiar guy.
- Una scelta strambaA peculiar choice.
- Una situazione bizzarraA peculiar situation.
- Un'idea bizzarraA peculiar idea.
- Una reazione particolare ma strambaA peculiar but quirky reaction.
- È un caso peculiare nella storia del paese.It is a peculiar case in the country's history.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo are discussing an unusual piece of art in a museum.
- SofiaQuesto quadro ha uno stile peculiare.This painting has a peculiar style.
- LorenzoSì, è molto diverso dagli altri.Yes, it is very different from the others.
- SofiaTi piace l'idea di un artista così originale?Do you like the idea of such an original artist?
- LorenzoSì, lo trovo molto interessante.Yes, I find it very interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “peculiar” translations and entries peculiare, strano, particolare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries particolare, peculiare, strano, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
