Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| pisciare | |
| orinare | /o.riˈna.re/ |
| mingere | /ˈmin.d͡ʒe.re/ |
These terms describe the act of urinating. While pisciare is a blunt and vulgar way to say 'to pee', you can also use the more neutral or clinical orinare or the very rare mingere. For a gentle, common and non-vulgar way to say 'to pee', often used when speaking with children or in relaxed, casual settings, you can use the phrase fare la pipì.
Which one should you use?
pisciare is a vulgar and blunt term, whereas orinare is the standard, non-vulgar term similar to the English 'to urinate'. mingere is a rare form of the verb.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
pisciare is considered crude and should be avoided in formal settings or polite company. If you want to be more polite, use orinare or the gentle, informal phrase fare la pipì.
How does it change in a sentence?
pisciare is a regular -are verb in its infinitive form.
Did you know?
- The vulgar term pisciare is thought to be onomatopoeic, mimicking the actual sound of the liquid hitting a surface.
- Because pisciare is so blunt, it is frequently used in colorful idioms to describe something that happens very easily or without effort.
- The word pipì is a reduplication, a linguistic feature where a sound is repeated to create a 'baby talk' version of a word to make it sound cute or harmless.
Examples in context
- Ho bisogno di pisciare.I need to pee.This sentence shows how to express the need to use the bathroom with pisciare.Tatoeba #4146475 by Guybrush88, translation #3379282 by aengelberg
- Lo sai che devo pisciare seduto come una donna?Do you know that I have to pee sitting down like a woman?This sentence uses pisciare in a conversational context.Tatoeba #11741738 by Nuel, translation #11741737 by Nuel
- Scusa, devo fare pipì. Dove è il bagno?Sorry, I need to pee. Where is the bathroom?
- Nonna, posso andare a fare la pipì?Grandma, can I go pee?
- Mi scuso, devo urinare. C'è un bagno qui vicino?Excuse me, I need to pee. Is there a restroom nearby?
- Andiamo, ragazzi! Beviamo tanta acqua, ma prima di partire dobbiamo fare una pipì.Let's go, guys! Let's drink lots of water, but before we leave, we need to go pee.
- Ho bevuto un litro d'acqua, devo fare la pipì come un cavallo!I drank a liter of water, I have to pee like a horse!
- Vado a pisciare un attimo.I'm going to pee for a moment.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are driving in a car and need to stop.
- MartinaLorenzo, mi scappa troppo, devo pisciare subito!Lorenzo, I really have to go, I need to pee right now!
- LorenzoCerca di resistere, c'è un benzinaio tra un chilometro.Try to hold it, there is a gas station in a kilometer.
- MartinaNon ce la faccio, fermati!I can't do it, stop!
- LorenzoVa bene, va bene, mi fermo subito.Alright, alright, I'm stopping immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pee” translations and entries pisciare, orinare, mingere, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mingere, orinare, pisciare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
