peluche
The English phrase 'soft toy' is translated into Italian as peluche.
peluche refers to a soft toy made of fabric and stuffed with fluffy material. It is frequently used in informal contexts when referring to any soft toy. You may also use the phrase giocattolo imbottito to mean 'stuffed toy'.
Which one should you use?
Peluchetto is an informal, affectionate way to refer to a small, adorable plush animal.
How does it change in a sentence?
peluche is a masculine noun. It is invariable in number, meaning the word itself does not change when pluralized. For example, the plural 'the soft toys' is i peluche.
Did you know?
- In Italy, if a person is described as un peluche, it is often a metaphorical way of saying they are overly sweet, soft-hearted or lacking a 'backbone'.
- The term peluche originally referred to a specific type of soft, tufted fabric rather than the toy itself, a linguistic history it carries over from the French language.
- The word pupazzo can create confusion for English speakers because it describes everything from a small plush toy to a giant parade float or a scarecrow.
Examples in context
- Ho comprato un bellissimo peluche al negozio di giocattoli.I bought a beautiful plush toy at the toy store.
- Il bambino adora i suoi peluchetti.The child loves his plush toys.
- La bambina stringeva forte il peluchetto di orsacchiotto.The little girl held the teddy bear plushie tightly.
- Ho comprato un nuovo peluche per il bambino.I bought a new soft toy for the baby.
- Il mio peluche preferito è un orsetto.My favorite soft toy is a little bear.
- Dove hai messo il peluche rosa?Where did you put the pink soft toy?
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are tidying up a child's bedroom.
- SofiaMatteo, hai visto il mio peluche?Matteo, have you seen my soft toy?
- MatteoSì, è sul letto.Yes, it is on the bed.
- SofiaGrazie, è molto morbido.Thanks, it is very soft.
- MatteoLo adoro anche io.I love it too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry peluche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries peluche, CC BY-SA 4.0.
