Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| piacere | /pjaˈt͡ʃe.re/ | masculine |
| piacimento | /pja.t͡ʃiˈmen.to/ | masculine |
| goduria | /ɡoˈdu.rja/ | feminine |
piacere refers to a state of being pleased. Note that the word piacere can function both as a noun meaning 'pleasure' and as an infinitive verb meaning 'to be pleasing to someone'.
Which one should you use?
While piacere is the general term for pleasure, goduria refers to a much more intense, often physical or sensory, sense of pleasure or bliss. piacimento is used to describe a whim, a liking or the act of pleasing someone, rather than the abstract state of pleasure itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a noun, piacere is a masculine noun. The form piacimento is also masculine, while goduria is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of piacere is /pjaˈtʃe.re/. It has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable.
When do people say it?
È un piacere is a common polite way to respond to a thank you, similar to saying 'My pleasure' in English.
Did you know?
- The word piacere is a linguistic relative of the English word 'placebo', which comes from the Latin 'placere' meaning 'to please'.
- When Italians introduce themselves, they often say piacere as a shorthand for piacere di conoscerti, meaning 'pleasure to meet you'.
- While piacere is a general term, the word goduria is so intense that it often carries a strong sexual connotation in modern Italian.
Examples in context
- Il piacere è mio.The pleasure is mine.This sentence shows how to say 'The pleasure is mine' using piacere.Tatoeba #2701762 by Guybrush88, translation #240653 by Eldad
- È stato un piacere.It's been a pleasure.This sentence shows how to say 'It's been a pleasure' using piacere.Tatoeba #2847695 by Guybrush88, translation #2547650 by CK
- Il piacere era mio.The pleasure was mine.This sentence shows how to say 'The pleasure was mine' using piacere.Tatoeba #6849588 by Guybrush88, translation #3531754 by CK
- Buongiorno, signora Rossi. È un piacere conoscerla finalmente. Sono il nuovo direttore della società.Good morning, Mrs. Rossi. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I am the new director of the company.
- Grazie ancora per l'appuntamento. È stato un piacere parlare con lei.Thank you again for the appointment. It was a pleasure talking to you.
- Ciao, sono Marco. Piacere di conoscerti.Hi, I'm Marco. Nice to meet you.
- È stato un piacere chiacchierare con te. Mi sono divertito molto.It was a pleasure chatting with you. I had lots of fun.
- Sono molto contenta di avere la tua amicizia.I'm very happy to have your friendship.
- 125 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Giulia are meeting for the first time at a party.
- AlessandroPiacere di conoscerti, Giulia.Pleasure to meet you, Giulia.
- GiuliaAnche per me è un piacere, Alessandro.It is a pleasure for me too, Alessandro.
- AlessandroSpero che tu ti stia divertendo.I hope you are having fun.
- GiuliaSì, è un vero piacere essere qui.Yes, it is a real pleasure to be here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pleasure” translations and entries piacere, piacimento, goduria, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries goduria, piacere, piacimento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
