ritratto
/riˈtrat.to/masculine
The English word 'portrait' is translated into Italian as ritratto.
The term ritratto is used to describe a painting of a person, a drawing or a photographic portrait.
Meaning: painting of a person (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word ritratto is a masculine noun. To form the plural, change the final vowel to create ritratti.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The pronunciation is /riˈtrat.to/.
Did you know?
- During the Italian Renaissance, the ritratto di profilo was particularly prestigious because it imitated the style of ancient Roman coins.
- In Italian, a person who describes another person so vividly that it feels like a painting is called a ritratto parlante, or a 'speaking portrait'.
- The word ritratto shares its Latin root with the English word 'retract', meaning to draw back or pull back.
Examples in context
- Sa di chi è questo ritratto?Do you know whose portrait this is?This sentence is useful for asking who the subject of a ritratto is.Tatoeba #10469931 by Guybrush88, translation #10039039 by ddnktr
- Questo è un ritratto del mio defunto padre.This is a portrait of my late father.This sentence is useful for identifying a ritratto of a deceased relative.Tatoeba #4608529 by Guybrush88, translation #55402 by papabear
- Questo ritratto è quasi grande come la vita.This portrait is nearly as large as life.This sentence is useful for describing the scale of a ritratto.Tatoeba #3269496 by Guybrush88, translation #58442 by CM
- Mi piace il tuo ritrattoI like your portrait
- Mi sto facendo fare un ritrattoI'm having a portrait made
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Lorenzo are in an art gallery.
- MartinaGuarda questo bellissimo ritratto, Lorenzo.Look at this beautiful portrait, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoSì, è davvero impressionante.Yes, it is truly impressive.
- MartinaSecondo te chi è il soggetto?Who do you think is the subject?
- LorenzoForse è un nobile del passato.Perhaps it is a nobleman from the past.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “portrait” translations and entries ritratto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ritratto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
