Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pentola | /ˈpen.to.la/ /ˈpɛn.to.la/ |
feminine |
| marmitta | /marˈmit.ta/ | |
| pignatta | /piɲˈɲat.ta/ | |
| vaso | /ˈva.zo/ | masculine |
In Italian, different words are used for a pot depending on whether it is meant for cooking, decoration or mechanical use. While the general concept is a vessel for cooking or storing food, the specific term changes based on the material and purpose.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends entirely on what the pot is used for. Use pentola specifically for a cooking pot used on a stove. Use vaso for a pot used for plants, such as a flower pot or for a decorative vase. If you are referring specifically to a traditional earthenware or clay pot, use pignatta.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun pentola becomes pentole in the plural. The masculine noun vaso becomes vasi in the plural.
How do you pronounce it?
pentola is pronounced /ˈpen.to.la/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The term marmitta refers to a specific type of heavy pot, and it is the root of the Italian word for a car's 'exhaust pipe' due to its similar shape.
- The traditional earthenware pot pignatta gets its name from the word pigna, which means 'pinecone'. This is because the ancient pots were fashioned to mimic the rounded shape of a pinecone.
- A pignatta is not just a pot but a symbol of rural tradition, often used for slow-cooking stews in historical Italian country kitchens.
Examples in context
- Il vaso di fiori è rotto.The flower pot is broken.This sentence shows how to describe a broken vaso used for flowers.Tatoeba #12764236 by Guybrush88, translation #4809465 by mervert1
- Il vaso di fiori era rotto.The flower pot was broken.This sentence uses the past tense to describe a broken vaso used for flowers.Tatoeba #12764280 by Guybrush88, translation #12365351 by Miktsoanit
- Nel vaso c'è una rosa rossa.There's a red rose in the pot.This sentence describes a red rose inside a vaso.Tatoeba #1267947 by rado, translation #1311870 by Luornu
- Mi passi la pentola? Devo preparare la zuppa.Could you pass me the pot? I need to prepare the soup.
- Ho preparato una deliziosa pasta nel mio pentolone.I cooked a delicious pasta in my big pot.
- Durante il Carnevale, abbiamo rotto la pignatta piena di caramelle.During Carnival, we broke the pot full of candies.
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are in the kitchen preparing lunch.
- MatteoDove hai messo la pentola grande?Where did you put the large pot?
- MartinaÈ dentro il mobile della cucina.It is inside the kitchen cabinet.
- MatteoVa bene, la prendo subito.Okay, I will get it right away.
- MartinaGrazie, la pentola serve per la pasta.Thanks, the pot is needed for the pasta.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pot” translations and entries pentola, marmitta, pignatta, vaso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pentola, pignatta, vaso, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
