ricetta
/riˈt͡ʃɛt.ta/feminine
The Italian word for recipe is ricetta.
ricetta refers to the instructions used for making or preparing food dishes. Interestingly, this same word is also used to mean a medical prescription.
Meaning: instructions for making or preparing food dishes (noun)
Which one should you use?
While ricetta is the standard term for a single recipe, ricettario refers to a collection of recipes or a recipe book. The diminutive form ricettina can be used to refer to a recipe in an informal way.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the feminine noun ricetta is ricette.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA is /riˈtʃɛt.ta/.
Did you know?
- Italian uses the same word ricetta for a 'formula' or a 'secret for success' when speaking metaphorically about life or business.
- While English uses 'prescription' for medicine and 'recipe' for food, Italian uses ricetta for both, reflecting a history where apothecaries mixed chemicals using similar instructional lists.
- The history of ricetta is rooted in the concept of receiving. It stems from the Latin word recepta, which means 'things received', suggesting a recipe is something one receives or inherits.
Examples in context
- È una buona ricetta.It's a good recipe.This sentence is useful for describing the quality of a ricetta.Tatoeba #13927638 by Guybrush88, translation #13909174 by rul
- Io seguii la ricetta.I followed the recipe.This sentence is useful for describing the action of following a ricetta.Tatoeba #4393955 by Guybrush88, translation #2326541 by CK
- Puoi darmi la ricetta?Can you give me the recipe?This sentence is useful for asking someone to provide a ricetta.Tatoeba #1534639 by Guybrush88, translation #38355 by CK
- Ho seguito la ricetta per preparare il famoso risotto al tartufo.I followed the recipe to make the famous truffle risotto.
- Hai una ricettina segreta per preparare un tiramisù straordinario?Do you have a secret recipe for making an extraordinary tiramisu?
- Ho comprato un nuovo ricettario che contiene molte prelibatezze toscane.I bought a new recipe book that includes many Tuscan delicacies.
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are looking at a cooking magazine in the kitchen.
- MatteoQuesta ricetta sembra deliziosa.This recipe looks delicious.
- SofiaSì, proviamo a farla stasera.Yes, let's try to make it tonight.
- MatteoHai tutti gli ingredienti per la ricetta?Do you have all the ingredients for the recipe?
- SofiaControllo subito la dispensa.I will check the pantry right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “recipe” translations and entries ricetta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ricetta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
