peperoncino
/pe.pe.ronˈt͡ʃi.no/
The Italian phrase for red pepper is peperoncino.
In Italian, peperoncino is the standard term used when a recipe calls for chili or hot peppers to add heat.
Meaning: red colored pepper (noun)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between types of peppers: peperoncino refers specifically to small, spicy chili peppers, whereas peperone refers to the large, sweet bell peppers.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of peperoncino is peperoncini.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables and the stress is on the 4th syllable: /pe.pe.ronˈtʃi.no/.
Did you know?
- In some Southern Italian dialects, you might hear the word diavolicchio used instead of peperoncino. This translates to 'little devil', reflecting the intense heat of the pepper.
- The word peperoncino shares a distant root with the English word 'pepper', but both actually derive from the Sanskrit word pippali, referring to long pepper.
- The word peperoncino is often used metaphorically in Italian to describe a person with a fiery, spirited, or even slightly aggressive temperament.
Examples in context
- Vorrei comprare un peperone rosso per la ricetta.I would like to buy a red pepper for the recipe.
- Aggiungiamo del peperoncino al sugo per la pasta.Let's add some red pepper to the pasta sauce.
- Aggiungi un peperoncino alla pasta.Add a red pepper to the pasta.
- Questo peperoncino è molto piccante.This red pepper is very spicy.
- Vuoi del peperoncino nel tuo piatto?Do you want some red pepper in your dish?
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are cooking dinner together in the kitchen.
- LorenzoChiara, hai preso il peperoncino?Chiara, did you get the red pepper?
- ChiaraSì, l'ho messo sul tavolo.Yes, I put it on the table.
- LorenzoOttimo, ne metto un po' nel sugo.Great, I'll put a little bit in the sauce.
- ChiaraFai attenzione, Lorenzo, è molto forte!Be careful, Lorenzo, it is very strong!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry peperoncino, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
