roccia
/ˈrɔt.t͡ʃa/feminine
The English word "rock" is translated into Italian as roccia.
roccia refers to a large stone or boulder.
Meaning: large stone or boulder (noun)
Which one should you use?
While roccia refers to a large rock or a geological formation, pietra is more commonly used for a smaller stone or a generic piece of stone.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of the feminine noun roccia is rocce.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable: /ˈrɔt.tʃa/.
Did you know?
- The Italian word for 'rock music' is simply rock, borrowed directly from English, because musica roccia would sound like music made of stones.
- The word roccia is a doublet of rocca, which means 'fortress'. This reflects the historical practice of building defensive strongholds atop high rocky cliffs.
- While roccia describes geological formations, Italians use the word scoglio to describe a rock that rises out of the sea, often used in the context of sailing or fishing.
Examples in context
- Vivi sotto una roccia?Do you live under a rock?This sentence is useful for asking if someone lives under a rock.Tatoeba #9714706 by Guybrush88, translation #9189852 by DJ_Saidez
- Era duro come una roccia.It was as hard as rock.This sentence is useful for comparing something's hardness to a rock.Tatoeba #3870778 by Guybrush88, translation #1264349 by CK
- Tom sedeva su una roccia.Tom sat down on a rock.This sentence is useful for describing someone sitting on a rock.Tatoeba #5693917 by Guybrush88, translation #2546362 by CK
- La roccia si erode con il passare del tempo.The rock erodes over time.
- Siamo stati costretti a spostare quel enorme macigno.We had to move that enormous rock.
- Camminava lungo la spiaggia raccogliendo quanti più sassi poteva.He walked along the beach, collecting as many rocks as he could.
- Ieri ho trovato un masso speciale sul fiume.Yesterday, I found a special rock by the river.
- Quelle pietre sulle Dolomiti sono molto scivolose.Those rocks in the Dolomites are very slippery.
- 48 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are hiking in the mountains.
- FrancescoGuarda che bella roccia rossa!Look at that beautiful red rock!
- ChiaraSì, è davvero enorme.Yes, it is really huge.
- FrancescoPossiamo arrampicare su quella roccia?Can we climb on that rock?
- ChiaraNo, Francesco, è troppo pericoloso.No, Francesco, it is too dangerous.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rock” translations and entries roccia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries roccia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
