Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| reale | /reˈa.le/ |
| regale | /reˈɡa.le/ |
Both terms relate to a monarch or their family, but they are applied to different contexts. Use reale for official or institutional matters, such as things belonging to the monarchy's administration or physical assets.
Which one should you use?
The choice between the two depends on whether you are being official or descriptive. Use reale for institutional things like a royal palace or a royal decree. In contrast, use regale to describe something that possesses the qualities of a monarch, such as a majestic atmosphere or a stately manner. While reale is the standard term for the institution, regale evokes elegance and opulence.
How do you pronounce it?
The word reale is pronounced /reˈa.le/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- Because reale can mean both 'royal' and 'actual', Italian speakers may use the word in philosophical discussions about 'real' existence.
- The two words are 'doublets', meaning they are siblings that grew from the same Latin ancestor but developed different personalities in Italian.
- The word reale entered the Italian language through multiple paths, including direct borrowing from Spanish real.
Examples in context
- È una lettera reale.It's a royal letter.Tatoeba #13778317 by Guybrush88, translation #13368038 by Igider
- Tom è al palazzo reale.Tom is at the royal palace.Tatoeba #13472645 by Guybrush88, translation #13472636 by rul
- Ritornò al castello reale.He returned to the royal castle.Tatoeba #11798580 by Guybrush88, translation #7480498 by Mithridates
- La famiglia realeThe royal family
- Una cena regaleA royal dinner
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Alessandro are visiting a museum.
- ChiaraGuarda questo splendido vestito reale!Look at this splendid royal dress!
- AlessandroÈ davvero bellissimo, Chiara.It is truly beautiful, Chiara.
- ChiaraAppartiene a una famiglia reale antica.It belongs to an ancient royal family.
- AlessandroIl dettaglio del tessuto è incredibile.The detail of the fabric is incredible.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “royal” translations and entries reale, regale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries reale, regale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
