caccia al tesoro
/ˈkat.t͡ʃa al teˈzɔ.ro/word by wordfeminine
The English phrase "scavenger hunt" is translated into Italian as caccia al tesoro.
Meaning: game (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'hunt for the treasure'.
Which one should you use?
While English distinguishes between a 'treasure hunt' and a 'scavenger hunt', Italian uses caccia al tesoro for both types of games.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, you change the noun caccia to cacce, resulting in cacce al tesoro.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈkat.tʃa al teˈzɔ.ro/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word tesoro is frequently used as a term of endearment for partners or children, similar to the English 'honey' or 'sweetheart'.
- The word caccia shares the same root as the English words 'chase' and 'catch', highlighting a common linguistic ancestor in the way we describe pursuit.
- In many Italian contexts, particularly for children, a caccia al tesoro is often used as a metaphor for a complex puzzle or a long search for a specific person or object.
Examples in context
- Domani organizzeremo una caccia al tesoro per celebrare il compleanno di Marco.Tomorrow we will organize a scavenger hunt to celebrate Marco's birthday.
- La prossima caccia al tesoro avrà come tema la storia romana, e dovremo risolvere enigmi lungo la Via Appia Antica.The next scavenger hunt will have a Roman history theme, and we will have to solve riddles along the Ancient Appian Way.
- Organizziamo una caccia al tesoro per il compleanno di Marco.Let's organize a scavenger hunt for Marco's birthday.
- Organizziamo una caccia al tesoro per il compleanno.We are organizing a scavenger hunt for the birthday.
- La caccia al tesoro è molto divertente.The scavenger hunt is very fun.
- Hai vinto la caccia al tesoro con il tuo team.You won the scavenger hunt with your team.
Example conversation
Francesco and Martina are planning a party at home.
- FrancescoMartina, che idea hai per la festa?Martina, what idea do you have for the party?
- MartinaPotremmo fare una caccia al tesoro!We could do a scavenger hunt!
- FrancescoÈ un'ottima idea, ci divertiremo molto.It is a great idea, we will have a lot of fun.
- MartinaSì, prepara subito i biglietti per la caccia al tesoro.Yes, prepare the clues for the scavenger hunt right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scavenger hunt” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (caccia, al, tesoro) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caccia, tesoro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
