Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| camicia | /kaˈmi.t͡ʃa/ | feminine |
| maglia | /ˈmaʎ.ʎa/ | feminine |
In Italian, the word you choose depends on the style of the garment. camicia is the most common word for a shirt and specifically refers to a button-down or collared dress shirt. To specify gender, you can use camicia da uomo for a men's shirt or camicia da donna for a women's shirt. For casual tops like jerseys, sweaters or T-shirts, the word maglia is used, though maglietta is the more common specific term for a T-shirt.
Which one should you use?
Use camicia for formal or structured button-down shirts. Use maglia for casual items such as T-shirts, jerseys or knitted tops.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both camicia and maglia are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word camicia is pronounced /kaˈmi.tʃa/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- While camicia refers to a shirt today, it historically referred to the 'chemise', a linen undergarment worn by both men and women to protect outer clothing from skin oils.
- The word camicia actually traces its roots back to ancient Germanic languages, rather than coming from Latin.
- In Italian, the word maglia can also refer to a single 'stitch' in knitting or a 'link' in a chain.
Examples in context
- Lavai la mia maglia.I washed my shirt.This sentence is useful for describing the act of washing a maglia.Tatoeba #1055177 by Guybrush88, translation #582687 by CM
- La camicia è sporca.The shirt is dirty.This sentence shows how to describe a camicia that is dirty.Tatoeba #3491202 by Guybrush88, translation #2412934 by fjrjdk
- La camicia è pulita.The shirt is clean.This sentence shows how to describe a camicia that is clean.Tatoeba #4226310 by Guybrush88, translation #10050867 by ddnktr
- Mi piace la tua camicia nuovaI like your new shirt
- Devo comprare una camicia da uomo per mio padreI need to buy a men's shirt for my father
- Ho visto una bellissima camicia da donna nel negozio di modaI saw a beautiful women's shirt in the fashion store
- Ho indossato una maglietta nuova oggiI wore a new shirt today
- Mi piace la camicetta che indossi, ti sta molto beneI like the blouse you're wearing, it suits you very well
- La mia casacca da cuoco è molto comodaMy chef's shirt is very comfortable
- 264 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Sofia are getting ready for a party.
- MatteoQuale camicia dovrei indossare stasera?Which shirt should I wear tonight?
- SofiaQuella camicia bianca è perfetta.That white shirt is perfect.
- MatteoHai ragione, è molto elegante.You are right, it is very elegant.
- SofiaOra vai a metterla, Matteo.Now go put it on, Matteo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shirt” translations and entries camicia, maglia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camicia, maglia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
