pelle
/ˈpɛl.le/feminine
In Italian, the word for skin is pelle.
pelle refers to the outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal. Note that pelle is also the standard Italian word for leather when referring to materials made from animal hide. To describe specific skin types, such as oily or dry, Italian uses the definite article la instead of a possessive adjective. For example, you would say la pelle grassa rather than using a word for "my" or "your" skin.
Meaning: outer protective layer of the body of a person or animal (noun)
Which one should you use?
While pelle is the general term for biological skin, you might encounter Tessuto cutaneo in specific scientific contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
pelle is a feminine noun, which means it requires feminine articles and adjectives.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈpɛl.le/. The first of the two syllables is stressed.
Did you know?
- While pelle is the general word for skin, the Italian word for 'skin' in a specific context like a 'skin' of a fruit or a grape is buccia, not pelle.
- In Italian, if you say you have 'la pelle d'oca', you are not talking about having actual goose skin, but rather that you have 'goosebumps'.
- In Italian, the phrase cambiare pelle meaning 'to change skin' is often used metaphorically to describe a complete personal transformation or a fresh start in life.
Examples in context
- Ha la pelle unta.She has oily skin.This sentence is useful for describing oily skin using pelle.Tatoeba #2463601 by Guybrush88, translation #2460820 by Hybrid
- Ho la pelle secca.I have dry skin.This sentence is useful for describing dry skin using pelle.Tatoeba #614317 by rado, translation #282662 by CK
- Ho la pelle grassa.I have greasy skin.This sentence is useful for describing greasy skin using pelle.Tatoeba #6571593 by Guybrush88, translation #282663 by CM
- Durante l'estate, è importante proteggere la pelle dai raggi del sole.During the summer, it's important to protect the skin from sun rays.
- 65 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are talking about a new face cream.
- GiuliaQuesta crema è ottima per la pelle.This cream is great for the skin.
- FrancescoDavvero? Anche la mia pelle è molto sensibile.Really? My skin is also very sensitive.
- GiuliaAllora dovresti provarla subito, Francesco.Then you should try it immediately, Francesco.
- FrancescoVa bene, la comprerò oggi stesso.Okay, I will buy it today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “skin” translations and entries pelle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
