How to Say “Smell” in Italian

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odore
/oˈdo.re/
The English word 'smell' (as a sensation) is odore in Italian.
The noun odore refers to a smell or scent. To express the act of detecting a scent, you can use the phrase sentire odore di, which is used for both literal scents and metaphorical situations, such as sentire odore di guai (to smell trouble). If you want to use a verb to describe the sense of smelling with the nose, you can use sentire l'odore or fiutare. The verb odorare is used to say something has a particular smell, whether it is good or bad and is often followed by 'like' or 'of'.
Meaning: sensation (noun)

Which one should you use?

While odore is a general term for a smell, you can use specific words to change the connotation. Profumo can be used in a formal setting to refer to a pleasant smell, while puzza is used to describe an unpleasant or bad smell in an informal context. You might use la fragranza (singular) or le fragranze (plural). To describe a bad smell specifically, you can use the masculine singular phrase il cattivo odore or the masculine plural i cattivi odori.

Related words

Sense with nose (verb): sentire l'odore, fiutare.

To have a particular smell, whether good or bad, if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of" (verb): odorare.

How does it change in a sentence?

The noun fragranza is a feminine singular noun, and its plural form is le fragranze. The phrase il cattivo odore is a masculine singular noun phrase, and its plural form is i cattivi odori. The adjective profumato means 'perfumed'.

How do you pronounce it?

odore is pronounced /oˈdo.re/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd of 3 syllables.

Did you know?

  • The verb sentire is used for both smelling and hearing, meaning the phrase sentire odore literally translates to 'feeling' or 'hearing' a scent.
  • The English word 'odor' and the Italian odore share the same ancient ancestor, a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to smell or stink'.
  • The verb fiutare implies a much more intense or animalistic way of smelling than the standard sentire, much like a dog sniffing out a trail.

Examples in context

  • Hai un buon odore.
    You smell good.
    This sentence shows how to say someone has a good scent using odore.
    Tatoeba #3558837 by Guybrush88, translation #1895657 by CK
  • Sento odore di gas.
    I smell gas.
    This sentence demonstrates using odore to express detecting a scent like gas.
    Tatoeba #1255454 by Guybrush88, translation #681055 by Source_VOA
  • Sento odore di guai.
    I smell trouble.
    This sentence shows the metaphorical use of odore to indicate sensing trouble.
    Tatoeba #2559225 by Guybrush88, translation #2247415 by CK
  • Nella pasticceria, si sente sempre il profumo del pane appena sfornato.
    In the bakery, you can always smell the scent of freshly baked bread.
  • In quella stanza c'era una puzza terribile di muffa.
    There was a terrible smell of mold in that room.
  • 188 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

Chiara and Matteo are in the kitchen.

  1. Chiara

    Che odore delizioso!
    What a delicious smell!
  2. Matteo

    Grazie, Chiara! Sto cucinando la pasta.
    Thanks, Chiara! I am cooking pasta.
  3. Chiara

    Sento odore di basilico fresco.
    I smell fresh basil.
  4. Matteo

    Sì, l'ho appena aggiunto.
    Yes, I just added it.

Sources

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Larry Geoffrey
Larry GeoffreyHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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