snack
The English phrase "snacks" is translated into Italian as snack.
In Italian, you can use the English loanword snack to refer to small portions of food eaten between meals. However, the standard native Italian word for this is spuntino.
Which one should you use?
While snack is used frequently in modern or casual contexts, spuntino is the standard Italian term used in all registers.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Rome (Lazio), the term quartino refers to a small serving of wine with some snacks. In Naples (Campania), a pizzetta is a small individual pizza that serves as a snack.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word snack is treated as a masculine noun in Italian.
When do people say it?
Specific terms can change based on what or when you are eating. For example, merenda specifically refers to a mid-afternoon snack.
Did you know?
- The Italian word stuzzichino for a snack comes from the verb stuzzicare, which means 'to provoke' or 'to tease'. It describes food designed to provoke the appetite before a meal.
- While spuntino is the general term for a snack, it is derived from the verb spuntare, meaning 'to sprout' or 'to appear'.
- Using the English loanword snack in Italy often implies that the food is industrial or processed, such as bagged chips, rather than fresh or homemade.
Examples in context
- Ha comprato degli snack?Did you buy snacks?This sentence is useful for asking if someone bought snacks.Tatoeba #12255401 by Guybrush88, translation #12251082 by CK
- Che snack avete?What snacks do you have?This sentence is useful for asking what snacks are available.Tatoeba #2477935 by Guybrush88, translation #931009 by CK
- Oh, ho appena preso due chili. Dovrei smettere di mangiare degli snack.Oh, I just gained two kilos. I should stop eating snacks.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to stop eating snacks.Tatoeba #2687320 by Guybrush88, translation #909497 by Scott
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are preparing for a long hike.
- LorenzoHai preparato lo snack per la camminata?Did you prepare the snack for the hike?
- MartinaSì, ho messo delle barrette nello zaino.Yes, I put some bars in the backpack.
- LorenzoOttimo, ho fame quando cammino molto.Great, I get hungry when I walk a lot.
- MartinaAllora prendi questo snack subito, Lorenzo.Then eat this snack right now, Lorenzo.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
