velocità
/ve.lo.t͡ʃiˈta/feminine
The Italian word for speed is velocità.
velocità refers to the rate of motion. It is also used to mean velocity in scientific contexts, though in everyday conversation, it almost always refers to speed. You can use the idiomatic phrase a tutta velocità to mean 'at full speed' or 'at top speed'.
Meaning: rate of motion (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
velocità is a feminine noun and should be used with feminine articles such as la or una. Related forms include the adverb velocemente (quickly). To express the action of going fast, you can use the verbs andare forte or andare veloce and to express exceeding a speed limit, you use guidare veloce.
How do you pronounce it?
/ve.lo.tʃiˈta/. The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 4th syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word velocità is used to describe the gears of a car or bicycle, such as prima velocità for 'first gear'.
- Italian has a specific word accelerazione for the act of increasing velocità, but in slang, dare gas is used to mean 'speed up' or 'hurry up'.
- The word velocità is a member of a large family of Italian nouns ending in -ità, which almost always correspond to English abstract nouns ending in -ity.
Examples in context
- Questa velocità è folle.This speed is insane.This sentence uses velocità to describe an insane rate of motion.Tatoeba #3703858 by Guybrush88, translation #1759771 by wallebot
- Avanti a tutta velocità!Move forward at full speed!This sentence uses the idiom a tutta velocità to express moving at top speed.Tatoeba #4920607 by farinello, translation #1636274 by fengli
- Il treno prese velocità.The train gained speed.This sentence uses velocità to describe a train gaining speed.Tatoeba #13283370 by Guybrush88, translation #43439 by CM
- La velocità massima sulla strada autostradale è di 130 chilometri all'ora.The maximum speed on the highway is 130 kilometers per hour.
- La velocità di connessione a internet in Italia è migliorata negli ultimi anni.Internet connection speed in Italy has improved in recent years.
- La rapidità con cui ha risposto alla domanda è stata impressionante.The speed at which he/she answered the question was impressive.
- Su quella macchina il pilota va veramente veloce!That driver is really fast on that car!
- 70 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are driving in a car.
- GiuliaRallenta, Alessandro! La tua velocità è troppo alta.Slow down, Alessandro! Your speed is too high.
- AlessandroHai ragione, non avevo guardato il tachimetro.You are right, I wasn't looking at the speedometer.
- GiuliaIn questa strada la velocità massima è bassa.The maximum speed on this road is low.
- AlessandroScusa, ora vado più piano.Sorry, I will go slower now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “speed” translations and entries velocità, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
