vetro colorato
/ˈve.tro ko.loˈra.to/word by word
The English phrase 'stained glass' is translated into Italian as vetro colorato.
vetro colorato is used to describe the material itself, which is colored glass.
Meaning: coloured glass (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal combination of vetro (glass) and colorato (colored).
Which one should you use?
While vetro colorato refers to the material, if you want to refer specifically to a stained glass window or a large pane of stained glass, it is more common to use vetrata colorata.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the material is vetri colorati, where both the noun and the adjective take the masculine plural ending -i.
How do you pronounce it?
It has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- If you describe a beautiful window as vetro macchiato, a native speaker might think you are complaining that the glass is actually dirty or stained with grime. To keep the compliment positive, always stick to vetro colorato.
- The word vetro is a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'water'. This connection exists because ancient people viewed the smooth, translucent surface of glass as a solid form of water.
- In Italian, the term vetrata can describe a modern floor-to-ceiling glass wall, even if it contains no color or art.
Examples in context
- Ho appena ammirato delle splendide vetrate colorate nella chiesa.I just admired some beautiful stained glass in the church.
- Il museo espone una magnifica vetrata artistica proveniente dall'Italia.The museum displays a magnificent stained glass piece from Italy.
- Il vetro colorato della chiesa è bellissimo.The stained glass of the church is beautiful.
- Mi piace molto l'effetto del vetro colorato.I really like the effect of the stained glass.
- Hanno installato del nuovo vetro colorato in sala.They installed some new stained glass in the hall.
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina are visiting an old cathedral.
- AlessandroMartina, guarda quel vetro colorato!Martina, look at that stained glass!
- MartinaÈ davvero bellissimo, Alessandro.It is truly beautiful, Alessandro.
- AlessandroI colori sono molto intensi.The colors are very intense.
- MartinaSì, il vetro colorato crea un'atmosfera magica.Yes, the stained glass creates a magical atmosphere.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (vetro, colorato) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vetro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
