nave a vapore
/ˈna.ve a vaˈpo.re/word by wordfeminine
The English word steamboat is translated into Italian as nave a vapore or piroscafo.
Meaning: vessel powered by steam (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| nave a vapore | /ˈna.ve a vaˈpo.re/ (word by word) | feminine |
| piroscafo | masculine |
Both terms refer to a vessel powered by steam.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase nave a vapore is a literal construction where nave means ship and a vapore means by steam.
Which one should you use?
Piroscafo is a single-word technical term for a steamship, whereas nave a vapore is a descriptive phrase.
How does it change in a sentence?
nave a vapore is a feminine noun phrase, while piroscafo is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈna.ve a vaˈpo.re/
Did you know?
- The word piroscafo uses the Greek-derived prefix piro-, meaning 'fire', which literally translates to 'fire-hull'.
- In modern Italian, if you are speaking about a small steam-powered boat specifically, you might use battello a vapore instead of the more majestic nave a vapore.
- The term vapore is used in Italian not just for steam, but also as a shorthand to refer to the steamboat itself in certain maritime contexts.
Examples in context
- La compagnia di navigazione offre numerosi battelli a vapore per visitare le isole della laguna veneziana.The shipping company offers several steamboats to visit the islands of the Venetian lagoon.
- Domani andremo a fare un giro in vaporetto per ammirare i canali di Venezia.Tomorrow we will take a ride on a vaporetto to admire the canals of Venice.
- La nave a vapore attraversa il fiume.The steamboat crosses the river.
- Abbiamo visto una vecchia nave a vapore al porto.We saw an old steamboat at the port.
- Quella nave a vapore è molto grande.That steamboat is very big.
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are looking at old photographs in a museum.
- GiuliaGuarda questa bellissima nave a vapore, Lorenzo.Look at this beautiful steamboat, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoSì, è una nave a vapore davvero impressionante.Yes, it is a truly impressive steamboat.
- GiuliaTi piacerebbe fare un giro su una?Would you like to take a ride on one?
- LorenzoCertamente, sarebbe un'esperienza fantastica.Certainly, it would be a fantastic experience.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “steamboat” translations and entries piroscafo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (nave, a, vapore) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, nave, piroscafo, vapore, CC BY-SA 4.0.
