Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| storia | /ˈstɔ.rja/ | feminine |
| racconto | /rakˈkon.to/ | masculine |
| vicenda | /viˈt͡ʃɛn.da/ | feminine |
The term 'story' is translated using different words depending on whether you mean a general narrative, a specific told account or a sequence of events. Use storia for the broad concept of a story or when referring to history. Use racconto when you are talking about a specific narrative or a told account of events. Use vicenda to refer to a specific episode, occurrence or a sequence of events that unfolded, often in a journalistic context.
Which one should you use?
storia is a general term that covers both fictional stories and historical events (history). racconto specifically refers to a narrative or a told account, frequently used for shorter literary works or a specific retelling. vicenda describes an event, happening or a particular episode, often used in more formal or journalistic settings to describe a situation.
How does it change in a sentence?
storia and vicenda are feminine nouns, while racconto is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of storia is /ˈstɔ.rja/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, if someone tells a 'story' to deceive you, they are raccontando storie, which translates literally to 'telling stories'.
- The word storia originally meant 'learning through research' in Ancient Greek, rather than just a narrative.
- In a legal or formal setting, describing a situation as a vicenda suggests it is a factual occurrence that unfolded, whereas storia might sound too much like a myth or a legend.
Examples in context
- Qual è la storia?What is the story?This sentence is useful for asking what the story is using storia.Tatoeba #2172494 by Guybrush88, translation #42557 by CK
- È una storia vaga.It's a vague story.This sentence shows how to describe a story as vague using storia.Tatoeba #1238458 by Guybrush88, translation #1238297 by mookeee
- È una storia lunga.It is a long story.This sentence shows how to describe a story as long using storia.Tatoeba #1345585 by Guybrush88, translation #326556 by CK
- Ho scritto un racconto fantastico sulla mia ultima avventura in montagna.I wrote a fantastic story about my latest mountain adventure.
- La storia dell'antica Roma è affascinante.The history/story of ancient Rome is fascinating.
- Ieri sera, Giorgio ci ha fatto ridere con un divertente raccontino.Last night, Giorgio made us laugh with a funny little story.
- Le fiabe dei fratelli Grimm sono molto popolari.The fairy tales by the Grimm brothers are very popular.
- Maria è veramente brava a raccontare.Maria is really good at telling [stories].
- Mi piace leggere storie di fantascienza.I enjoy reading science fiction stories.
- Marco ha deciso di scrivere una storia d'amore.Marco decided to write a love story.
- Sto leggendo un romanzo emozionante.I'm reading an exciting novel.
- Mio nonno racconta sempre aneddoti interessanti.My grandfather always tells interesting anecdotes.
- 927 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are at a cafe discussing a book.
- FrancescoHai finito di leggere quella storia?Did you finish reading that story?
- ChiaraSì, la storia era davvero incredibile.Yes, the story was truly incredible.
- FrancescoTi è piaciuto il finale?Did you like the ending?
- ChiaraSì, è stata una storia bellissima.Yes, it was a beautiful story.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “story” translations and entries storia, racconto, vicenda, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries racconto, storia, vicenda, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
