Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| corpulento | /kor.puˈlɛn.to/ |
| robusto | /roˈbus.to/ |
When describing a person's physique, 'stout' translates to being large, bulky or corpulent. Additionally, in an informal context, you can use the phrase birra nera to refer to a stout beer.
Which one should you use?
While both words can describe a stout person, they carry different connotations. robusto implies that a person is strong and healthy, whereas corpulento focuses more on physical bulk or weight.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective corpulento must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. It changes to corpulenta for feminine singular nouns, corpulente for feminine plural nouns and corpulenti for masculine or mixed-gender plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word corpulento is pronounced /kor.puˈlɛn.to/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word robusto has a surprising connection to the color 'red'. Its ancient roots trace back to a word for 'red', referring to the reddish color of oak wood.
- Calling someone robusto in Italian is often a compliment about their vigor and health. This differs from the English 'stout', which can sometimes be a polite euphemism for being overweight.
Examples in context
- Posso avere una birra scura, per favore?Can I have a stout, please?
- Vorrei una birra nera, grazie!I would like a stout, thank you!
- Il giocatore di rugby è molto corpulento.The rugby player is very stout.
- Un uomo corpulento stava camminando nel parco.A corpulent man was walking in the park.
- Non è un uomo magro, è piuttosto corpulento.He is not a thin man, he is quite stout.
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at an old photograph.
- LorenzoGuarda quell'uomo, è molto corpulento!Look at that man, he is very stout!
- MartinaSì, è davvero un tipo robusto.Yes, he is a truly robust type.
- LorenzoPensi che sia un tuo parente?Do you think he is a relative of yours?
- MartinaNo, non conosco quell'uomo corpulento.No, I don't know that stout man.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stout” translations and entries corpulento, robusto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries corpulento, robusto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
