dolci
The English phrase 'sweets' translates to Italian as dolci.
dolci is a noun meaning confectionery or candy. However, in Italian, it is more commonly used to refer to desserts or sweet treats served after a meal.
Meaning: confectionery, candy (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word dolci is the plural form of dolce, which means 'sweet'. Literally, it translates to 'sweet things'.
Which one should you use?
While dolci can refer to confectionery, if you specifically mean small pieces of hard or soft candy, the more precise word to use is caramelle.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form dolce is used as an adjective to describe something sweet, whereas dolci is the plural noun for sweets or desserts.
Did you know?
- The expression dolce far niente translates to the 'sweetness of doing nothing' and is a famous way to describe the Italian philosophy of effortless leisure.
- The word dolce is used in musical notation to instruct a performer to play a passage in a 'sweet', gentle, or soft manner.
- While dolci covers desserts, Italy has a specific tradition of dolci tipici, which are regional sweets tied to specific towns or saints' days. Many of these are only available during one specific week of the year.
Examples in context
- Emily ama i dolci.Emily loves sweets.This sentence is useful for expressing a love for dolci.Tatoeba #10698125 by Guybrush88, translation #2535394 by sundown
- Ha ridotto i dolci.He had cut down on sweets.This sentence is useful for showing someone has reduced their intake of dolci.Tatoeba #2722936 by Guybrush88, translation #294933 by Zifre
- Tu mangi dei dolci.You eat sweets.This sentence is useful for stating that someone eats dolci.Tatoeba #14040865 by Guybrush88, translation #12096587 by shekitten
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Matteo are at a bakery.
- MartinaMatteo, guardiamo questi dolci bellissimi!Matteo, look at these beautiful sweets!
- MatteoSì, Martina, sono tutti molto invitanti.Yes, Martina, they all look very inviting.
- MartinaPrendiamo una scatola di dolci misti?Shall we get a box of mixed sweets?
- MatteoOttima idea, prendiamoli subito.Great idea, let's get them right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sweets” translations and entries dolci, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
