Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pomodoro | /ˌpo.moˈdɔ.ro/ | masculine |
| pomidoro | masculine, alternative form | |
| pummarola | /pum.maˈrɔ.la/ | Naples, feminine |
| pommarola | Naples, feminine, alternative form | |
| tomato | masculine, rare | |
| tomate | masculine, rare | |
| tomata (Liguria) | feminine | |
| tomatica | feminine | |
| pomatica | feminine |
pomodoro is the standard word for the fruit, whether raw in a salad or cooked into a sauce. Small or cherry tomatoes are often called Pomodorino.
What does it mean word for word?
pomodoro is a compound of pomo (apple or fruit) and a phrase meaning "of gold", so it literally means "golden apple".
Which one should you use?
pomidoro is an older alternative spelling of pomodoro. The other words for tomato are regional or rare and are not needed in standard Italian.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Naples and the surrounding area the tomato is called pummarola, also spelled pommarola. In Liguria you may hear tomata.
How does it change in a sentence?
pomodoro is masculine. The plural is pomodori.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /ˌpo.moˈdɔ.ro/. It has four syllables with the main stress on the third, and the stressed o is open, like the vowel in English "law".
Did you know?
- Before the red variety became dominant, a different strain from North Africa was known in Italy as pomo dei mori, or 'apple of the Moors'.
Examples in context
- Le lanciò un pomodoro.He threw a tomato at her.lanciò un pomodoro means "threw a tomato".Tatoeba #9010336 by Guybrush88, translation #8516345 by CH
- Gli lanciò un pomodoro.She threw a tomato at him.The same phrase appears with a different pronoun, Gli, meaning "at him".Tatoeba #9081618 by Guybrush88, translation #8516347 by CH
- Tom affettò il pomodoro.Tom sliced the tomato.affettò il pomodoro means "sliced the tomato".Tatoeba #8304456 by Guybrush88, translation #2546959 by CK
- Mi piacerebbe una pizza margherita con pomodoro fresco.I would like a margherita pizza with fresh tomato.
- Adoro i pomodorini nell'insalata!I love cherry tomatoes in my salad!
- Mangiamo una pasta al pomodoro stasera.Let's have pasta with tomato sauce tonight.
- 39 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo are preparing a salad in the kitchen.
- SofiaHai tagliato il pomodoro?Did you cut the tomato?
- LorenzoSì, è già nella ciotola.Yes, it is already in the bowl.
- SofiaMettiamo un pomodoro più grande.Let's put in a larger tomato.
- LorenzoVa bene, Sofia, lo prendo io.Alright, Sofia, I'll get it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tomato” translations and entries pomodoro, pomidoro, pummarola, pommarola, tomato, tomate, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pomidoro, pomodoro, pummarola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
