spazzolino da denti
masculine
The English word 'toothbrush' is translated into Italian as spazzolino da denti.
spazzolino da denti refers to a brush used for cleaning the teeth and the tongue.
Meaning: brush for cleaning the teeth and tongue (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of the diminutive spazzolino (little brush) and the prepositional phrase da denti (for teeth).
How does it change in a sentence?
spazzolino da denti is a masculine noun.
What mistakes should you avoid?
scovolino refers specifically to an interdental brush.
Did you know?
- The preposition da is derived from the Latin dē and ā/ab, which originally meant 'from' or 'away from'.
- The term scovolino for an interdental brush comes from scovolare, which means to scrub or scour, emphasizing a more aggressive cleaning action than spazzolare.
- The preposition da in spazzolino da denti indicates purpose or destination, which is why it is used for many tools, like occhiali da sole for sunglasses.
Examples in context
- È il mio spazzolino da denti.That's my toothbrush.This sentence is useful for identifying ownership of the spazzolino da denti.Tatoeba #5997236 by Guybrush88, translation #2251106 by CK
- Dov'è lo spazzolino da denti?Where's the toothbrush?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of the spazzolino da denti.Tatoeba #13383808 by Guybrush88, translation #5380859 by aboubasha
- Cambio lo spazzolino da denti ogni tre mesi.I change my toothbrush every three months.This sentence is useful for discussing how often to replace a spazzolino da denti.Tatoeba #11998489 by carlosalberto, translation #11998475 by carlosalberto
- Mi serve uno spazzolino da denti nuovoI need a new toothbrush
- Devi usare uno spazzolino per due minutiYou must use a toothbrush for two minutes
- Mi puoi indicare dove posso trovare uno spazzolino da denti?Can you tell me where I can find a toothbrush?
Example conversation
In a hotel room, Martina is packing her bag.
- MatteoHai dimenticato lo spazzolino da denti, Martina.You forgot the toothbrush, Martina.
- MartinaOh no, devo prenderlo subito.Oh no, I must get it immediately.
- MatteoLo spazzolino da denti è sul tavolo.The toothbrush is on the table.
- MartinaGrazie, l'ho trovato!Thanks, I found it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “toothbrush” translations and entries spazzolino da denti, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries da, spazzolino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
