borsa di tela
/ˈbor.sa di ˈte.la/word by word
The English phrase "tote" (as in a tote bag) is translated into Italian as borsa di tela.
borsa di tela is the standard way to refer to a canvas tote bag in Italian.
Meaning: tote bag (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase borsa di tela literally means "bag of canvas".
Which one should you use?
While borsa di tela is the standard term, you may also encounter borsa shopper, which is a more trendy and informal way to describe a tote bag.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of borsa di tela is /ˈbor.sa di ˈte.la/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word borsa is also used to refer to the stock market, similar to how English speakers use the word 'exchange'.
- The word borsa shares its roots with the English word 'purse', as both originate from the Late Latin 'bursa'.
- While English speakers use 'shopper' to describe a person, Italians use the English loanword shopper specifically to describe the physical design of the bag itself.
Examples in context
- Ho comprato una bella borsa shopper per la giornata di shopping!I bought a nice tote bag for the day of shopping!
- Ho comprato una borsa di tela nuova.I bought a new tote bag.
- Questa borsa di tela è molto resistente.This tote bag is very sturdy.
- Porta le verdure nella borsa di tela.Carry the vegetables in the tote bag.
Example conversation
Chiara and Alessandro are at a grocery store.
- ChiaraHai preso la borsa di tela?Did you bring the tote bag?
- AlessandroSì, l'ho messa in macchina.Yes, I put it in the car.
- ChiaraOttimo, così non usiamo la plastica.Great, that way we won't use plastic.
- AlessandroVa bene, andiamo alla cassa.Alright, let's go to the checkout.
