tonno
/ˈton.no/masculine
Tuna in Italian is tonno.
The word tonno refers to the fish and is used for both cooked and raw tuna.
Meaning: fish (noun)
Which one should you use?
While tonno is the general term for tuna, the specific term Tonno rosso is used to describe bluefin tuna.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of Italy, such as Sicily and Tuscany, the term palamita is used to refer to a fish closely related to tuna.
How does it change in a sentence?
tonno is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈton.no/. The stress is on the first of two syllables.
Did you know?
- In Italy, the traditional tuna fishing method is called la mattanza, a term that literally translates to 'the slaughter'.
- The word tonno is a linguistic relative of the English word 'tuna', as both trace back to the Ancient Greek word thúnnos.
- The traditional tonnara was not just a fishing boat but a complex system of fixed nets and land-based processing factories unique to the Mediterranean coast.
Examples in context
- Gli piace il tonno.He likes tuna.This sentence is useful for expressing someone's preference for tonno.Tatoeba #8542521 by Guybrush88, translation #8476966 by CH
- Tom aprì una scatoletta di tonno.Tom opened a can of tuna fish.This sentence shows how to describe opening a can of tonno.Tatoeba #2407569 by Guybrush88, translation #2006513 by CK
- Non compro mai il tonno al mercato.I never buy tuna from the market.This sentence is useful for discussing the purchase of tonno at a market.Tatoeba #13781354 by Guybrush88, translation #11427351 by Grst4Ntmlgystz485791
- Vorrei ordinare un'insalata di tonno, per favore.I would like to order a tuna salad, please.
- Ci sono dei panini deliziosi con il tonnetto qui.There are delicious sandwiches with tuna here.
- Ho comprato del tonno rosso per preparare un sushi speciale.I bought some red tuna to make a special sushi.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- MartinaCosa vuoi nel panino, Francesco?What do you want in the sandwich, Francesco?
- FrancescoVorrei un panino al tonno.I would like a tuna sandwich.
- MartinaCi mettiamo anche un po' di maionese?Shall we add some mayonnaise too?
- FrancescoSì, il tonno con la maionese è perfetto.Yes, tuna with mayonnaise is perfect.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tuna” translations and entries tonno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tonno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
