verdura
/verˈdu.ra/feminine
The Italian word for vegetable is verdura.
verdura is used to refer to plants raised for an edible part.
Meaning: a plant raised for some edible part of it (noun)
Which one should you use?
In English, 'vegetable' is a countable noun, but in Italian, verdura is often used as a mass noun to refer to vegetables in general. Use the adjective vegetale when you want to describe something related to plants, such as olio vegetale (vegetable oil), rather than referring to the food itself.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of verdura is verdure. verdura is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable: /verˈdu.ra/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word verdura is used for all vegetables, but you will often see the term ortaggi on menus and in stores to refer specifically to garden vegetables.
- The word verdura comes from verde, meaning 'green', which reflects a historical focus on leafy greens as the primary vegetable source.
- While verdura refers to the food, the word verde is used in the expression essere in verde to mean that a company is making a profit.
Examples in context
- La melanzana è una verdura.The aubergine is a vegetable.This sentence uses verdura to identify a specific vegetable.Tatoeba #5815910 by Guybrush88, translation #5308741 by Adelpa
- Il pomodoro non è una verdura.The tomato isn't a vegetable.This sentence uses verdura to clarify what a tomato is not.Tatoeba #8858525 by Guybrush88, translation #6825993 by Eccles17
- Il pomodoro è frutta o verdura?Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?This sentence uses verdura to ask a question about whether a tomato is fruit or a vegetable.Tatoeba #1513079 by Guybrush88, translation #37444 by CK
- Mi piace mangiare verdura tutti i giorniI like to eat vegetables every day
- Gli ortaggi freschi sono essenziali per una dieta sanaFresh vegetables are essential for a healthy diet
- Dove posso trovare l'ortofrutta di questa zona?Where can I find the local fruits and vegetables?
- Mi piace cucinare con erbe aromatiche e verdure frescheI like to cook with aromatic herbs and fresh vegetables
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Sofia are shopping for groceries together.
- AlessandroQuale verdura compriamo per cena?Which vegetable should we buy for dinner?
- SofiaPossiamo prendere della verdura fresca.We can get some fresh vegetables.
- AlessandroVa bene, prendiamo gli spinaci.Alright, let's get the spinach.
- SofiaOttima idea, Alessandro!Great idea, Alessandro!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vegetable” translations and entries verdura, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries verdura, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
