vegetariano
/ve.d͡ʒe.taˈrja.no/masculine
The English word vegetarian is translated into Italian as vegetariano.
As a noun, vegetariano refers to a person who does not eat any animal flesh. It can also be used as an adjective to describe things relating to a vegetarian diet, such as opzioni vegetariane (vegetarian options) or scelte vegetariane (vegetarian choices).
Meaning: person who does not eat any animal flesh (noun)
Which one should you use?
While vegetariano refers to someone who avoids meat, the word vegano is used for a vegan, which refers to someone who avoids all animal products, including dairy and eggs.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on gender and number: vegetariano is the masculine singular, vegetariana is the feminine singular, vegetariani is the masculine plural and vegetariane is the feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ve.dʒe.taˈrja.no/. The word has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 4th syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italy, calling someone a vegetariano can sometimes be met with the joke ma mangi il pesce?, as some people still confuse pescatarianism with vegetarianism.
- Because Italy has a strong tradition of cucina povera (poor kitchen), many traditional dishes are naturally vegetariane without ever being labeled as such.
- If a dish is truly meat-free, a waiter might describe it as senza carne (without meat) to avoid any ambiguity regarding the presence of lard or animal fats used in cooking.
Examples in context
- Tom non è vegetariano.Tom isn't a vegetarian.This sentence is useful for stating that Tom is not a vegetarian using vegetariano.Tatoeba #4248146 by Guybrush88, translation #3734744 by CK
- È vegetariano o vegano?Are you vegetarian or vegan?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is a vegetarian or a vegan using vegetariano.Tatoeba #3056621 by Guybrush88, translation #2230195 by jgauthier
- Anche lui è vegetariano.He's also a vegetarian.This sentence is useful for saying that he is also a vegetarian using vegetariano.Tatoeba #11694838 by Nuel, translation #11694836 by Nuel
- Lasagna alle verdureVegetable lasagna
- 53 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Sofia are deciding what to order at a restaurant.
- FrancescoCosa vuoi mangiare, Sofia?What do you want to eat, Sofia?
- SofiaVorrei l'insalata, perché sono vegetariana.I would like the salad, because I am a vegetarian.
- FrancescoAh, dimenticavo che eri vegetariana!Ah, I forgot that you were a vegetarian!
- SofiaSì, e mio fratello è vegetariano anche lui.Yes, and my brother is a vegetarian too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vegetarian” translations and entries vegetariano, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
