pallavolo
/ˌpal.laˈvo.lo/feminine
Volleyball in Italian is pallavolo. If unsure, use pallavolo. It is also spelled palla a volo. Wiktionary also lists volley.
Meaning: game (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pallavolo | /ˌpal.laˈvo.lo/ /ˌpal.lavˈvo.lo/ |
feminine |
| palla a volo | /ˈpal.la a ˈvo.lo/ (word by word) | feminine, alternative form |
| volley | /ˈvɔl.lej/ | masculine |
The term refers to the sport of volleyball. While pallavolo is the standard term, the shortened form volley is frequently used in sports contexts, especially when specifically discussing beach volleyball (beach volley).
Which one should you use?
pallavolo is a feminine noun and serves as the standard term. In contrast, the borrowed term volley is used as a masculine noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions of Italy, the alternative spelling palla a volo is used to describe the game.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌpal.laˈvo.lo/. The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
Examples in context
- È bravo a pallavolo?Are you good at volleyball?This sentence is useful for asking about someone's skill level in pallavolo.Tatoeba #13128945 by Guybrush88, translation #6887153 by CK
- Io gioco a pallavolo.I play volleyball.This sentence is useful for stating that you play pallavolo.Tatoeba #13128801 by Guybrush88, translation #9117488 by CK
- Gioca a beach volley.She plays beach volleyball.This sentence shows the use of volley when talking about beach volleyball.Tatoeba #13128843 by Guybrush88, translation #1737246 by Spamster
- Domani andiamo a fare un po' di pallavolley in spiaggia!Tomorrow we're going to play some beach volleyball!
- 246 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Alessandro are talking about their hobbies.
- GiuliaTi piace la pallavolo?Do you like volleyball?
- AlessandroSì, ma non gioco da anni.Yes, but I haven't played for years.
- GiuliaVieni a giocare a pallavolo con noi?Do you want to come play volleyball with us?
- AlessandroCertamente, mi piacerebbe molto!Certainly, I would love to!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “volleyball” translations and entries pallavolo, palla a volo, volley, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (palla, a, volo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, palla, pallavolo, volo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
