attesa
/atˈte.za/feminine
In Italian, the English phrase 'waiting' can be translated as attesa. Wiktionary also lists aspettazione and aspetto.
Meaning: the act of staying or remaining in expectation (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| attesa | /atˈte.za/ /atˈte.sa/ |
feminine |
| aspettazione | /as.pet.tatˈt͡sjo.ne/ | feminine, uncommon |
| aspetto | /asˈpɛt.to/ | archaic, masculine |
The term refers to the act of staying or remaining in expectation. Common compound phrases include sala d'attesa for 'waiting room' and lista d'attesa for 'waiting list'.
Which one should you use?
attesa is the noun used to refer to 'the waiting' or 'the wait'. While attesa is the standard noun, aspettazione is an uncommon feminine noun and aspetto can also be used in an archaic or literary sense.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /atˈte.za/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the verb aspetto (I wait) with its homonym, which is the noun meaning 'appearance' or 'look'.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the concept of 'waiting' is split between verbs that mean 'to hope' and 'to stay'. This means a person might use different words depending on whether they are waiting with desire or simply passing time.
- While you might use attesa to describe a 'long wait', the word aspetto actually traces its roots back to the Latin word for 'looking' or 'beholding'.
- The noun aspettazione is technically a valid word, but it is so rare that using it in conversation might make you sound like a 19th-century poet.
Examples in context
- Aspetto qui da due ore.I have been waiting here for two hours.This sentence shows how to use the verb form aspetto to express the duration of waiting.Tatoeba #3646646 by Guybrush88, translation #253454 by sundown
- C'è una lista d'attesa.There's a waiting list.This sentence demonstrates the use of the phrase attesa in the context of a waiting list.Tatoeba #5020621 by Guybrush88, translation #5020479 by CK
- Dov'è la sala d'attesa?Where is the waiting room?This sentence shows how to ask for a 'waiting room' using the phrase attesa.Tatoeba #13383894 by Guybrush88, translation #6027727 by tinowls
- Sono in attesa della vostra rispostaI am waiting for your response
- 59 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Sofia are meeting at a train station.
- AlessandroScusa per l'attesa, il treno era in ritardo.Sorry for the wait, the train was late.
- SofiaNon preoccuparti, sono arrivata adesso.Don't worry, I just arrived.
- AlessandroL'attesa è stata davvero lunga oggi.The wait was really long today.
- SofiaSì, ma finalmente siamo qui.Yes, but finally we are here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “waiting” translations and entries attesa, aspettazione, aspetto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aspettazione, aspetto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
