portafoglio
/ˌpɔr.taˈfɔʎ.ʎo/masculine
The English word "wallet" translates to Italian as portafoglio. Wiktionary also lists borsellino.
Meaning: case for keeping money (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| portafoglio | /ˌpɔr.taˈfɔʎ.ʎo/ /por.taˈfɔʎ.ʎo/ |
masculine |
| borsellino | masculine |
The term is used to describe a case for keeping money.
What does it mean word for word?
The word portafoglio is a compound of porta (carries) and foglio (sheet, paper or bill), literally meaning "sheet carrier".
Which one should you use?
Use portafoglio for a standard men's wallet or a general wallet, whereas borsellino often refers to a small pouch or a small coin purse.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of portafoglio is portafogli.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌpɔr.taˈfɔʎ.ʎo/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian financial contexts, portafoglio refers to an investment portfolio rather than a physical wallet.
- The word foglio in portafoglio originally referred to the leaves of a plant before it meant a sheet of paper.
- The suffix -ellino in borsellino is a double diminutive, making the item sound not just small but cute or endearing.
Examples in context
- Ecco il mio portafoglio.Here's my wallet.This sentence is useful for pointing out your own portafoglio.Tatoeba #373740 by Pharamp, translation #33122 by CK
- Tom perse il portafoglio.Tom lost his wallet.This sentence is useful for describing the loss of a portafoglio.Tatoeba #1266031 by Guybrush88, translation #1093241 by CK
- Dov'è il suo portafoglio?Where's your wallet?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of a portafoglio.Tatoeba #2522209 by Guybrush88, translation #2254692 by CK
- Mi scuso, ho dimenticato il mio portafoglio a casa.I apologize, I forgot my wallet at home.
- Dai, nessun problema! Ho il borsello con me.Come on, no problem! I have my wallet with me.
- 201 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco is searching for his belongings in the living room.
- FrancescoMartina, non trovo il mio portafoglio!Martina, I can't find my wallet!
- MartinaGuarda sopra il tavolo, Francesco.Look on the table, Francesco.
- FrancescoAh, eccolo qui!Ah, here it is!
- MartinaSei proprio distratto oggi.You are really distracted today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wallet” translations and entries portafoglio, borsellino, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
