cera
/ˈt͡ʃe.ra/feminine
The English word 'wax' is translated into Italian as cera.
cera refers to an oily, water-resistant substance. You can use the phrase di cera to describe an object made of wax. If you want to describe a texture or appearance that is waxy, use the adjective ceroso.
Meaning: oily, water-resistant substance (noun)
Which one should you use?
While cera is the noun for the substance itself, there are different verbs used to describe the act of applying wax. cerare and incerare both mean to wax something.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun cera is feminine. If you are using the verb cerare (to wax) in the third-person singular present tense, the form is cere.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈtʃe.ra/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The word cera is also used in the phrase dare cera, which in modern slang can mean to accelerate a car rapidly or to put a lot of energy into a task.
- The adjective ceroso is not just used for physical textures, but can also be used idiomatically in Italian to describe a person with a sickly, pale, or 'waxy' complexion.
- In traditional Italian folklore, the cera of a candle was sometimes used in 'divination' rituals to predict the future based on how the wax dripped.
Examples in context
- Dai la cera al pavimento.Wax the floor.This sentence shows how to use cera when talking about waxing a floor.Tatoeba #3605304 by Guybrush88, translation #268086 by CK
- C'è della cera sul tappeto.There is wax on the carpet.This sentence demonstrates the use of cera to describe a substance on a carpet.Tatoeba #5267850 by Guybrush88, translation #4054390 by Lepotdeterre
- Questa è una candela di cera.This is a wax candle.This sentence uses cera to describe the material of a candle.Tatoeba #10092447 by Guybrush88, translation #10092434 by AlanF_US
- Vado a fare la cerettaI'm going for a wax
- la cera si è scioltaThe wax has melted
- Dove posso trovare prodotti per la cera?Where can I find wax products?
- Hai dei prodotti per la cera?Do you have any wax products?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are in the kitchen preparing for a craft project.
- MatteoHai la cera per i lavori manuali?Do you have the wax for the crafts?
- ChiaraSì, l'ho messa nel cassetto.Yes, I put it in the drawer.
- MatteoOttimo, serve per decorare il vaso.Great, it's needed to decorate the vase.
- ChiaraAllora prendiamola subito.Then let's grab it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wax” translations and entries cera, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
