squalo balena
/ˈskwa.lo baˈle.na/masculine
The English phrase whale shark is translated into Italian as squalo balena.
The term refers to the species Rhincodon typus.
Meaning: Rhincodon typus (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When pluralizing the phrase to say whale sharks, only the noun changes to squali balena. The word balena remains singular because it acts as an attributive noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of squalo balena is /ˈskwa.lo baˈle.na/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- While squalo balena is the standard name for the animal, the word squalo is used in Italian slang to describe a person who is a predatory or aggressive businessman.
- The word balena is used in the Italian expression fare la balena, meaning to make a big show of something or to exaggerate.
- The Italian word for 'whale', balena, shares the same root as the English word 'baleen', referring to the filtering structures in certain whales.
Examples in context
- Ho visto uno squalo balena ieri.I saw a whale shark yesterday.
- Lo squalo balena è un animale enorme.The whale shark is an enormous animal.
- Vorrei nuotare con uno squalo balena.I would like to swim with a whale shark.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are visiting a large aquarium.
- LorenzoGuarda, Chiara, quello è uno squalo balena!Look, Chiara, that is a whale shark!
- ChiaraÈ incredibile quanto sia grande.It's incredible how big it is.
- LorenzoSì, lo squalo balena è il pesce più grande.Yes, the whale shark is the largest fish.
- ChiaraVoglio fare una foto a questo animale.I want to take a photo of this animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “whale shark” translations and entries squalo balena, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries balena, squalo, squalo balena, CC BY-SA 4.0.
