cucchiaio di legno
/kukˈkja.jo di ˈleɲ.ɲo/word by wordmasculine
The English phrase "wooden spoon" is cucchiaio di legno in Italian.
cucchiaio di legno refers to a spoon made from wood.
Meaning: spoon made from wood (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of cucchiaio (spoon) and di legno (of wood).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun cucchiaio can be pluralized as cucchiai for standard-sized spoons, making the plural cucchiai di legno. However, if you are referring to small wooden spoons, the plural form cucchiaini di legno is used.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /kukˈkja.jo di ˈleɲ.ɲo/.
Did you know?
- The Italian word for spoon cucchiaio comes from the Latin word for 'snail'. This is likely because early spoons were shaped like shells or used to eat snails and eggs.
- While cucchiaio is used in standard Italian, you will hear the word cucchiara instead when visiting Sicily.
- While cucchiaio is the standard term, you can find its cousin in Sicily as cucchiara, showing how regional variations can shift even a simple noun.
Examples in context
- Usa un cucchiaio di legno.Use a wooden spoon.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of cucchiaio di legno.Tatoeba #13898744 by Guybrush88, translation #13625700 by CK
- Quando lo zucchero si solidifica, utilizza un cucchiaio di legno per mescolarlo.When sugar solidifies, use a wooden spoon to stir it.
- Passami il cucchiaio di legno, per favore!Pass me the wooden spoon, please!
- Mi serve un cucchiaio di legno per la zuppa.I need a wooden spoon for the soup.
- Ho comprato un cucchiaio di legno fatto a mano.I bought a handmade wooden spoon.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara is looking for a kitchen utensil in the drawer.
- ChiaraLorenzo, hai visto il mio cucchiaio di legno?Lorenzo, have you seen my wooden spoon?
- LorenzoSì, è sopra il tavolo.Yes, it is on the table.
- ChiaraGrazie, l'avevo dimenticato.Thanks, I had forgotten it.
- LorenzoDi nulla, Chiara.You're welcome, Chiara.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wooden spoon” translations and entries cucchiaio di legno, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (cucchiaio, di, legno) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cucchiaio, di, legno, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
