Italian · Food & Drink
"Beef" in Italian: manzo
il manzo
Beef in Italian is il manzo (eel MAN-zoh), masculine: carne di manzo, brasato di manzo. Steak dishes may say manzo or specify tagliata, filetto, or bistecca.
Restaurant menu
Prendo il ragù di manzo, grazie.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce manzo
Say it
eel MAN-zoh
/ˈman.dzo/
Manzo stresses MAN: MAN-zoh.
"Beef" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| il manzo | beef Meat from cattle. | Meat from cattle. |
| carne di manzo | beef meat Clear menu wording. | Clear menu wording. |
| brasato di manzo | braised beef Classic dish. | Classic dish. |
| bistecca | steak Often beef without saying manzo. | Often beef without saying manzo. |
How to use manzo in real life
- 1Restaurant menu
Prendo il ragù di manzo, grazie.
I'll take the beef ragù, thanks.
Di manzo.
- 2At the butcher
Vorrei mezzo chilo di manzo magro.
I'd like half a kilo of lean beef.
Manzo + adjective.
- 3Cooking at home
Il manzo deve cuocere a fuoco lento.
The beef needs to cook on a low heat.
Il manzo as the cut.
Mistakes English speakers make with manzo
Incorrect: La manzo è tenera.
Correct: Il manzo è tenero.
Manzo is masculine.
Incorrect: Vorrei del beef.
Correct: Vorrei del manzo.
Use manzo on Italian menus.
Good to know
Italian menus often name the cut more than the animal—bistecca, tagliata, spezzatino. Manzo appears when they want to contrast with pollo, maiale, or vitello.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering at a trattoria
ChatPal
Prendi pollo o manzo stasera?
Are you having chicken or beef tonight?
You
Manzo, se il brasato è buono.
Beef, if the braise is good.
ChatPal
Lo è. Il manzo qui è sempre tenero.
It is. The beef here is always tender.
You
Allora prendo quello, con contorno di verdure.
Then I'll take that, with a side of vegetables.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Beef" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Beef" in Italian
Is manzo the animal or the meat?
In food talk it means beef. The animal is usually un manzo or more often un bue / un toro depending on context.
How do I order beef?
Vorrei il manzo / una bistecca di manzo.
Manzo vs vitello?
Vitello is veal; manzo is beef from older cattle.
Is it masculine?
Yes: il manzo.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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