Italian · Travel & Getting Around
"Boat" in Italian: barca
la barca
Note: ship: la nave
Boat in Italian is la barca (lah BAR-kah). A large ship is la nave—use barca for smaller boats, rowboats, and many pleasure craft.
Lake day
Affittiamo una barca per due ore.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce barca
Say it
BAR-kah
/ˈbar.ka/
Barca is BAR-kah. Stress BAR. Plural barche is BAR-keh.
"Boat" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la barca | the boat Smaller watercraft. | Smaller watercraft. |
| le barche | the boats Plural. | Plural. |
| in barca | by boat / on a boat Andare in barca. | Andare in barca. |
| barca a vela | sailboat Sailing. | Sailing. |
How to use barca in real life
- 1Lake day
Affittiamo una barca per due ore.
We're renting a boat for two hours.
Una barca.
- 2Harbor
La barca è ormeggiata vicino al molo.
The boat is moored near the pier.
La barca.
- 3Holiday plan
Domani andiamo in barca sul lago.
Tomorrow we're going by boat on the lake.
In barca.
Mistakes English speakers make with barca
Incorrect: Il barca.
Correct: La barca.
Barca is feminine.
Incorrect: La nave (for a small rental boat).
Correct: La barca.
Nave is a ship; barca is the small boat.
Good to know
Coastal and lake towns live by the barca: fishing, Sunday outings, and summer rentals. Ferry passengers may still say traghetto, while friends invite you in barca for a casual ride.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Renting on a lake
ChatPal
Prendiamo la barca blu o quella rossa?
Shall we take the blue boat or the red one?
You
La barca blu sembra più stabile.
The blue boat looks more stable.
ChatPal
Ok. Porto i remi alla barca.
Ok. I'll bring the oars to the boat.
You
Perfetto. In barca resta il telefono in una borsa.
Perfect. On the boat keep the phone in a bag.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Boat" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Boat" in Italian
Barca or nave?
Barca for boats; nave for ships.
How do I say by boat?
In barca.
Plural?
Le barche.
Sailboat?
Barca a vela.
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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