Italian · Food & Drink
"Chicken" in Italian: pollo
il pollo
Chicken in Italian is il pollo (eel POHL-loh). On menus you will see pollo arrosto (roast chicken), petto di pollo (chicken breast), and often simply pollo with a sauce.
Ordering at a trattoria
Per me il pollo al limone, grazie.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce pollo
Say it
eel POHL-loh
/il ˈpɔl.lo/
Pollo stresses POHL: POHL-loh. The double l is held a beat longer than in English "polo".
"Chicken" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| il pollo | chicken The bird as food, or the animal in everyday talk. | The bird as food, or the animal in everyday talk. |
| pollo arrosto | roast chicken Common rotisserie and trattoria dish. | Common rotisserie and trattoria dish. |
| petto di pollo | chicken breast Lean cut on lunch menus. | Lean cut on lunch menus. |
| brodo di pollo | chicken broth For soups and when you feel under the weather. | For soups and when you feel under the weather. |
How to use pollo in real life
- 1Ordering at a trattoria
Per me il pollo al limone, grazie.
I'll have the lemon chicken, please.
Il pollo + al + flavor is a classic menu pattern.
- 2Shopping at the butcher
Mi dia un chilo di pollo, per favore.
Give me a kilo of chicken, please.
At the counter, Italians often buy by weight.
- 3Cooking with a roommate
Metto il pollo in forno alle otto.
I'm putting the chicken in the oven at eight.
In forno means in the oven.
Mistakes English speakers make with pollo
Incorrect: Vorrei un chicken, grazie.
Correct: Vorrei del pollo, grazie.
Use pollo, not the English word, on Italian menus and orders.
Incorrect: La pollo è buona.
Correct: Il pollo è buono.
Pollo is masculine: il pollo, un pollo, buono.
Good to know
Pollo arrosto from a rosticceria is a classic takeaway Sunday lunch: grab a whole bird, potatoes, and eat it at home. In the countryside you may still hear gallina for a hen, but on city menus pollo is the default word for chicken meat.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a main course in Florence
ChatPal
Prendi il pesce o il pollo stasera?
Are you having fish or chicken tonight?
You
Il pollo, se è arrosto.
Chicken, if it's roast.
ChatPal
Sì, c'è pollo arrosto con patate.
Yes, there's roast chicken with potatoes.
You
Perfetto, allora prendo quello.
Perfect, then I'll take that.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Chicken" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Chicken" in Italian
Is pollo the bird or the meat?
Both. Context tells you whether someone means the animal or chicken on a plate.
How do I say chicken soup?
Often brodo di pollo or zuppa di pollo, depending on how thick it is.
What is petto di pollo?
Chicken breast—the lean cut you see in salads and light secondi.
Do I say un pollo or del pollo when ordering?
Un pollo can mean a whole bird. Del pollo is some chicken as a portion of meat.
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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