Italian · Travel & Getting Around
"Country" in Italian: paese
il paese
Country in Italian is often il paese (eel pah-EH-zeh), masculine. Paese also means a town or village, so context matters. Il mio paese can be my country or my hometown; all'estero means abroad.
Travel intro
Il mio paese è l'Italia, e tu?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce paese
Say it
eel pah-EH-zeh
/il paˈe.ze/
Paese is pah-EH-zeh, stress on EH. Three syllables: pa-e-se.
"Country" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| il paese | the country / the town Context decides. | Context decides. |
| il mio paese | my country / my hometown Possessive phrase. | Possessive phrase. |
| paesi esteri | foreign countries Plural sense. | Plural sense. |
| in campagna | in the countryside Rural landscape, different word. | Rural landscape, different word. |
How to use paese in real life
- 1Travel intro
Il mio paese è l'Italia, e tu?
My country is Italy, and you?
Paese as nation.
- 2Village pride
Il mio paese ha solo tremila abitanti.
My town has only three thousand residents.
Paese as hometown.
- 3News chat
In molti paesi le scuole ripartono a settembre.
In many countries schools restart in September.
Paesi plural.
Mistakes English speakers make with paese
Incorrect: La paese è bella.
Correct: Il paese è bello.
Paese is masculine.
Incorrect: Vivo nel country.
Correct: Vivo in campagna / nel mio paese.
Use paese or campagna, not English country.
Good to know
Paese is emotionally loaded: Italians abroad say il mio paese for both nation and the village they left. For countryside scenery say campagna. Stato is more institutional (lo Stato italiano).
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Comparing hometowns
ChatPal
Com'è il tuo paese in estate?
What's your town like in summer?
You
Il mio paese è silenzioso, pieno di nonni al bar.
My town is quiet, full of grandparents at the café.
ChatPal
Bello. Nel mio paese invece c'è sempre musica.
Nice. In my town there's always music instead.
You
Allora un giorno visito il tuo paese.
Then one day I'll visit your town.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Country" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Country" in Italian
Country or town?
Both—listen for context; hometown sense is very common.
Countryside?
Campagna, not paese.
Abroad?
All'estero.
Gender?
Masculine: il paese.
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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