Italian · Food & Drink
"Knife" in Italian: coltello
il coltello
Knife in Italian is il coltello (kol-TEHL-loh), masculine. Un coltello for one. Mi passi il coltello? means can you pass me the knife?
Steak arrives
Mi serve un coltello più affilato.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce coltello
Say it
kol-TEHL-loh
/kolˈtɛl.lo/
Coltello stresses TEHL: kol-TEHL-loh. Double l held. Soft c before o.
"Knife" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| il coltello | the knife Default tableware noun. | Default tableware noun. |
| un coltello | a knife Asking for one. | Asking for one. |
| coltello da cucina | kitchen knife Cooking. | Cooking. |
| coltello da bistecca | steak knife Restaurant. | Restaurant. |
How to use coltello in real life
- 1Steak arrives
Mi serve un coltello più affilato.
I need a sharper knife.
Un coltello.
- 2Setting the table
Metti il coltello a destra del piatto.
Put the knife to the right of the plate.
Il coltello.
- 3Cooking together
Attento con il coltello mentre tagli.
Careful with the knife while you cut.
Safety with coltello.
Mistakes English speakers make with coltello
Incorrect: La coltello è sporco.
Correct: Il coltello è sporco.
Coltello is masculine.
Incorrect: Dammi il knife.
Correct: Dammi il coltello.
Use coltello, not English knife.
Good to know
Italian place settings put the coltello on the right, blade inward. At steakhouses you may get a coltello da bistecca automatically—if not, a quiet mi manca il coltello fixes it fast.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Sharing a cheese board
ChatPal
Ti passo il coltello per il formaggio?
Shall I pass you the knife for the cheese?
You
Sì, grazie: il mio coltello è ancora pulito.
Yes, thanks: my knife is still clean.
ChatPal
Ce n'è anche un coltello piccolo per il miele.
There's also a small knife for the honey.
You
Perfetto, così non mescoliamo i sapori.
Perfect, so we don't mix the flavors.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Knife" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Knife" in Italian
Gender?
Masculine: il coltello.
Pass the knife?
Mi passi il coltello?
Plural?
I coltelli.
Kitchen knife?
Coltello da cucina.
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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