Italian · Food & Drink
"Rice" in Italian: riso
il riso
Rice in Italian is riso (REE-zoh). It is a masculine noun, so you say il riso, and like in English it is uncountable: del riso means "some rice". You will meet it most often in risotto, the creamy rice dish from northern Italy.
At the supermarket
Mi serve un chilo di riso per il risotto di stasera.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce riso
Say it
REE-zoh
/ˈri.zo/
Stress the first syllable: REE-zoh. In the north, and in standard Italian, the s between two vowels sounds like a z. In Rome and the south you will often hear REE-soh instead, and both are correct. Keep the final o short and clean, never "oh-oo".
"Rice" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| il riso | rice The default word for the grain, cooked or uncooked. | The default word for the grain, cooked or uncooked. |
| il risotto | risotto The dish: rice slowly cooked in broth until creamy. | The dish: rice slowly cooked in broth until creamy. |
| il riso integrale | brown rice On packets in the supermarket and on healthier menus. | On packets in the supermarket and on healthier menus. |
| il riso in bianco | plain rice Boiled rice with just butter or oil and Parmesan, the classic food when you feel unwell. | Boiled rice with just butter or oil and Parmesan, the classic food when you feel unwell. |
How to use riso in real life
- 1At the supermarket
Mi serve un chilo di riso per il risotto di stasera.
I need a kilo of rice for tonight's risotto.
Rice is sold by weight, so you will say un chilo di riso or mezzo chilo di riso.
- 2At a restaurant
Scusi, che tipo di riso usate per il risotto?
Excuse me, what kind of rice do you use for the risotto?
A fair question in Italy: cooks care about varieties like Arborio and Carnaroli.
- 3At home, feeling unwell
Stasera mangio solo riso in bianco, ho mal di pancia.
Tonight I'm only eating plain rice, I have a stomachache.
Riso in bianco is what Italian parents make for a child with an upset stomach.
Mistakes English speakers make with riso
Incorrect: Vorrei un riso, per favore.
Correct: Vorrei del riso, per favore.
Riso is uncountable, so don't use un. Say del riso (some rice) or un piatto di riso (a plate of rice).
Incorrect: Compro i risi al supermercato.
Correct: Compro il riso al supermercato.
Like English "rice", riso stays singular. The plural risi is only used when you compare different kinds of rice.
Good to know
Rice is a big part of northern Italian cooking. The flat Po Valley around Vercelli, Novara, and Pavia is one of Europe's main rice-growing areas, which is why risotto is a classic of Milan, like risotto alla milanese made with saffron. In Sicily you are more likely to meet rice as arancini: fried rice balls filled with ragù or cheese.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering lunch at a trattoria in Milan
ChatPal
Buongiorno! Oggi il piatto del giorno è il risotto alla milanese.
Hello! Today the dish of the day is risotto alla milanese.
You
Buono! Che tipo di riso usate?
Nice! What kind of rice do you use?
ChatPal
Usiamo riso Carnaroli, è perfetto per il risotto.
We use Carnaroli rice, it's perfect for risotto.
You
Perfetto, allora prendo il risotto, grazie.
Perfect, then I'll have the risotto, thanks.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Rice" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Rice" in Italian
Is riso masculine or feminine?
Riso is masculine: il riso. When you mean "some rice", use the masculine partitive del riso, as in Vuoi del riso? (Do you want some rice?).
What is the difference between riso and risotto?
Riso is the ingredient. Risotto is one specific dish, where short-grain rice is cooked slowly in broth until it turns creamy. Plain boiled rice as a side dish is much less common in Italy than in English-speaking countries.
Does riso also mean laughter in Italian?
Yes. Il riso is also a literary word for laughter, from the verb ridere (to laugh). Its plural is le risa. In a kitchen or a restaurant, riso always means rice.
How do you say brown rice in Italian?
Brown rice is riso integrale. Integrale means wholegrain, so you will see the same word on bread and pasta packets: pane integrale, pasta integrale.
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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