Italian · Food & Drink

"Spices" in Italian: spezie

le spezie

Say it: SPEH-tsyehfeminine plural · le spezienoun/ˈspɛ.t͡sje/

Spices in Italian are le spezie (SPEH-tsyeh), feminine plural. Una spezia is one spice. Le spezie italiane often stay mild—pepper, rosemary, chili.

Kitchen cupboard

Le spezie sono nello scaffale alto.
The spices are on the high shelf.
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How to pronounce spezie

Say it

SPEH-tsyeh

/ˈspɛ.t͡sje/

Spezie: SPEH-tsyeh. Soft ts sound. Singular spezia is SPEH-tsyah.

"Spices" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
le speziethe spices

Plural default.

una speziaa spice

Singular.

le spezie dolcisweet spices

Cinnamon, clove, etc.

senza speziewithout spices

Mild request.

How to use spezie in real life

  1. 1Kitchen cupboard

    Le spezie sono nello scaffale alto.

    The spices are on the high shelf.

    Le spezie as set.

  2. 2Market stall

    Compro le spezie fresche al mercato.

    I buy the spices fresh at the market.

    Shopping context.

  3. 3Cooking tip

    Aggiungi le spezie a fine cottura.

    Add the spices at the end of cooking.

    Recipe instruction.

Mistakes English speakers make with spezie

Incorrect: I spezie sono forti.

Correct: Le spezie sono forti.

Feminine plural: le spezie.

Incorrect: Le spezie (meaning herbs only)

Correct: Le erbe aromatiche / le spezie

Spezie are dried spices; fresh herbs are often erbe aromatiche.

Good to know

Italian home cooking leans on garlic, pepper, chili, and fresh herbs more than heavy spice blends. In markets, le spezie still sell well for mulled wine and holiday baking. Ask senza troppe spezie if you want a milder plate.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Seasoning a stew together

  1. ChatPal

    Hai già messo le spezie?

    Have you already added the spices?

  2. You

    Solo pepe—mi passi le spezie dolci?

    Only pepper—can you pass me the sweet spices?

  3. ChatPal

    Ecco cannella e noce moscata, poche spezie.

    Here's cinnamon and nutmeg, few spices.

  4. You

    Perfetto, assaggio tra un minuto.

    Perfect, I'll taste in a minute.

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"Spices" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Spices" in Italian

Singular?

Una spezia.

Article?

Le spezie (feminine plural).

Herbs vs spices?

Erbe aromatiche vs spezie.

Without spices?

Senza spezie.

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