Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to sing" in Italian: cantare
cantare
To sing in Italian is cantare. Io canto means I sing. Cantante is the noun for singer—not a substitute for the verb.
Karaoke night
Stasera canto una canzone lenta.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce cantare
Say it
kahn-TAH-reh
/kanˈta.re/
Cantare stresses TAH: kahn-TAH-reh. Io canto is EE-oh KAHN-toh.
"to sing" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| cantare | to sing Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| canto / canti / canta | I sing / you sing / he-she sings Present. | Present. |
| cantare insieme | to sing together Choirs, karaoke. | Choirs, karaoke. |
| cantante | singer Noun, not the verb. | Noun, not the verb. |
How to use cantare in real life
- 1Karaoke night
Stasera canto una canzone lenta.
Tonight I'm singing a slow song.
Canto.
- 2In the car
Tu canti sempre troppo forte!
You always sing too loud!
Canti.
- 3Choir practice
Domenica cantiamo in chiesa.
Sunday we sing in church.
Cantiamo.
Mistakes English speakers make with cantare
Incorrect: Io cantante bene.
Correct: Io canto bene.
Cantante is the person; conjugate cantare.
Incorrect: Lei cantare ora.
Correct: Lei canta ora.
Use canta, not the infinitive after lei.
Good to know
Italians treat cantare as social glue—birthdays, stadiums, and car stereos. Asking canti? is a friendly nudge, not a talent test.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a karaoke song
ChatPal
Canti qualcosa di famoso?
Will you sing something famous?
You
Sì, canto un classico italiano.
Yes, I'll sing an Italian classic.
ChatPal
Perfetto: dopo canto anch'io.
Perfect: afterward I'll sing too.
You
Affare fatto.
Deal.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to sing" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to sing" in Italian
Canto or cantante?
Canto is I sing; cantante is a singer.
How do I say we sing?
Cantiamo.
Sing a song?
Cantare una canzone / canto una canzone.
Imperative to a friend?
Canta!
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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