Italian · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Whale" in Italian: balena
la balena
Whale in Italian is la balena (bah-LEH-nah), feminine: una balena, le balene. Documentaries and kids' books use it; figuratively una balena can mean something huge.
Nature show
La balena emerge piano piano.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce balena
Say it
bah-LEH-nah
/baˈle.na/
Balena stresses LEH: bah-LEH-nah.
"Whale" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la balena | the whale Default noun. | Default noun. |
| una balena | a whale Sightings and stories. | Sightings and stories. |
| le balene | the whales Plural. | Plural. |
| coda di balena | whale tail Images and souvenirs. | Images and souvenirs. |
How to use balena in real life
- 1Nature show
La balena emerge piano piano.
The whale surfaces slowly.
La balena.
- 2Museum
C'è uno scheletro di balena enorme.
There's a huge whale skeleton.
Di balena.
- 3Kids
Le balene cantano sott'acqua.
Whales sing underwater.
Le balene.
Mistakes English speakers make with balena
Incorrect: Il balena è grande.
Correct: La balena è grande.
Balena is feminine.
Incorrect: Ho visto due balena.
Correct: Ho visto due balene.
Plural is balene.
Good to know
Italy is not a classic whale-watching country, so balena lives more in books, museums, and metaphors than in weekend plans—still a core animal word for learners.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
At a natural history museum
ChatPal
Guarda la balena appesa al soffitto!
Look at the whale hanging from the ceiling!
You
È enorme. Quella balena sembra infinita.
It's huge. That whale looks endless.
ChatPal
Leggiamo il cartello sulle balene del Pacifico.
Let's read the plaque about Pacific whales.
You
Poi andiamo alla sezione dei delfini.
Then we'll go to the dolphin section.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Whale" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Whale" in Italian
Is balena feminine?
Yes: la balena, le balene.
How do I say whale watching?
Avvistamento di balene / whale watching as a loan phrase.
Blue whale?
La balena azzurra.
Figurative use?
Sometimes una balena means a huge thing or bill—context needed.
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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