This list includes 171 Italian words that start with A, from “a” to “azzurro”. It features common contemporary vocabulary — many verbs, nouns, and adjectives — useful for learners, teachers, translators, and casual readers.

Italian words that start with A are basic building blocks of everyday speech. For example, “azzurro” names Italy’s national teams and shows how words connect to culture.

Below you’ll find the table with Italian word, English translation, and Example usage.

Italian word: The base form in Italian, shown so you can study correct spelling, accents, and basic grammatical gender.

English translation: A concise one-phrase meaning to help you understand and choose the right equivalent quickly and accurately.

Example usage: A short Italian sentence plus an English gloss so you see real context and correct word usage.

Italian words that start with A

Word Part of speech English translation Example Description
a preposition to / at Vado a casa. – I’m going home. Very common basic preposition; used with places, time, infinitives. common
abbandonare verb to abandon / give up Ha deciso di abbandonare il progetto. – He quit the project. Formal and colloquial uses; common in news and conversation. common
abbassare verb to lower Abbassa il volume, per favore. – Lower the volume, please. Transitively lower something; used with volume, prezzo, voce. common
abbastanza adverb enough / quite Sono abbastanza stanco. – I’m quite tired. Degree adverb; used with adjectives and verbs. common
abbassato adjective lowered / low Il muro è abbassato. – The wall is lowered. Past participle used as adjective; common in descriptions. common
abbigliamento noun clothing / apparel Lo scaffale è pieno di abbigliamento. – Shelf full of clothes. Useful for shopping contexts; common. common
abile adjective skilled / able È molto abile con il computer. – He’s very skilled with computers. Can be followed by “a” + infinitive; common. common
abitare verb to live (reside) Abito a Roma. – I live in Rome. Basic verb for residence; very common. common
abito noun suit / dress / clothing Ho comprato un abito nuovo. – I bought a new suit. Also means “habit” in older usage; common clothing term. common
abbracciare verb to hug / embrace Ha abbracciato la madre. – He hugged his mother. Common verb for physical/emotional embrace. common
abbraccio noun hug / embrace Le ho dato un abbraccio. – I gave her a hug. Warm, informal; used in greetings. common
abbondante adjective abundant / plentiful La porzione è abbondante. – The portion is large. Describes quantity; common. common
abbassamento noun lowering / drop C’è stato un abbassamento della temperatura. – Temperature dropped. Used in technical and everyday contexts. common
abbonamento noun subscription / season ticket Ho rinnovato l’abbonamento mensile. – I renewed the monthly pass. Transport and media context; common. common
abbreviare verb to shorten Puoi abbreviare il testo? – Can you shorten the text? Formal and informal uses; common. common
abbronzare verb to tan Si è abbronzato molto al mare. – He tanned a lot at the sea. Used for skin tanning; seasonal. common
accento noun accent / stress Ha un accento straniero. – He has a foreign accent. Linguistic and prosodic uses; common. common
accadere verb to happen / occur Cosa è accaduto ieri? – What happened yesterday? Neutral verb for events; common. common
accelerare verb to accelerate / speed up L’auto ha accelerato forte. – The car sped up. Literal and figurative uses; common. common
accendere verb to switch on / light Accendi la luce, per favore. – Turn on the light, please. Very common for devices and fires. common
accessibile adjective accessible Il sito è accessibile a tutti. – The site is accessible to all. Used for physical and digital accessibility. common
accesso noun access / entry L’accesso è consentito solo al personale. – Staff only access. Common in technical and everyday contexts. common
accettare verb to accept Accetto la tua proposta. – I accept your proposal. Polite and transactional contexts. common
accendere verb to light / turn on (Note: duplicate entry removed) – (Note: placeholder)
accogliere verb to welcome / receive Hanno accolto gli ospiti calorosamente. – They warmly welcomed guests. For people and ideas; formal/informal. common
accompagnare verb to accompany / escort Ti accompagno alla stazione. – I’ll accompany you to the station. Very common; used for people or music. common
accordo noun agreement / chord Abbiamo raggiunto un accordo. – We reached an agreement. Legal, musical, and everyday meanings. common
accorgersi verb to notice / realize Mi sono accorto dell’errore. – I noticed the mistake. Reflexive; common in speech. common
accusa noun accusation / charge L’accusa è infondata. – The accusation is unfounded. Legal and rhetorical use. common
acqua noun water Bevo molta acqua ogni giorno. – I drink a lot of water daily. Essential noun; very common. common
acquisto noun purchase L’acquisto è stato confermato. – The purchase was confirmed. Shopping and ecommerce contexts. common
acquistare verb to buy / acquire Ho acquistato un libro ieri. – I bought a book yesterday. Common transaction verb. common
acuto adjective sharp / acute Ha un dolore acuto al fianco. – He has a sharp pain in the side. Medical and sensory uses. common
adagiare verb to place gently / archaic (rare) – (rare)
adattare verb to adapt / adjust Abbiamo adattato il piano alle esigenze. – We adapted the plan. Common in media, plans, clothing contexts. common
adatto adjective suitable / fit Questo lavoro non è adatto a me. – This job isn’t suitable for me. Often followed by “a”. common
addio interjection goodbye / farewell Addio, ci vediamo domani. – Goodbye, see you tomorrow. Formal or dramatic farewells; common. common
addormentare verb to make fall asleep La medicina ha addormentato il cane. – The medicine sedated the dog. Reflexive form common for people. common
addome noun abdomen / belly Mi fa male l’addome. – My abdomen hurts. Medical and anatomical term. common
adorare verb to adore / love Adoro la musica italiana. – I adore Italian music. Strong positive verb; common. common
adulto adjective adult / grown-up Solo gli adulti possono entrare. – Only adults may enter. Describes age or maturity. common
affamato adjective hungry Sono affamato dopo il viaggio. – I’m hungry after the trip. Everyday adjective for hunger. common
affare noun deal / matter / business È un affare importante. – It’s an important deal. Commercial and colloquial uses. common
affetto noun affection / feeling Sento molto affetto per lei. – I feel great affection for her. Emotional contexts. common
afferrare verb to grab / seize Ha afferrato la corda. – He grabbed the rope. Literal and figurative uses. common
affermare verb to state / affirm Il test afferma la sua validità. – The test affirms its validity. Formal reporting and speech. common
affidabile adjective reliable / trustworthy È una persona affidabile. – He is a reliable person. Compliment for people or tools. common
affidare verb to entrust / commit Gli ho affidato il compito. – I entrusted him with the task. Common in formal contexts. common
affitto noun rent / lease Il mio affitto è troppo alto. – My rent is too high. Housing and contract vocabulary. common
affollato adjective crowded La piazza è molto affollata. – The square is very crowded. Public spaces, events. common
affrontare verb to face / tackle Dobbiamo affrontare il problema. – We must face the problem. Used for challenges and topics. common
agente noun agent / officer L’agente ha preso i dettagli. – The officer took the details. Police and business contexts. common
agire verb to act / take action È ora di agire. – It’s time to act. Formal and everyday contexts. common
agire verb to function / work (duplicate entry removed) –
aggravare verb to worsen La pioggia ha aggravato la situazione. – Rain worsened the situation. Medical and situational uses. common
agosto noun August Partiamo ad agosto. – We leave in August. Month name; lowercase in Italian. common
aiutare verb to help Puoi aiutarmi con questo? – Can you help me with this? Core verb in requests. common
aiuto noun / interjection help / aid Aiuto! C’è un incendio. – Help! There’s a fire. Emergency cry and noun. common
albero noun tree L’albero è alto. – The tree is tall. Common nature word. common
album noun album / record Ho comprato il nuovo album. – I bought the new album. Music and photo contexts. common
alcol noun alcohol L’alcol è presente nella bevanda. – Alcohol is present in the drink. Formal spelling; common. common
alcuno pronoun / adjective any / some / none Non ho alcuna idea. – I have no idea. Used in negatives; watch agreement. common
alcuni adjective/pronoun some / a few (Note: plural form excluded per lemma rule) –
allarme noun alarm / warning L’allarme ha suonato di notte. – The alarm rang at night. Security and safety contexts. common
allargare verb to widen / enlarge Dobbiamo allargare la strada. – We must widen the road. Physical and figurative uses. common
allegria noun cheerfulness / joy La festa era piena di allegria. – The party was full of joy. Positive social contexts. common
allegare verb to attach / enclose Allego il file alla mail. – I attach the file to the email. Email and documents. common
allegro adjective cheerful / lively Il brano è allegro. – The piece is lively. Musical tempo term too. common
allievo noun pupil / student L’allievo studia ogni giorno. – The student studies daily. School contexts; neutral. common
allo preposition to the (contraction) (generally avoided; contraction form) – (excluded usage note)
allora adverb / conjunction then / so / at that time Allora, cosa facciamo? – So, what do we do? Filler word common in conversation. common
altare noun altar Hanno decorato l’altare. – They decorated the altar. Religious contexts. common
altezza noun height Controlla l’altezza del tavolo. – Check the table’s height. Measurement contexts. common
alto adjective / adverb high / tall / loud Il volume è troppo alto. – The volume is too high. Multiple senses; common. common
alternativa noun alternative / option Cerchiamo un’alternativa migliore. – We look for a better alternative. Choices and comparisons. common
altrimenti adverb otherwise / else Sbrigati, altrimenti perdi il treno. – Hurry, otherwise you’ll miss the train. Common conjunction-like adverb. common
altro pronoun / adjective other / another Voglio un altro caffè. – I want another coffee. Extremely common word. common
alunno noun pupil / student (school) L’alunno ha fatto i compiti. – The pupil did the homework. Elementary/secondary education context. common
amare verb to love Amo la musica classica. – I love classical music. Fundamental verb; many collocations. common
amico noun friend Il mio amico vive qui. – My friend lives here. Everyday social vocabulary. common
amore noun love L’amore è complicato. – Love is complicated. Central cultural concept. common
ampio adjective wide / ample Abbiamo uno spazio ampio. – We have plenty of space. Describes size or scope. common
analisi noun analysis L’analisi mostra risultati chiari. – The analysis shows clear results. Scientific and critical contexts. common
analizzare verb to analyze Dobbiamo analizzare i dati. – We must analyze the data. Academic and business usage. common
andare verb to go Vado al mercato. – I go to the market. Core irregular verb; very common. common
anno noun year Quest’anno viaggio molto. – This year I travel a lot. Time unit; very common. common
annunciare verb to announce Hanno annunciato il vincitore. – They announced the winner. Media and events. common
annuncio noun announcement / ad Ho visto un annuncio interessante. – I saw an interesting ad. Jobs, sales, news. common
annullare verb to cancel / nullify Abbiamo dovuto annullare la riunione. – We had to cancel the meeting. Meetings, bookings. common
ansia noun anxiety / worry Provo molta ansia per l’esame. – I’m very anxious about the exam. Emotional health context. common
ansioso adjective anxious È ansioso prima dell’intervista. – He’s anxious before the interview. Describes feelings; common. common
antico adjective ancient / old Questo edificio è antico. – This building is ancient. Historical and aesthetic use. common
anticipare verb to anticipate / bring forward Abbiamo anticipato la scadenza. – We moved the deadline forward. Scheduling and prediction. common
anzi adverb / conjunction rather / on the contrary Non è stanco, anzi energico. – He’s not tired, rather energetic. Contrasting connector; common. common
anziano adjective / noun elderly / senior L’anziano riceve assistenza. – The elderly man receives care. Formal and social contexts. common
anziché conjunction instead of / rather than Prendilo anziché ignorarlo. – Take it instead of ignoring it. Preposition-like connector; common. common
aperto adjective open / opened Il negozio è aperto oggi. – The shop is open today. Common adjective; also past participle. common
aprile noun April Ad aprile fioriscono i fiori. – Flowers bloom in April. Month name; lowercase. common
aprire verb to open Apri la finestra, per favore. – Open the window, please. Very common. common
appalto noun contract / public tender Hanno vinto l’appalto comunale. – They won the city contract. Public procurement context; common. less common
apparecchiare verb to set (table) Puoi apparecchiare la tavola? – Can you set the table? Domestic verb; common. common
appartamento noun apartment / flat Viviamo in un appartamento piccolo. – We live in a small apartment. Housing vocabulary. common
appena adverb just / as soon as Appena arrivo ti chiamo. – I’ll call you as soon as I arrive. Temporal connector; common. common
appetito noun appetite Ho perso l’appetito. – I lost my appetite. Eating contexts. common
applicare verb to apply / implement Applica la crema alla pelle. – Apply the cream to the skin. Physical and abstract uses. common
applicazione noun application / app / use L’applicazione è facile da usare. – The app is easy to use. Tech and practical uses. common
appoggiare verb to lean / support / place Appoggia il bicchiere sul tavolo. – Put the glass on the table. Physical placement verb. common
approfondire verb to deepen / explore further Voglio approfondire l’argomento. – I want to explore the topic further. Academic and research contexts. common
approvare verb to approve Il consiglio ha approvato la proposta. – The council approved the proposal. Formal decisions. common
apriscatole noun can opener Passami l’apriscatole, per favore. – Pass me the can opener, please. Kitchen utensil; compound single word. common
aquila noun eagle L’aquila vola alta nel cielo. – The eagle flies high in the sky. Animal vocabulary and symbolism. less common
arancia noun orange (fruit) Mangio un’arancia a colazione. – I eat an orange for breakfast. Food vocabulary; common. common
arancione adjective orange (color) Il semaforo è arancione. – The traffic light is orange. Color term; common. common
arena noun arena / sand / stadium L’arena ospita molti eventi. – The arena hosts many events. Sport and event venues. less common
argento noun silver La collana è d’argento. – The necklace is silver. Metal and color contexts. common
argomento noun topic / argument L’argomento è interessante. – The topic is interesting. Conversation and essays. common
aria noun air / tune Apri la finestra per l’aria. – Open the window for fresh air. Also musical “aria”; common. common
arma noun weapon / tool La polizia ha sequestrato l’arma. – Police seized the weapon. Legal and security contexts. common
armonia noun harmony C’è armonia tra i musicisti. – There’s harmony among the musicians. Music and social context. less common
arrabbiare verb to anger / make angry Non voglio arrabbiarti. – I don’t want to make you angry. Reflexive and non-reflexive forms; common. common
arrivare verb to arrive / come Siamo arrivati in orario. – We arrived on time. Very common motion verb. common
arrivo noun arrival L’arrivo del treno è previsto alle 9. – Train arrival is scheduled at 9. Travel contexts. common
arte noun art Amo l’arte contemporanea. – I love contemporary art. Broad cultural term. common
articolo noun article / item Ho letto un articolo interessante. – I read an interesting article. Journalism and grammar meanings. common
artigiano noun artisan / craftsman L’artigiano lavora il legno. – The artisan works the wood. Crafts and trades. less common
artistico adjective artistic Ha un talento artistico evidente. – He has evident artistic talent. Descriptive for art and design. common
ascoltare verb to listen Ascolta la canzone. – Listen to the song. Active listening verb. common
ascolto noun listening / hearing L’ascolto è fondamentale per imparare. – Listening is essential to learn. Language learning term. common
ascensore noun elevator / lift Prendiamo l’ascensore. – Let’s take the elevator. Buildings and travel. common
aspetto noun aspect / appearance / wait L’aspetto della casa è curato. – The house’s appearance is neat. Multiple senses; common. common
aspettare verb to wait / expect Aspetto il tuo messaggio. – I’m waiting for your message. Very common. common
aspirare verb to aspire / inhale Aspirava a diventare medico. – He aspired to become a doctor. Ambition and literal inhaling contexts. common
aspro adjective harsh / sour Il limone è aspro. – The lemon is sour. Taste and figurative tones. common
assaggiare verb to taste / sample Vuoi assaggiare questa zuppa? – Do you want to taste this soup? Food contexts. common
assalto noun assault / attack L’assalto è avvenuto di notte. – The attack happened at night. Security and news contexts. less common
assenza noun absence La sua assenza si nota. – His absence is noticeable. Work and school contexts. common
assente adjective absent L’insegnante era assente ieri. – The teacher was absent yesterday. Formal and casual use. common
assicurare verb to insure / assure L’azienda assicura la qualità. – The company assures quality. Business and safety contexts. common
assoluto adjective absolute / complete Ha fiducia assoluta in te. – He has absolute faith in you. Emphatic adjective. common
assumere verb to hire / assume Hanno assunto un nuovo cuoco. – They hired a new cook. HR and logic contexts. common
assurdo adjective absurd / ridiculous È un’idea assurda. – It’s an absurd idea. Colloquial criticism. common
astuto adjective clever / cunning È molto astuto negli affari. – He’s very clever in business. Personality trait. common
atmosfera noun atmosphere / mood L’atmosfera è rilassata qui. – The atmosphere is relaxed here. Social and scientific uses. common
atto noun act / document / deed Firmi questo atto ufficiale. – Sign this official document. Legal and theatrical uses. common
attendere verb to wait / expect Attendo tue notizie. – I await your news. Formal/neutral. common
attenzione noun attention / caution Attenzione al gradino! – Watch out for the step! Warnings and focus. common
attivo adjective active È molto attivo nello sport. – He is very active in sports. Personality/finance contexts. common
attore noun actor L’attore ha vinto il premio. – The actor won the award. Arts vocabulary. common
attrezzatura noun equipment / gear La pesca richiede attrezzatura specifica. – Fishing requires specific equipment. Sports and technical contexts. less common
attribuire verb to attribute / assign Gli attribuiscono il merito. – They attribute the merit to him. Formal attribution. common
audace adjective bold / daring Ha preso una decisione audace. – He made a bold decision. Positive or risky actions. common
aumentare verb to increase Il prezzo è aumentato ieri. – The price increased yesterday. Economic and general growth contexts. common
aumento noun increase / raise C’è stato un aumento dei costi. – There was an increase in costs. Economics and salary contexts. common
auricolare noun earbud / headset Ho perso l’auricolare destro. – I lost the right earbud. Tech and audio gear. common
aula noun classroom / hall L’esame è nell’aula 3. – The exam is in room 3. School and institutional contexts. common
autobus noun bus Prendo l’autobus ogni mattina. – I take the bus every morning. Public transport. common
auto noun car L’auto è parcheggiata fuori. – The car is parked outside. Informal for automobile. very common
autista noun driver L’autista ci ha salutato. – The driver greeted us. Transport professions. common
autunno noun autumn / fall In autunno le foglie cadono. – Leaves fall in autumn. Season vocabulary. common
autore noun author / creator L’autore ha firmato i libri. – The author signed the books. Literary contexts. common
automatizzare verb to automate Vogliono automatizzare il processo. – They want to automate the process. Tech and industrial contexts. less common
autorizzare verb to authorize / allow Il manager ha autorizzato la spesa. – The manager authorized the expense. Formal permission. common
avanti adverb / preposition forward / ahead / next Vai avanti, per favore. – Please go ahead. Directional and conversational use. common
avere verb to have Ho due fratelli. – I have two brothers. Core auxiliary and possession verb; very common. common
avvenire noun / verb future / to happen L’avvenire è incerto. – The future is uncertain. Literary/formal use for future. less common
avventura noun adventure Abbiamo vissuto una grande avventura. – We had a great adventure. Travel and storytelling. common
avvocato noun lawyer / attorney L’avvocato ha difeso il cliente. – The lawyer defended the client. Legal profession. common
avvertire verb to warn / notify Ti avverto del rischio. – I warn you of the risk. Formal and everyday warnings. common
avviso noun notice / warning C’è un avviso sulla porta. – There’s a notice on the door. Public messages. common
avvicinare verb to bring closer / approach Avvicina la sedia al tavolo. – Move the chair closer to the table. Physical and metaphorical uses. common
azzurro adjective light blue / azure Il cielo è azzurro oggi. – The sky is blue today. Color term; common. common

Descriptions

a
abbandonare
abbassare
abbastanza
abbassato
abbigliamento
abile
abitare
abito
abbracciare
abbraccio
abbondante
abbassamento
abbonamento
abbreviare
abbronzare
accento
accadere
accelerare
accendere
accessibile
accesso
accettare
accendere
accogliere
accompagnare
accordo
accorgersi
accusa
acqua
acquisto
acquistare
acuto
adagiare
adattare
adatto
addio
addormentare
addome
adorare
adulto
affamato
affare
affetto
afferrare
affermare
affidabile
affidare
affitto
affollato
affrontare
agente
agire
agire
aggravare
agosto
aiutare
aiuto
albero
album
alcol
alcuno
alcuni
allarme
allargare
allegria
allegare
allegro
allievo
allo
allora
altare
altezza
alto
alternativa
altrimenti
altro
alunno
amare
amico
amore
ampio
analisi
analizzare
andare
anno
annunciare
annuncio
annullare
ansia
ansioso
antico
anticipare
anzi
anziano
anziché
aperto
aprile
aprire
appalto
apparecchiare
appartamento
appena
appetito
applicare
applicazione
appoggiare
approfondire
approvare
apriscatole
aquila
arancia
arancione
arena
argento
argomento
aria
arma
armonia
arrabbiare
arrivare
arrivo
arte
articolo
artigiano
artistico
ascoltare
ascolto
ascensore
aspetto
aspettare
aspirare
aspro
assaggiare
assalto
assenza
assente
assicurare
assoluto
assumere
assurdo
astuto
atmosfera
atto
attendere
attenzione
attivo
attore
attrezzatura
attribuire
audace
aumentare
aumento
auricolare
aula
autobus
auto
autista
autunno
autore
automatizzare
autorizzare
avanti
avere
avvenire
avventura
avvocato
avvertire
avviso
avvicinare
azzurro
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