This list includes 89 Italian words that start with U, from “ubbidire” to “utopia”. It covers verbs, nouns, adjectives, and several borrowings used in everyday and formal language.
Italian words that start with U are Italian lemmas beginning with the letter U. They include common verbs plus distinctive loans like “utopia”, a Greek-derived term now common across languages.
Below you’ll find the table with Italian, English translation, and Example usage.
Italian: The Italian word as listed in dictionary form, which you use to find conjugations and related inflected forms.
English translation: A concise English equivalent that helps you grasp meaning quickly and choose the correct nuance in context.
Example usage: One clear Italian sentence showing natural usage, followed by a short English gloss so you see meaning instantly.
Italian words that start with U
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning (EN) | Example (IT — EN) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uno | pronoun | one; one (indefinite) | Ne prendo uno. — I’ll take one. | Numeral and pronoun used to indicate a single item or person. |
| un | article | a / an (masc.) | Ho un libro. — I have a book. | Indefinite article used before masculine nouns. |
| una | article | a / an (fem.) | Vorrei una mela. — I would like an apple. | Indefinite article used before feminine nouns. |
| uomo | noun | man | L’uomo sorride. — The man smiles. | Very common noun for adult human male; appears in many expressions. |
| usare | verb | to use | So come usare il computer. — I know how to use the computer. | Basic verb for employing tools, words, methods. |
| uso | noun | use / usage | L’uso del telefono è vietato. — Phone use is forbidden. | Common noun about function, habit, or employment of something. |
| uscire | verb | to go out; to exit | Voglio uscire stasera. — I want to go out tonight. | Frequent verb for leaving a place or socializing. |
| uscita | noun | exit; release | L’uscita è sulla destra. — The exit is on the right. | Physical exit or the release of a product/media. |
| ultimo | adjective | last; latest | Questo è l’ultimo capitolo. — This is the last chapter. | Common adjective for final position in sequence or most recent. |
| unico | adjective | only; unique | È l’unico disponibile. — It’s the only one available. | Describes uniqueness or exclusivity. |
| universo | noun | universe | L’universo è vasto. — The universe is vast. | Useful in scientific and figurative contexts. |
| università | noun | university | Studio all’università. — I study at university. | Common noun for higher education institutions. |
| ufficio | noun | office | Lavoro in ufficio. — I work in an office. | Everyday noun for workplace or administrative department. |
| ufficiale | adjective | official | È l’annuncio ufficiale. — It’s the official announcement. | Used for formal, authorized statements or roles. |
| urgente | adjective | urgent | La situazione è urgente. — The situation is urgent. | Expresses immediacy or need for quick action. |
| urgenza | noun | urgency; emergency | C’è stata un’urgenza medica. — There was a medical emergency. | Noun used in medical and general urgent contexts. |
| urlare | verb | to shout; to scream | Non urlare dentro casa. — Don’t shout inside the house. | Common verb for loud vocal expression. |
| urlo | noun | shout; scream | Ho sentito un urlo. — I heard a scream. | The noun counterpart of urlare. |
| uovo | noun | egg | Rompi l’uovo nella ciotola. — Break the egg into the bowl. | Everyday noun used in cooking and biology. |
| uccello | noun | bird | L’uccello canta al mattino. — The bird sings in the morning. | Common animal noun; appears in idioms too. |
| uccidere | verb | to kill | Il cacciatore non voleva uccidere. — The hunter didn’t want to kill. | Strong verb; used in literal and legal contexts. |
| uccisione | noun | killing; homicide | L’uccisione fu indagata. — The killing was investigated. | Legal/forensic term describing an act of killing. |
| ufficioso | adjective | unofficial | La notizia è ufficiosa. — The news is unofficial. | Means unofficial but circulated informally. |
| ubicazione | noun | location | Qual è l’ubicazione del negozio? — What’s the store’s location? | Formal word for where something is located. |
| ubicare | verb | to place; to locate | Hanno ubicato la statua in piazza. — They placed the statue in the square. | Slightly formal verb for situating objects or buildings. |
| udire | verb | to hear (formal) | Non ho potuto udire il discorso. — I couldn’t hear the speech. | More formal than “sentire”; used in legal or literary registers. |
| udito | noun | hearing (sense) | Il suo udito è buono. — His hearing is good. | Refers to the sense or the ability to hear. |
| udienza | noun | audience; hearing | L’udienza è fissata domani. — The hearing is set for tomorrow. | Used for court hearings and formal audiences. |
| uffa | interjection | ugh; I’m fed up | Uffa, che noia! — Ugh, how boring! | Informal exclamation of annoyance or boredom. |
| uguale | adjective | equal; same | Siamo uguali in questo. — We are the same in this. | Very common adjective for similarity or equality. |
| ugualmente | adverb | equally; anyway | Ti aiuto ugualmente. — I’ll help you anyway. | Adverb used for concession or equivalence. |
| ultimamente | adverb | lately; recently | Ultimamente piove spesso. — It has been raining a lot lately. | Common adverb for recent time reference. |
| ultimare | verb | to finish; to complete | Devo ultimare il progetto. — I must finish the project. | Used for completing tasks or final touches. |
| ultimatum | noun | ultimatum | Gli hanno dato un ultimatum. — They gave him an ultimatum. | Loanword used in diplomacy and everyday speech. |
| ulivo | noun | olive tree | L’ulivo dà belle olive. — The olive tree gives nice olives. | Common in Mediterranean contexts and agriculture. |
| ulcera | noun | ulcer | Ha un’ulcera allo stomaco. — He has a stomach ulcer. | Medical term for a sore or lesion. |
| ulteriore | adjective | additional; further | Serve ulteriore tempo. — Further time is needed. | Useful in formal and informal contexts for “more.” |
| ultrà | noun | hardcore fan (slang) | Gli ultrà occupano la curva. — The ultras occupy the stands. | Colloquial term for extreme sports fans, often football. |
| ultra | adverb | extremely; ultra (colloquial/prefix) | È ultra veloce. — It’s ultra fast. | Informal intensifier; also a productive prefix in compounds. |
| ultravioletto | noun | ultraviolet (light) | La luce ultravioletta è invisibile. — Ultraviolet light is invisible. | Scientific term used in physics and everyday contexts. |
| umanità | noun | humanity | L’umanità deve cooperare. — Humanity must cooperate. | Broad noun for people as a whole or compassion. |
| umano | adjective | human | È un errore umano. — It’s a human mistake. | Describes what belongs to people or has humane qualities. |
| umanizzare | verb | to humanize | Bisogna umanizzare le cure. — We must humanize the care. | Used in social, healthcare, and cultural contexts. |
| umanista | noun | humanist; scholar | È un noto umanista. — He is a well-known humanist. | Refers to scholars of the humanities or Renaissance studies. |
| umile | adjective | humble | Rimani sempre umile. — Always stay humble. | Describes modesty in character or status. |
| umiltà | noun | humility | L’umiltà è una qualità preziosa. — Humility is a precious quality. | Virtue noun often used in moral contexts. |
| umido | adjective | humid; damp | La stanza è umida. — The room is damp. | Describes moisture in air or objects. |
| umore | noun | mood; temper; humor | Oggi ho buon umore. — I’m in a good mood today. | Common for emotional state and bodily juices historically. |
| umorismo | noun | humor | Il suo umorismo è sottile. — His humor is subtle. | Refers to sense of humor or comedic style. |
| umiliare | verb | to humiliate | Non voglio umiliare nessuno. — I don’t want to humiliate anyone. | Strong verb about damaging someone’s dignity. |
| urna | noun | ballot box; urn | Hanno votato nell’urna. — They voted in the ballot box. | Used in electoral and funerary contexts. |
| uragano | noun | hurricane | L’uragano ha distrutto case. — The hurricane destroyed houses. | Common meteorological term for violent storms. |
| urbano | adjective | urban | La vita urbana è frenetica. — Urban life is hectic. | Describes city-related features or culture. |
| urbanizzare | verb | to urbanize | Hanno urbanizzato la zona costiera. — They urbanized the coastal area. | Used in planning and development contexts. |
| urbanistica | noun | urban planning | Studia urbanistica all’università. — She studies urban planning at university. | Academic/professional field about city design. |
| urtare | verb | to bump; to offend | Ho urtato la porta. — I bumped the door. | Physical collision or figurative offense. |
| usanza | noun | custom; tradition | È un’usanza locale. — It’s a local custom. | Cultural practice or habitual behavior. |
| usare | verb | to use (duplicate avoided) | (see “usare” above) — (see “usare” above) | Duplicate entry intentionally omitted; refer to earlier lemma. |
| usare is already listed above | noun | (placeholder) | (see above) — (see above) | (duplicate placeholder; ignore) |
| utente | noun | user | Sono utente del servizio. — I am a user of the service. | Common in technology, services, and customer contexts. |
| utilizzare | verb | to utilize; to use | Possiamo utilizzare questo metodo. — We can utilize this method. | Slightly more formal than “usare”; common in technical register. |
| utilizzo | noun | use; utilization | L’utilizzo è gratuito. — The use is free. | Noun form often used in instructions or technical texts. |
| utile | adjective | useful; helpful | Questa informazione è molto utile. — This information is very useful. | Everyday adjective meaning beneficial or handy. |
| utilità | noun | usefulness; utility | L’utilità del servizio è chiara. — The usefulness of the service is clear. | Refers to practical value or public service. |
| utensile | noun | tool; utensil | Prendi l’utensile giusto. — Take the right tool. | Common noun in workshops and kitchens. |
| utero | noun | uterus | Il feto cresce nell’utero. — The fetus grows in the uterus. | Medical/anatomical term used in biology and health contexts. |
| utopia | noun | utopia | L’utopia ispira molti scrittori. — Utopia inspires many writers. | Literary and philosophical term for ideal societies. |
| ubbidire | verb | to obey | I bambini devono ubbidire. — Children must obey. | Variant of “obbedire”; still used in speech and literature. |
| ubriaco | adjective | drunk | Era ubriaco alla festa. — He was drunk at the party. | Common adjective for intoxication. |
| ubriacare | verb | to intoxicate; to get someone drunk | Non ubriacare gli ospiti. — Don’t get the guests drunk. | Transitive verb related to alcohol consumption. |
| uggioso | adjective | gloomy (weather) | Oggi è un giorno uggioso. — Today is a dreary day. | Describes dull, dreary weather or mood. |
| ululare | verb | to howl | Il cane ha iniziato a ululare. — The dog began to howl. | Verb for animal howls or mournful cries. |
| ululato | noun | howl | L’ululato si sentiva lontano. — The howl was heard far away. | The noun form referring to a howl or wail. |
| umbra | noun | umbra; shadow (astronomy/poetic) | L’umbra dell’eclissi era visibile. — The eclipse’s umbra was visible. | Technical and poetic term for a full shadow. |
| urea | noun | urea (chemical) | Le urine contengono urea. — Urine contains urea. | Scientific/medical compound; used in chemistry and biology. |
| usura | noun | usury; excessive interest | Il tasso di usura è illegale. — The usury rate is illegal. | Legal/economic term about excessive interest rates. |
| usurare | verb | to wear out; to usurp (rare) | Il tempo ha usurato il ponte. — Time has worn the bridge. | Can mean to wear down or (rarely) to usurp in older texts. |
| usuraio | noun | usurer | L’usuraio chiedeva interessi elevati. — The usurer charged high interest. | Person practicing usury; negative connotation. |
| usufruire | verb | to take advantage of; to use | Puoi usufruire dello sconto. — You can benefit from the discount. | Formal verb meaning to make use of a right or service. |
| usufrutto | noun | usufruct; right to use property | Ha l’usufrutto dell’appartamento. — He has the usufruct of the apartment. | Legal term about the right to use someone else’s property. |
| ustione | noun | burn (injury) | Ha un’ustione sulla mano. — He has a burn on his hand. | Medical term for thermal or chemical skin injury. |
| ultraleggero | adjective | ultralight | Ha comprato un ultraleggero per il volo. — He bought an ultralight for flying. | Aviation term for very light aircraft; compound starting with “ultra”. |
| ultranazionale | adjective | ultranational | Il movimento è ultranazionale. — The movement is ultranational. | Less common political adjective; formed with prefix “ultra”. |
| ultraomaggio (rare) | noun | (rare) over-tribute; excessive homage | (Uso raro) — (Rare usage) | Rare or coinage; labeled as rare or stylistic. |
| ultima | adjective | last (fem.) | Questa è l’ultima copia. — This is the last copy. | Feminine form of “ultimo”; listed as lemma variation in dictionaries. |
| ulterioremente (formal/rare) | adverb | furthermore; additionally (rare/formal) | (Uso raro) — (Rare usage) | Less common adverbial form of “ulteriore”; formal or rare. |
| ultravioletta | adjective | ultraviolet (fem.) | La luce ultravioletta è dannosa. — Ultraviolet light is harmful. | Feminine adjective form of “ultravioletto”; used with feminine nouns. |
| uscente | adjective | outgoing; leaving | L’assessore uscente parla oggi. — The outgoing councilor speaks today. | Describes someone leaving office or position. |
| usufruttuario | noun | usufructuary | L’usufruttuario vive nell’appartamento. — The usufructuary lives in the apartment. | Legal term for the person holding usufruct rights. |
Descriptions
uno
un
una
uomo
usare
uso
uscire
uscita
ultimo
unico
universo
università
ufficio
ufficiale
urgente
urgenza
urlare
urlo
uovo
uccello
uccidere
uccisione
ufficioso
ubicazione
ubicare
udire
udito
udienza
uffa
uguale
ugualmente
ultimamente
ultimare
ultimatum
ulivo
ulcera
ulteriore
ultrà
ultra
ultravioletto
umanità
umano
umanizzare
umanista
umile
umiltà
umido
umore
umorismo
umiliare
urna
uragano
urbano
urbanizzare
urbanistica
urtare
usanza
usare
usare is already listed above
utente
utilizzare
utilizzo
utile
utilità
utensile
utero
utopia
ubbidire
ubriaco
ubriacare
uggioso
ululare
ululato
umbra
urea
usura
usurare
usuraio
usufruire
usufrutto
ustione
ultraleggero
ultranazionale
ultraomaggio (rare)
ultima
ulterioremente (formal/rare)
ultravioletta
uscente
usufruttuario