When talking about hair in Italian, you almost always use the plural form 'capelli'. Even if you're referring to a single strand, it's more natural to say 'un capello' (singular masculine), but for the general concept of hair on one's head, 'capelli' is the standard.
You'll often see descriptive adjectives like 'lunghi' (long), 'corti' (short), 'neri' (black), 'biondi' (blonde), or 'rossi' (red) used with 'capelli'. Remember that these adjectives must agree in gender and number with 'capelli', which is masculine plural.
To say 'my hair' or 'your hair', you'll typically use the definite article (il, la, i, le) instead of the possessive adjective directly before 'capelli'. For example, 'i miei capelli' (my hair) is more common than just 'miei capelli'.
Also, 'capelli' can be used in various expressions. For instance, 'essere a un pelo' means 'to be a hair's breadth away' or 'to be very close to something'.
§ What 'capelli' means
- Italian Word
- capelli (noun, masculine, plural)
- Definition
- Strands growing on the human head.
In Italian, capelli refers specifically to the hair on your head. It's a plural noun, even when you're talking about a general amount of hair. You'll almost always use it in its plural form.
Ha i capelli lunghi e neri. (She has long, black hair.)
Mi sono tagliato i capelli ieri. (I cut my hair yesterday.)
§ Common phrases with 'capelli'
Here are some useful phrases you'll hear and use with capelli:
Avere i capelli... (To have ... hair)
This is how you describe someone's hair. For example: Avere i capelli biondi (to have blonde hair), avere i capelli ricci (to have curly hair), avere i capelli lisci (to have straight hair).Mio fratello ha i capelli castani. (My brother has brown hair.)
Tagliarsi i capelli (To get a haircut)
This literally means 'to cut oneself's hair'.Devo tagliarmi i capelli presto. (I need to get a haircut soon.)
Pettinare i capelli (To comb/brush one's hair)
Mi pettino i capelli ogni mattina. (I comb my hair every morning.)
Un parrucchiere / una parrucchiera (A hairdresser)
This is the person who cuts and styles your capelli.Vado dal parrucchiere una volta al mese. (I go to the hairdresser once a month.)
§ 'Capelli' vs. 'pelo' (and other similar words)
This is where it can get a little tricky for English speakers, as we often just say 'hair' for everything. In Italian, there are distinct words:
Capelli: As we've learned, this is specifically the hair on a human head. Always plural.
Pelo: This refers to body hair on humans, or the fur/hair of animals. It can be singular (un pelo - a single hair/strand of fur) or plural (i peli - body hair/fur).
Il gatto ha il pelo morbido. (The cat has soft fur.)
Ha molti peli sulle braccia. (He has a lot of hair on his arms.)
Barba: This is specifically a beard.
Mio nonno ha una barba bianca. (My grandfather has a white beard.)
Baffi: This means mustache.
Ha dei lunghi baffi. (He has a long mustache.)
Understanding these distinctions will make your Italian sound much more natural and precise. So, when you're talking about someone's head of hair, always go for capelli!
कठिनाई स्तर
short and common
short and common
short and common
short and common
आगे क्या सीखें
पूर्वापेक्षाएँ
आगे सीखें
उन्नत
खुद को परखो 24 सवाल
The correct order to form a grammatically sound sentence is 'Subject + verb + noun + adjectives'.
The correct order is 'Verb + infinitive + possessive + noun'.
The correct order is 'Definite article + possessive + noun + verb + adjective'.
Choose the correct sentence: My sister has beautiful blonde hair.
In Italian, 'capelli' is masculine plural. 'Bello' (beautiful) changes to 'bei' before a masculine plural noun starting with a consonant, and 'biondi' (blonde) agrees in gender and number.
Which sentence correctly uses 'capelli' in a figurative sense?
'Non riesco a credere ai miei capelli!' is an idiomatic expression similar to 'I can't believe my eyes!' or 'I can't believe it!' used to express extreme surprise or disbelief, thus using 'capelli' figuratively. The other options refer to hair literally.
Complete the sentence: 'Quando fa caldo, mi piace legare i ______.' (When it's hot, I like to tie up my hair.)
'Capelli' is the plural form of 'capello' (a single strand of hair). In Italian, when referring to the hair on one's head, the plural 'capelli' is always used.
It is correct to say 'Lui ha un capello corto.' (He has short hair.)
No, this is incorrect. 'Capello' is singular and refers to a single strand of hair. To say 'He has short hair,' you should use the plural 'capelli': 'Lui ha i capelli corti.'
The phrase 'mettersi i capelli a posto' means to fix one's hair.
Yes, 'mettersi i capelli a posto' is a common Italian idiom that translates to 'to fix one's hair' or 'to do one's hair' (e.g., make it tidy).
In Italian, 'capelli' always refers to the hair on a human head.
Yes, 'capelli' specifically refers to the hair on a human head. For animal fur or body hair, different terms are used (e.g., 'pelo').
The speaker needs something for their hair.
The speaker is describing someone's hair color.
The speaker is having trouble with their daughter's hair.
Read this aloud:
Descrivi i tuoi capelli.
Focus: Rolla la 'r' in 'ricci' se li hai, o pratica le vocali in 'lisci'.
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Chiedi al tuo parrucchiere un nuovo taglio di capelli.
Focus: La 'g' in 'taglio' e la 'c' dura in 'capelli'.
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Parla di come ti prendi cura dei tuoi capelli ogni giorno.
Focus: Pratica la pronuncia di parole come 'lavo', 'asciugo', 'pettino'.
तुमने कहा:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Nonostante la sua età avanzata, sfoggiava ancora una chioma di ___ folti e bianchi, a testimonianza di una genetica invidiabile.
The sentence refers to a head of hair, making 'capelli' the appropriate choice.
Il vento sferzava impetuosamente, scompigliando i suoi ___ e lasciandoli danzare liberamente attorno al viso.
The context describes something that gets disheveled by the wind around the face, which is 'capelli'.
La pittrice era nota per la sua abilità nel catturare la lucentezza dei ___ dei suoi soggetti con pennellate delicate e precise.
The sentence speaks of capturing the 'lucentezza' (lustre/sheen) of something with delicate brushstrokes, which commonly applies to 'capelli' in portraits.
Il parrucchiere, con gesti esperti, modellava i ___ della cliente, trasformando la sua acconciatura in un'opera d'arte.
A hairdresser works with 'capelli' to create an 'acconciatura' (hairstyle).
Aveva sempre desiderato cambiare radicalmente look, iniziando dalla lunghezza e dal colore dei suoi ___.
Changing 'look' by altering length and color is typically done with 'capelli'.
Nonostante la calura estiva, riusciva a mantenere i suoi ___ perfettamente in ordine, una vera sfida di stile.
Keeping something 'perfettamente in ordine' (perfectly in order) despite summer heat often refers to 'capelli' as a style challenge.
/ 24 correct
Perfect score!
संबंधित सामग्री
संबंधित मुहावरे
health के और शब्द
affamato
A1Feeling a need for food
alleviamento
C1The act of making a pain or problem less severe.
ammalarsi
B1To become ill or get sick.
asettico
C1Sterile or lacking emotional involvement
assetato
A1Feeling a need for water
assistenza
B1The action of helping someone.
astinenza
C1the practice of restraining oneself from indulging in something.
benessere
B1The state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.
bocca
A1The orifice for eating and speaking.
corpo
A1The physical structure of a person.
