How do you say wind in Italian?
Vento
Use vento to say wind in Italian.
| Origin | From the Latin word ventus, “wind” |
| Pronunciation | /ˈvɛnto/ |
Il vento
The wind
Wind in Italian: Different forms
Like most nouns in Italian, vento has two articles (definite or indefinite articles) and two numbers (singular or plural).
| Singular | Plural | |
| Definite | Il vento | I venti |
| Indefinite | Un vento | Dei venti |
Italians never use ventoso, windy, to describe the weather. They just say that “there is wind”.
Wind in Italian: Examples
Oggi non c’è vento.
There is no wind today.
Il vento ha fatto cadere il vaso sul balcone.
The wind has knocked the pot on the balcony.
Ho sentito un vento freddo sul viso.
I felt a cold wind on my face.
Il vento era freddo ieri.
The wind was cold yesterday.
Wind in Italian: Related words
Soffiare is the verb that translates to blow.
Il vento che soffia a 100 km/h può danneggiare le tegole dei tetti.
Wind blowing at 100 km/h can damage roof tiles.
Il vento soffia forte e si insinua tra le fessure delle persiane.
The wind blows strongly and creeps through the cracks in the shutters.
The wind in Italian can also spirare, which is a less intense version of “to blow”. That is why this verb is more often used with brezza, breeze.
Spira una brezza leggera.
A gentle breeze is blowing.
We then use the reflexive verb alzarsi, to get up or to rise, to say that the wind is rising and increasing.
Il vento si alza lungo il viale, facendo vorticare le foglie.
The wind picks up along the avenue, making the leaves whirl.
What kinds of winds are there in Italian?
There are a number of adjectives that are often associated with the wind in Italian:
- vento forte (strong wind)
- vento leggero (gentle wind)
- vento caldo (warm wind)
- vento fresco (cool wind)
- vento gelido (icy wind)
- vento asciutto (dry wind)
- vento umido (humid wind)
- vento solare (solar wind)
- vento moderato (moderate wind)
For example, you can say…
Questo vento caldo arriva dal deserto.
This warm wind comes from the desert.
Nel venire qui, un forte vento ha fatto volare via il mio ombrello.
On my way here, a strong wind made my umbrella fly away.
The wind in Italian is also often accompanied by other nouns to form common collocations, such as:
- bava di vento (light breeze)
- raffica/folata/colpo di vento (gust of wind)
- rosa dei venti (compass rose)
- mulino a vento (windmill)
Una raffica di vento mi ha portato via il cappello!
A gust of wind took my hat away!
Una folata di vento gonfia le vele.
A gust of wind swells the sails.
➡️ Vento can also become venticello to translate “gentle breeze”. Learn how a suffix can describe a noun in the suffixes in Italian lesson!
Common wind types are:
- maestrale (northwest wind)
- scirocco (sirocco)
- tramontana (north wind)
Wind in Italian: Expressions
There are a number of idiomatic expressions and sayings featuring the word for wind in Italian:
Parlare al vento
To speak uselessly
Literally: To speak to the wind
Essere veloce come il vento
To be as swift as the wind
Navigare col vento in poppa
To sail with a tailwind
Chi semina vento raccoglie tempesta
As you sow, so shall you reap
Literally: Who sows wind, reaps storm
Andare dove tira il vento
“To go on without encountering obstacles or problems”
Literally: To go where the wind blows
Qual buon vento ti porta?
What good wind brings you here?
More free Italian resources
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