01
italienisch
Italian
Relates to Italy, its inhabitants, its culture, or its language.
example
Wir gehen heute Abend in ein gutes italienisches Restaurant.
We're going to a good Italian restaurant tonight.
italienisch
Italian
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word formation
Adjectives that describe origin are often formed in German with the ending '-isch'. So the country 'Italien' (Italy) becomes the adjective 'italienisch' (Italian).
EXAMPLE
Spanien → spanisch, Japan → japanisch.
Spain → Spanish, Japan → Japanese.
Capitalization
As an adjective, 'italienisch' (Italian) is written in lowercase in German. But when it refers to the language as a noun, it is capitalized.
EXAMPLE
Ich esse gerne italienische Pizza.
I like eating Italian pizza.
Typical collocations
The adjective 'italienisch' (Italian) is very often used in connection with food, culture, and products. Typical examples are 'die italienische Küche' (Italian cuisine), 'italienischer Wein' (Italian wine), or 'italienische Mode' (Italian fashion).
EXAMPLE
Er fährt ein schnelles italienisches Auto.
He drives a fast Italian car.
Compare with
italienisch vs römisch
Roman
'italienisch' and 'römisch' can be confused because Rome is in Italy. 'italienisch' refers to all of Italy, to its people, culture, or language. 'römisch' refers only to Rome: either to ancient Rome, to the present-day city of Rome, or to the Roman Catholic Church. When talking about pizza, the Italian language, or the country of Italy, you say 'italienisch'. When talking about ancient Rome, Roman numerals, or something from the city of Rome, 'römisch' is the right fit.
italienisch
Im Urlaub möchte Lisa italienisch essen und ein paar Wörter auf Italienisch lernen.
On vacation, Lisa wants to eat Italian food and learn a few words in Italian.
römisch
Im Museum sehen wir alte römische Münzen aus der Zeit des Kaisers.
In the museum, we see old Roman coins from the time of the emperor.
In real life
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