When I first moved to Turin many years ago, I was surprised to discover that not only is Thanksgiving not celebrated in Italy, but also that many Italians have never even heard of the national American holiday. (Looking back, I probably shouldn’t have been so shocked since the celebration is based on the 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists and Native Americans!)
Despite this, we still think it is worth learning some Italian Thanksgiving vocabulary, especially if you are part of an Italian-American family that still uses the Italian language at home, or wish to describe the holiday to your Italian friends in Italy.
In this article, you’ll find forty Italian Thanksgiving words we feel are useful to learn if you celebrate this important American holiday. Each word is accompanied by an audio file to help you with the pronunciation. Buona Festa del Ringraziamento! (Happy Thanksgiving!)
![italian thanksgiving words](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/italian-thanksgiving-words-778x778.jpg)
L’americano / L’americana
Translation: American
![Rear view of young people sitting on a pier with American flag and celebrating the holiday on the nature](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/americano-778x518.jpg)
![Mother, I love you. Happy daughter embracing her mom, enjoying time together](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/how-to-say-i-need-you-in-italian-778x518.jpg)
![Young female woman babysitter and toddler baby girl read book in autumn park. Happy family mom and toddler outdoors in fall park.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/italian-word-for-nanny-tata-778x518.jpg)
Gli avanzi
Translation: leftovers
![Chihuahua looking up at leftovers on table](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/chihuahua-looking-up-at-leftover-meal-on-dinner-ta-2021-08-26-18-01-34-utc-778x518.jpg)
Il banchetto
Translation: feast
![Feast with turkey on Thanksgiving, vegetables and fruit](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/feast-with-turkey-on-thanksgiving-vegetables-and-2021-08-26-15-35-05-utc-778x518.jpg)
Benedetto / benedetta
Translation: blessed
![A man praying hand for blessings](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/a-man-praying-hand-for-blessings-when-the-sun-goes-2021-10-18-10-28-58-utc-778x569.jpg)
![A handmade candle made of natural wax with texture of honeycomb bees. beeswax for craft candles. Organic candle.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/a-handmade-candle-made-of-natural-wax-beeswax-for-2022-01-11-18-09-13-utc-778x517.jpg)
Il centrotavola
Translation: centrepiece
![Floral centrepiece on the table](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/fall-floral-centerpiece-with-sunflowers-on-a-table-2022-08-01-01-26-32-utc-778x515.jpg)
La colonia
Translation: colony
![Augusta, Maine, USA at historic Fort Western in the morning.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/colony-778x519.jpg)
Il colonizzatore
Translation: coloniser / settler
![Sailboat replica of the Santa Maria boat, boat that discovered america.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/sailboat-replica-of-the-santa-maria-boat-boat-tha-2022-05-06-02-36-53-utc-778x519.jpg)
![Crazy family mixed ages celebrate and enjoy the football match together with coloured clothes of the team - group of people enjoy the sport watch activity at home and have fun for championship tournament](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/crazy-in-italian-778x518.jpg)
![Leather shoes walking on fall leaves Outdoor with Autumn season nature on background Lifestyle Fashion trendy style](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/italian-word-fruscio-rustle-778x518.jpg)
![Happy Thanksgiving Day! Autumn feast. Family sitting at the table and celebrating holiday. Grandparents, mother, father and children. Traditional dinner.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/happy-thanksgiving-in-italian-778x519.jpg)
Il giovedì
Translation: Thursday
![page is marked with a date calendar](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/calendar-2021-08-26-20-11-10-utc-778x515.jpg)
La gratitudine
Translation: thankfulness
![Happy family sitting at the table and celebrating holiday.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/thanksgiving-day-autumn-feast-2022-01-19-00-09-56-utc-778x486.jpg)
Grato / grata
Translation: grateful
![Happy mature man bringing turkey to dining table for Thanksgiving lunch.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/grateful-778x518.jpg)
![](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/grazie-thanksgiving-778x540.jpg)
Il mais
Translation: corn
![Farmer holding corn cob and talking on cell phone in a field](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/farmer-holding-corn-cob-and-talking-on-cell-phone-2022-03-08-01-03-36-utc-778x519.jpg)
Mangiare troppo
Translation: to overeat
![Beautiful adult caucasian woman eating italian food pizze - man couple point of view with beer and fresh drink on the table - people enjoying restaurant together sitting outdoor](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/beautiful-adult-caucasian-woman-eating-italian-foo-2021-08-29-13-12-54-utc-778x518.jpg)
![Fresh apples in a paper bag on a wooden background](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/fresh-apples-in-a-paper-bag-on-a-wooden-background-2021-12-09-02-46-40-utc-778x472.jpg)
Il nativo americano
Translation: Native American
![Traditional houses of native Americans installation in Gesgapegiag city, Quebec, Canada.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/traditional-houses-of-native-americans-installatio-2021-08-26-15-42-07-utc-778x518.jpg)
Novembre
Translation: November
Note: Novembre is a masculine noun, so it takes the article il in phrases such as “il novembre più caldo della storia” (the hottest November in history). In contrast to English, novembre and the other months of the year are always written in lower case unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.
![attractive young woman walking in autumn park with coffee wearing checkered coat, sunglasses, happy mood, fashion style trend, long brown hair](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/attractive-young-woman-walking-in-autumn-wearing-j-2021-12-09-08-34-17-utc-778x518.jpg)
Il pellegrino
Translation: Pilgrim
![](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/pilgrims-778x518.jpg)
Pieno / piena
Translation: full
![Cute little girl refuses to eat, pushes the plate](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cute-little-girl-refuses-to-eat-pushes-the-plate-2022-03-07-10-26-01-utc-778x519.jpg)
Il ponte
Translation: long weekend
Note: Ponte literally means “bridge“; Italians often say “fare il ponte” = to take a long weekend
![old man looking at calendar and remembering dates](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/old-man-looking-at-calendar-and-remembering-dates-2021-08-31-22-12-00-utc-778x519.jpg)
La preghiera
Translation: prayer
![Hands of an unrecognizable woman in white cardigan praying](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/preghiera-778x519.jpg)
Il purè di patate
Translation: mashed potatoes
![mashed potatoes in a bowl](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/mashed-potato-2022-09-20-01-19-59-utc-778x518.jpg)
Il quarto giovedì di novembre
Translation: the fourth Thursday in November
![Top view of November calendar surrounded by red ripe apples, pumpkins, walnuts, acorns and autumn leaves](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/top-view-of-november-calendar-surrounded-by-harves-2021-09-24-03-09-22-utc-778x518.jpg)
Il raccolto
Translation: harvest
![A top view of farmers hands holding their harvest outdoors at community farm.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/top-view-of-farmers-hands-holding-their-harvest-ou-2022-01-18-23-51-06-utc-778x518.jpg)
Il raduno di famiglia
Translation: family reunion
![Happy Latin family having fun lunching together at home](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/happy-latin-family-having-fun-lunching-together-at-2022-02-10-02-13-00-utc-778x498.jpg)
Ringraziare
Translation: to thank / to give thanks
![Happy parents and their kids celebrating Thanksgiving and toasting at dining table.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/gratefulness-778x518.jpg)
La salsa ai mirtilli rossi
Translation: cranberry sauce
![Cranberry sauce or cranberry jam with orange and rosemary. Top view on light stone table.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cranberry-sauce-in-a-bowl-top-view-2021-08-26-18-08-00-utc-778x518.jpg)
La salsa di carne
Translation: gravy
![Dark Homemade Turkey Gravy for Thanksgiving Dinner](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/dark-homemade-turkey-gravy-2021-08-26-16-20-55-utc-778x518.jpg)
Lo spaventapasseri
Translation: scarecrow
![scarecrow in a field](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/rice-field-background-with-scarecrow-2021-10-17-11-24-21-utc-778x518.jpg)
![turkey being cut on a plate](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/turkey-778x519.jpg)
La torta di mele
Translation: apple pie
![Apple pie on blue background](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/apple-pie-778x518.jpg)
La torta di zucca
Translation: pumpkin pie
![Homemade Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/pumpkin-pie-778x518.jpg)
La tradizione
Translation: tradition
![](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/portrait-of-smiling-african-american-cute-girl-hav-2022-04-01-23-37-34-utc-778x518.jpg)
Le verdure grigliate
Translation: roasted vegetables
![Roasting vegetables on the barbecue](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/roasting-vegetables-on-the-barbecue-gas-grill-2022-03-30-14-38-25-utc-778x518.jpg)
La zucca
Translation: pumpkin / gourd / squash
Note: Italians don’t differentiate between pumpkins, gourds and squashes. All three are called zucca.
![Set of colorful pumpkins on wood flat lay empty space.](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/set-of-colorful-pumpkins-on-wood-flat-lay-empty-sp-2022-01-18-23-51-52-utc-778x531.jpg)
![thanksgiving vocabulary italian](https://dailyitalianwords.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/thanksgiving-vocabulary-italian-486x778.jpg)
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.