The word mozzafiato in Italian translates as breathtaking in English. It is a combination of the verb mozzare (to cut off) and the noun fiato (breath), two words that also make up the expression mozzare il fiato (to take one’s breath away). In both languages, these words refer to anything that arouses so much amazement or admiration that you can barely breathe.
This particular adjective is invariable, meaning that its form remains the same regardless of the subject it modifies, be it masculine, feminine or plural. For example:
- il panorama mozzafiato = the breathtaking panorama (masculine, singular)
- la scena mozzafiato = the breathtaking scene (feminine, singular)
- gli spettacoli mozzafiato = the breathtaking shows (masculine, plural)
- le regioni mozzafiato = the breathtaking regions (feminine, plural)
C’è una vista mozzafiato dalla finestra della nostra camera d’albergo.
There is a breathtaking view from the window of our hotel room.
Breathtakingly can translate as (tanto) da mozzare il fiato (lit: so much that it takes your breath away).
La sera, Parigi è così bella da mozzare il fiato.
Paris is breathtakingly beautiful in the evening.
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.
