Animals

1. Cani

   Dog

   Usage

   Used after a dog bite, or when asking whether dogs are allowed

   Grammar Note

   Used for both male and female dogs, with the same singular and plural form

2. Gattu

   Cat

   Usage

   Used to mention a cat allergy or to talk about stray cats

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun; the plural is gatti. A female cat is gatta

3. Auceḍḍu

   Bird

   Usage

   Used when talking about wild birds or bird dishes

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun; the plural is auceḍḍi. It is also written aceddu. Warning: in slang it has another, vulgar meaning, so never say it about a person

4. Pisci

   Fish

   Usage

   Used to order fish or to mention a fish allergy

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun with the same singular and plural form. The same word covers the living fish and the dish

5. Cavaḍḍu

   Horse

   Usage

   Used for horse riding or when talking about horses and carts

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun; the plural is cavaḍḍi. It is also the chess knight

6. Vacca

   Cow

   Usage

   Used to point out a cow on a farm

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun; the plural is vacchi

7. Porcu

   Pig

   Usage

   Used to avoid pork or to point out a pig on a farm

   Grammar Note

   The plural is porci. The same word is used for pork

8. Gaḍḍina

   Hen

   Usage

   Used to point out a hen on a farm or at a market

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun; the plural is gaḍḍini. A rooster is gaḍḍu

9. Crapa

   Goat

   Usage

   Used to point out a goat on a mountain pasture

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun; the plural is crapi. It means the female goat; the male has a different word

10. Pècura

    Sheep

    Usage

    Used when you see a flock of sheep or talk about sheep products

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is pècuri. The stress falls on the first e, which carries the accent mark

11. Sceccu

    Donkey

    Usage

    Used when you see a donkey in a mountain village

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; the plural is scecchi. Under Italian influence asinu is also said

12. Vurpi

    Fox

    Usage

    Used when you see a fox in a field or wood

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun with the same singular and plural form. It also means a cunning person

13. Rizzu

    Hedgehog

    Usage

    Used for a hedgehog; on a menu it can also mean sea urchin

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; the plural is rizzi. The same word also means sea urchin and a chestnut husk; the sea urchin is also called ricciu di mari or rizzu di mari

14. Cervu

    Deer

    Usage

    Used when you see a deer in the mountains or woods

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; the plural is cervi

15. Palumma

    Pigeon

    Usage

    Used when you see pigeons in a square or park

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is palummi. It covers pigeons and doves

16. Cunigghiu

    Rabbit

    Usage

    Used when you see a rabbit in a field or want to check rabbit meat on a menu

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun. The spelling gghi stands for a palatal lateral sound, close to "lli" in "million"

17. Surci

    Mouse

    Usage

    Used when you find a mouse in a room or kitchen

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun with the same singular and plural form. It means the small house mouse of the genus Mus

18. Serpi

    Snake

    Usage

    Used when you see a snake on a hike or after a snake bite

    Grammar Note

    Used as either a masculine or a feminine noun. The form serpenti also exists

19. Lucerta

    Lizard

    Usage

    Used when you see a small lizard on a wall or at ruins

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is lucerti. The form lucèrtula also exists

20. Musca

    Fly

    Usage

    Used when flies gather around food at an outdoor meal

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is muschi

21. Lapa

    Bee

    Usage

    Used when talking about bees or a bee sting

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is lapi. It is also the everyday name for the Piaggio Ape three-wheeler

22. Vespa

    Wasp

    Usage

    Used for wasps that come to drinks or fruit at an outdoor table

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is vespi. It is the same word as the Piaggio Vespa scooter

23. Furmìcula

    Ant

    Usage

    Used when ants appear in a room or kitchen

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is furmìculi. The form furmica also exists. The stress falls on the i, which carries the accent mark

24. Ragnu

    Spider

    Usage

    Used when you see a spider in a room or outdoors

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun. It is also used for large spiders such as the tarantula

25. Zicca

    Tick

    Usage

    Used when you find a tick after walking in grass or woods

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is zicchi. Figuratively it means an annoying pest of a person

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