peccato

sin

noun pek-KAH-toh Less Common

Also means

pity

Usage Note

Peccato is used both in the religious sense (il peccato originale, original sin) and as an everyday exclamation meaning 'what a shame!' — Che peccato! is one of the most common expressions of mild regret in Italian. The two senses are completely unrelated in register; a learner meeting only one may be surprised by the other.

Examples

"Che peccato, non puoi venire!"

Natural Translation

What a pity, you can't come!

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Numbers 1 to 100: Count Like a Local

Learn Italian numbers 1 to 100 by mastering 0-20, the tens, and 3 spelling rules so you can generate any number from ventuno to novantanove on demand.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Articles: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le Explained

Italian has seven words for 'the' — il, lo, la, i, gli, le — but it's two questions, not seven cases. Master gender, sound, and the lo/gli rule fast.

June 5, 2026 7 min read

ItalianNow

Avere Fame: Why Italians "Have" Hunger, Not "Are"

In Italian you say Ho fame (I have hunger), never sono fame. Learn the avere + noun rule for fame, freddo, paura, age, and the sono caldo trap to avoid.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

You're Welcome in Italian: 8 Ways Beyond Prego

You're welcome in Italian is more than prego: say figurati to friends, si figuri to strangers, di niente, non c'è di che, or grazie a te. Pick the right one.

June 9, 2026 6 min read