Dolce (pronounced DOL-cheh) means “sweet” in Italian. As an adjective it describes sweet food and drink, but also gentle people, pleasant sounds and mild weather. As a noun, un dolce means “a dessert” or “a sweet”, and the plural is dolci.
“Dolce” in Italian
“Dolce”: Meaning
I am sure you know the very famous Italian expression la dolce vita. It is a straightforward example of how the Italian word dolce can embody an array of sensory and emotional experiences.
Its primary translation is “sweet”, but it extends beyond just flavor. It can include elements of aesthetics, emotions, and even physical properties.
This versatility makes the word dolce an important term in both everyday conversation and more nuanced discussions. Here, I will show you its different meanings and contextual uses.
“Dolce”: Grammar
Grammatically speaking, dolce can be used as an adjective or as a noun.
- Dolce as an adjective changes its form based on number but not on gender:
- un mandarino dolce (masculine, singular) – a sweet tangerine
- una fragola dolce (feminine, singular) – a sweet strawberry
- dei mandarini dolci (masculine, plural) – sweet tangerines
- delle fragole dolci (feminine, plural) – sweet strawberries
- Dolce as a noun is a masculine noun meaning “dessert” or “sweetness” as a flavor. The term “dessert” is also used, but dolce is more common.
Vuoi ordinare un dolce?
Do you want to order a dessert?
Il dolce far niente.
The sweetness of doing nothing.
“Dolce”: Pronunciation and Spelling
Dolce is pronounced DOL-cheh. In Italian, a c before e or i sounds like the “ch” in “cheese”, so the plural dolci is pronounced DOL-chee.
The spelling has no h. People often search for “dolche”, but that is a misspelling: an h is only added after c to keep a hard “k” sound, as in che or chi.
“Dolce” vs “Dolci”
Dolci is the plural of both the adjective and the noun. Use it whenever you talk about more than one sweet thing:
Questo dolce è buonissimo.
This dessert is delicious.
I dolci di questa pasticceria sono ottimi.
The sweets in this pastry shop are excellent.
Questo caffè è dolcissimo.
This coffee is very sweet.
Dolcissimo is the superlative: “very sweet”.
How to Use “Dolce” in Italian
Taste and Flavors
In its most straightforward sense, dolce refers to foods that are sweet to taste, such as fruits, desserts, or beverages. For example:
Questa fragola era molto dolce.
This strawberry was very sweet.
Aesthetic and Emotional Appeal
Beyond taste, dolce can describe pleasant and agreeable things. For example:
Quel ragazzo ha un sorriso dolce.
That guy has a sweet smile.
Mi piace fare gesti dolci per le persone che amo.
I like doing sweet gestures for the people I love.
Idiomatic and Figurative Uses
Dolce appears in several well-known Italian idioms, such as:
- casa dolce casa – home sweet home
- la dolce vita – the sweet life
- la mia dolce metà – my other half
- essere in dolce attesa – to be pregnant
- essere al dolce – to be at the dessert course, so the meal is nearly over
Water, Weather and Other Physical Properties
Dolce also describes things you can feel or measure, not only taste. The opposite of a sweet taste is amaro (bitter) or salato (salty), but in these uses the opposite changes:
- acqua dolce – fresh water, as opposed to acqua salata (salt water)
- un clima dolce – a mild climate
- vino dolce – sweet wine, as opposed to vino secco (dry wine)
- patata dolce – sweet potato
I pesci di acqua dolce vivono nei fiumi e nei laghi.
Freshwater fish live in rivers and lakes.
In primavera il clima è dolce.
The climate is mild in spring.
Preferisco il vino dolce a quello secco.
I prefer sweet wine to dry wine.
“Dolce” as a Noun: Dessert and Sweets
In a restaurant, il dolce is the last course, after il primo, il secondo and il contorno. In a shop, i dolci are cakes, pastries and sweets in general.
Cosa c’è per dolce?
What’s for dessert?
Vuoi un altro dolce?
Do you want another dessert?
Halloween has its own use: Italian children say dolcetto o scherzetto? for “trick or treat?”. A dolcetto is literally a “little sweet”. For a longer list of dessert names, see my guide to Italian food vocabulary.
Sweet People and Gentle Words
When dolce describes a person, it means gentle, kind and affectionate:
Sei una persona molto dolce.
You are a very sweet person.
Ha una voce dolce.
She has a gentle voice.
Dolce is about character and manner. If you want to say that someone or something is “cute” or “nice”, Italians more often use carino.
“Dolce” in Music
In sheet music, dolce is a direction to play or sing sweetly and gently, usually softly. You can find more terms like it in my list of Italian musical terms.
“Dolce” in Brand Names
In the fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana, Dolce is not the adjective. It is the surname of one of the founders, Domenico Dolce.
Words Related to “Dolce”
| Italian | English |
| dolcezza | sweetness, gentleness |
| dolcemente | sweetly, gently |
| dolcissimo | very sweet |
| dolcificante | sweetener |
| dolciumi | sweets, confectionery |
| dolcetto | a little sweet |
