🍝🥓🥚

How to Say ‘Spaghetti carbonara’ in Italian

Gli spaghetti alla carbonara

lyee spah-GET-tee AHL-lah kar-boh-NAH-rah

[lyee spah-GET-tee AHL-lah kar-boh-NAH-rah]

💬 Usage Tip: alla (from a + la) means "in the style of". It works for many dishes: alla romana "Roman-style", all'amatriciana "Amatrice-style".

🇮🇹 In Italy: Authentic carbonara has no cream, just egg, cheese, cured pork cheek and pepper. Romans can be quite strict about it.

Phrase Breakdown

Gli spaghetti

lyee spah-GET-tee

The spaghetti

'Gli' sounds like 'lyee', with a soft 'gl' close to the 'lli' in 'million'. 'Gh' is a hard 'g': 'spah-GET-tee'. Hold the double 't' briefly.

Example

Gli spaghetti sono pronti.

The spaghetti is ready.

Words in this phrase

Gli

[lyee]

The

Definite article for masculine plural nouns.

Example

Gli studenti sono qui.

The students are here.

spaghetti

[spah-GET-tee]

spaghetti

Masculine plural noun: long thin pasta strands.

Example

Gli spaghetti sono pronti.

The spaghetti is ready.

alla carbonara

AHL-lah kar-boh-NAH-rah

carbonara-style

'Alla' means 'in the style of'. Pronounce the double 'l' clearly: 'AHL-lah kar-boh-NAH-rah'. Roll or tap the 'r'.

Example

Preferisco la pasta alla carbonara.

I prefer carbonara pasta.

Words in this phrase

alla

[AHL-lah]

in the style of

'a' + 'la'; in dish names it means prepared in a certain way.

Example

Pollo alla griglia.

Grilled chicken (in the grill style).

carbonara

[kar-boh-NAH-rah]

carbonara

Roman pasta sauce of egg, guanciale, pecorino and pepper.

Example

La carbonara è un piatto romano.

Carbonara is a Roman dish.

Guides for Italian learners

Duolingo vs Busuu: Which Is Better for Actually Improving?Duolingo vs Busuu compared: a free gamified habit versus structured levels with corrections from native speakers. Which to choose, and when to use both.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Spent the summer in Tuscany researching Italian cuisine. Being able to chat with nonnas at the market about recipes? Absolutely priceless.”

Grace P., 34, Food Writer

“Working on a project in Milan and needed professional Italian fast. The business roleplays gave me the confidence to present to clients within a month.”

Daniel F., 45, Architect

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer