gnocchi

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gnocchi, dumplings, lumps, knots, fools
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/ˈɲɔk.ki/
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Small Italian dumplings made in many regional forms, with extended meanings for lumps and foolish or awkward people.
Practice using gnocchi in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Gli gnocchi alla romana si cuociono al forno.
    Roman-style gnocchi are baked in the oven.
  • La farinata aveva grossi gnocchi duri.
    The porridge had large hard lumps.
  • Li ha chiamati gnocchi per la loro goffaggine.
    She called them dunces because of their clumsiness.
  • La nonna prepara gli gnocchi ogni giovedì.
    Grandmother makes gnocchi every Thursday.
  • Non fate gli gnocchi, la risposta è evidente.
    Do not act like idiots, the answer is obvious.

Similar words

grumi
gnocchetti
nodi
sciocchi
goffi
sempliciotti

Meanings

Small dough dumplings

noun
food
neutral
Small pieces of dough made with potato, flour, semolina, ricotta, or other ingredients, cooked in water or baked and usually served as a first course.

Usage

Use gnocchi for the broad family of Italian dumplings, not only the familiar potato variety. The singular is gnocco, though the plural is far more common for the dish.

Examples

  • La nonna prepara gli gnocchi ogni giovedì.
    Grandmother makes gnocchi every Thursday.
  • Gli gnocchi di patate sono conditi con burro e salvia.
    The potato gnocchi are dressed with butter and sage.
  • Ho ordinato gli gnocchi al pomodoro.
    I ordered gnocchi with tomato sauce.
  • Gli gnocchi alla romana si cuociono al forno.
    Roman-style gnocchi are baked in the oven.
  • Questi gnocchi di ricotta sono molto delicati.
    These ricotta gnocchi are very delicate.
  • Aspetta che gli gnocchi salgano a galla.
    Wait for the gnocchi to rise to the surface.

Common mistakes

The masculine article before gnocchi is gli, and the singular is gnocco.
IncorrectCorrect
I gnocchi sono pronti. Gli gnocchi sono pronti.
Ho mangiato un gnocchi. Ho mangiato uno gnocco.
Questi gnocchi è morbido. Questi gnocchi sono morbidi.

Similar words

gnocchetti

Lumps in a mixture

noun
materials
neutral
Small knots or lumps that form in dough, glue, porridge, cream, or a similar substance.

Usage

Use gnocchi for distinct thick lumps in a mixture. Grumi is the more general equivalent and is often the clearer choice outside playful or regional wording.

Examples

  • La colla si è riempita di gnocchi.
    The glue became full of lumps.
  • Mescola bene per sciogliere gli gnocchi nella crema.
    Stir well to break up the lumps in the cream.
  • Nell'impasto erano rimasti alcuni gnocchi di farina.
    A few flour lumps remained in the dough.
  • La farinata aveva grossi gnocchi duri.
    The porridge had large hard lumps.
  • Con la frusta sparirono tutti gli gnocchi.
    All the lumps disappeared with whisking.

Common mistakes

For an ordinary smooth mixture, grumi is more usual than the food-led image gnocchi.
IncorrectCorrect
La crema è liscia e piena di gnocchi. La crema è liscia e senza grumi.

Similar words

grumi
nodi

Foolish or awkward people

noun
insults
informal
People regarded as stupid, clumsy, naïve, or slow to understand.

Usage

Use gnocchi about people only in informal criticism or teasing. It is softer and more comic than idioti, but blunter than ingenui, and it does not automatically sound affectionate.

Examples

  • Quei due gnocchi non hanno capito la battuta.
    Those two fools did not understand the joke.
  • Restavano lì come gnocchi, senza sapere cosa fare.
    They stood there like dunces, not knowing what to do.
  • Non fate gli gnocchi, la risposta è evidente.
    Do not act like idiots, the answer is obvious.
  • Sembravano degli gnocchi davanti alla telecamera.
    They looked like awkward fools in front of the camera.
  • Li ha chiamati gnocchi per la loro goffaggine.
    She called them dunces because of their clumsiness.

Common mistakes

The human sense describes foolishness or awkwardness, not physical attractiveness.
IncorrectCorrect
Sono belli, quindi sono degli gnocchi. Sono impacciati, quindi sembrano degli gnocchi.

Similar words

sciocchi
goffi
sempliciotti

Usage

The food sense is normally plural and takes gli in Italian. Context distinguishes the dish from the less common figurative senses.

Common mistakes

Writing i gnocchi is incorrect because Italian uses gli before the initial sound represented by gn.

Etymology

Plural of gnocco, from Venetian gnòco, meaning a bump or dumpling, perhaps from Lombardic knohhil, meaning a knot in wood.

FAQ

What does gnocchi mean in Italian?

It most commonly means small Italian dumplings made from potato, flour, semolina, ricotta, or other ingredients.

What is the singular of gnocchi?

The singular is gnocco, although the dish is normally discussed in the plural.

Is it i gnocchi or gli gnocchi?

The standard Italian form is gli gnocchi because nouns beginning with the sound written gn take lo or gli.

Are all gnocchi made from potatoes?

No. Italian regional traditions also include versions based on semolina, flour, ricotta, pumpkin, spinach, and other ingredients.

How is gnocchi pronounced in Italian?

It is pronounced /ˈɲɔk.ki/, approximately “NYAWK-kee,” with stress on the first syllable.

Does gnocchi have figurative meanings?

Yes. It can refer to lumps in a mixture or, informally, to people considered foolish, naïve, or clumsy.

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