Band-Aid in Italian

A small cut can happen anywhere, and knowing the Italian word for “Band-Aid” can help when asking for basic first aid. The everyday word for an adhesive strip bandage is cerotto. “Band-Aid” itself is a brand name in English, so in Italian a pharmacy request usually uses the general word.

How to Say Band-Aid in Italian

The everyday Italian word for an adhesive strip bandage is cerotto. It is masculine: un cerotto means “a bandage,” and il cerotto means “the bandage.” The plural is cerotti. “Band-Aid” is a trademark used generically by many English speakers; in Italy, ask for a cerotto.

For a larger dressing or gauze bandage, a pharmacist may use other terms, including bendaggio for a bandage or dressing and garza for gauze. These words refer to different supplies, so describing the injury or pointing to what you need can help you get the right item.

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Asking for a Bandage

A pharmacy is called a farmacia. You can make a simple request with Vorrei (“I would like”) or explain what you need. Add per favore to make the request polite:

• Mi serve un cerotto. — I need a bandage.
• Avete dei cerotti? — Do you have any bandages?
• Vorrei un cerotto, per favore. — I’d like a bandage, please.
• Dov’è la farmacia più vicina? — Where is the nearest pharmacy?
• Mi sono fatto un taglio. — I got a cut. (male speaker)
• Mi sono fatta un taglio. — I got a cut. (female speaker)

If you need a particular size, add grande (“large”) or piccolo (“small”): Avete un cerotto grande? means “Do you have a large bandage?” For a waterproof one, ask for un cerotto impermeabile.

Useful First-Aid Words

These related words may help you explain a minor injury or understand a pharmacy response:

• taglio — cut
• ferita — wound
• disinfettante — antiseptic
• garza — gauze
• bendaggio — bandage or dressing
• cerotto impermeabile — waterproof adhesive bandage
• dito — finger

For example, Ho un piccolo taglio means “I have a small cut.” You can say Mi serve anche del disinfettante (“I also need some antiseptic”). If the injury is serious, seek professional medical help rather than relying on a simple adhesive bandage.

Example Sentences

• Hai un cerotto? Mi sono tagliato. — Do you have a bandage? I cut myself. (male speaker)
• Metti un cerotto sul dito. — Put a bandage on your finger.
• La farmacia vende cerotti di varie dimensioni. — The pharmacy sells bandages in different sizes.
• Questo cerotto è impermeabile. — This bandage is waterproof.
• Ho bisogno di una garza, non di un cerotto. — I need gauze, not an adhesive bandage.
• Mi può aiutare, per favore? — Can you help me, please?

Types and Sizes

For a small adhesive strip, cerotto is the right everyday word. Pharmacies may stock different sizes and materials, including waterproof versions. You can ask Avete cerotti di diverse dimensioni? (“Do you have bandages in different sizes?”). For a gauze pad, ask for una garza; for a more substantial dressing, explain the area or type of injury so the pharmacist can recommend the appropriate product.

When talking about applying a bandage, use mettere or applicare: Metti un cerotto sulla ferita means “Put a bandage on the wound.” The phrase togliere il cerotto means “to remove the bandage.” These practical verbs make it easier to describe what happened and what you need.

Pronunciation of Cerotto

Cerotto is pronounced approximately cheh-ROHT-toh, with the stress on the second syllable. In Italian, “c” before “e” sounds like “ch” in “cheese.” The double “t” is held slightly longer than a single one. The plural cerotti has the same stress pattern and ends with an “ee” sound.

Summary

Use cerotto for an adhesive bandage and cerotti for more than one. At a pharmacy, Vorrei un cerotto, per favore is a simple, polite request. Use garza for gauze and describe the injury if you need a different dressing.

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