Whether you are praising a meal, a hotel, or someone’s work, “excellent” is a useful compliment. Italian has a few natural translations, and the best one depends on what you are describing and how strong you want the praise to sound. If you are ranking alternatives rather than giving a compliment, compare best in Italian.
Quick answer:
“Excellent” in Italian is often ottimo (masculine) or ottima (feminine). Eccellente is another common option.
How Do You Say Excellent in Italian?
A common way to say “excellent” in Italian is ottimo. It is the masculine singular form; use ottima with a feminine singular noun. For example, un ristorante ottimo means “an excellent restaurant,” while un’ottima idea means “an excellent idea.”
Another direct translation is eccellente, which can describe either a masculine or feminine singular noun. The choice often depends on the sentence: ottimo is especially natural in everyday praise, while eccellente can sound a little more formal or emphatic.
Using Ottimo and Ottima
Ottimo agrees with the noun it describes. Its forms are ottimo (masculine singular), ottima (feminine singular), ottimi (masculine plural or mixed group), and ottime (feminine plural).
- un ottimo libro — an excellent book
- un’ottima scelta — an excellent choice
- ottimi risultati — excellent results
- idee ottime — excellent ideas
It can also stand alone as a reaction: Ottimo! means “Excellent!” or “Great!” In this use, it often responds to good news, a suggestion, or a plan.
Using Eccellente
Eccellente is the same in the masculine and feminine singular: un servizio eccellente (“excellent service”) and una cena eccellente (“an excellent dinner”). In the plural, it becomes eccellenti: ristoranti eccellenti (“excellent restaurants”).
Use eccellente when you want to highlight especially high quality or performance. For example, Il servizio è stato eccellente means “The service was excellent.” As with other Italian adjectives, it usually follows the noun, though placement can vary for emphasis.
Other Ways to Say Excellent
Fantastico (“fantastic”) is enthusiastic and conversational. It changes to fantastica, fantastici, and fantastiche to agree with the noun. Grandioso can mean “great” or “grand,” and it also changes its ending.
Perfetto means “perfect,” so it is not identical to “excellent,” but it can be a natural compliment when something is exactly right. Bravissimo is used to praise a person’s performance, roughly “very well done!” Its form changes with the person or group being praised: bravissima, bravissimi, or bravissime.
Example Sentences Using Excellent
These examples show how to praise different things in Italian:
- Il caffè era ottimo. — The coffee was excellent.
- È un’ottima idea. — It’s an excellent idea.
- Il servizio è eccellente. — The service is excellent.
- Avete fatto un lavoro eccellente. — You did excellent work.
- Il film è stato fantastico. — The film was fantastic.
- Ottimo, ci vediamo domani! — Excellent, see you tomorrow!
Common Mistakes
Forgetting agreement: use ottima with feminine singular nouns and ottimi/ottime in the plural. Changing eccellente for gender: its singular form is the same for masculine and feminine nouns, though the plural is eccellenti. Using perfetto for every “excellent”: perfetto means “perfect” and is best when something is exactly right. Choosing a word without context: bravissimo praises someone, while ottimo or eccellente can describe quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tap a question below to see the answer.
What is the most common way to say excellent in Italian?
Ottimo is a common everyday choice. Use ottima with a feminine singular noun.
What is the difference between ottimo and eccellente?
Both can mean “excellent.” Ottimo is common and conversational; eccellente is often a little more formal or emphatic.
How do you say “excellent” as a standalone reaction?
You can say Ottimo! It means “Excellent!” or “Great!”
Summary: Excellent in Italian
“Excellent” in Italian is often ottimo, changing to ottima, ottimi, ottime to agree with the noun. Eccellente is another common choice, with eccellenti in the plural. For a lively reaction, say Ottimo!
