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Questions & Answers about Questo piatto è calorico.
What exactly does calorico mean in this context?
In Italian calorico means “high in calories” or “calorific.” It describes a food item that provides a lot of energy (calories) when eaten.
Why is calorico used here instead of calorifero?
Calorico relates to calorie (nutritional energy). Calorifero, on the other hand, refers to something that emits heat (like a heater). So when talking about food, calorico is correct.
Why does the adjective calorico come after the noun piatto?
In Italian, most descriptive adjectives follow the noun they modify. So “piatto calorico” is the normal word order. You can move it before the noun (“calorico piatto”) for poetic or emphatic effect, but it’s less common in everyday speech.
How does Questo agree with piatto?
Piatto is a masculine singular noun, so it takes the masculine singular demonstrative questo. If the noun were feminine (e.g. “pasta”), you would say “questa pasta”.
What would the plural form of Questo piatto è calorico be?
You change both the article and adjective to agree in number:
– “Questi piatti sono calorici.”
Could I say pietanza calorica instead of piatto calorico?
Yes. Pietanza means “dish” or “course” as well, but it sounds a bit more formal or literary. Piatto is more common in everyday conversation.
If I describe a feminine dish, how does calorico change?
You make the adjective feminine too:
– “Questa insalata è calorica.”
How do you pronounce calorico?
The stress falls on the second syllable: ca-LÒ-ri-co. The “r” is tapped, and each vowel is clearly pronounced: /ka-ˈlɔ-ri-ko/.
Can I express the same idea differently?
Yes. You could say:
- “Questo piatto contiene molte calorie.” (This dish contains a lot of calories.)
- “Questo piatto è molto calorico.” (This dish is very high in calories.)
- “Questo piatto è ricco di calorie.” (This dish is rich in calories.)
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