Meaning
broad bean, fava bean
- The broad bean plant or its edible seed
- Vulgar slang: male genitalia or a foolish person (regional, Tuscany/Central Italy)
In a sentence
In primavera compriamo sempre le fave fresche al mercato del paese.
In the spring we always buy fresh broad beans at the village market.
Hai mai provato la pasta con le fave e il pecorino?
Have you ever tried pasta with broad beans and pecorino?
Non tutti amano il sapore amarognolo della fava cruda.
Not everyone likes the slightly bitter taste of raw broad bean.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| fava | feminine · singular |
| fave | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- In Central Italy, especially Tuscany, it can be vulgar slang meaning 'penis' or 'idiot'.
- Often eaten fresh with pecorino cheese on May Day ('fave e pecorino').