Meaning
thread (for sewing, etc.)
- yarn
- line
- string (cord)
In a sentence
Mi serve un filo nero per cucire il bottone.
I need some black thread to sew the button.
Hai visto il filo del caricatore sul tavolo?
Did you see the charger cable on the table?
Usa le forbici per tagliare il filo.
Use the scissors to cut the thread.
Word forms (3)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| filo | masculine · singular |
| fili | masculine · plural |
| fila | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use filo for thin flexible material; use corda for rope, cavo for technical cable, and linea for abstract or transport lines.
- For electrical wire, filo is common in everyday speech; electricians often prefer cavo when the wire is insulated or multi-core.
- In figurative uses, filo appears in set phrases like sul filo di or perdere il filo; don't translate it literally as physical thread.
- also le fila (feminine plural, different meaning)