Meaning
job, trade, craft
- trade, craft, job, occupation, profession, work
- skill, expertise, experience
- housework, household chores
In a sentence
Fare il cuoco è un mestiere duro ma bello.
Being a cook is a hard but beautiful job.
Hai già imparato bene il mestiere?
Have you already learned the trade well?
Oggi non ho ancora finito i mestieri di casa.
Today I still haven't finished the housework.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| mestiere | masculine · singular |
| mestieri | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use mestiere for a trade or profession in general; use lavoro for a specific job or employment situation.
- Fare il mestiere di + noun means “to work as.” Don’t say *fare un mestiere di medico.
- Avere mestiere means having skill from experience; it sounds idiomatic, not just “to have a profession.”