saggio

/ˈsad.d͡ʒo/noun · masculine / adjectiveB2

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Meaning · noun

assay; test

Ho letto un saggio breve sulla musica italiana.
I read a short essay about Italian music.

Hai già visto il saggio del nuovo prodotto?
Have you already seen the sample of the new product?

Questo saggio non è ancora una prova finale.
This test is not yet a final proof.

Word forms (2)

Word	Word forms
saggio	masculine · singular
saggi	masculine · plural

For a school or literary essay, use saggio; tema is a school assignment, articolo is a newspaper or magazine piece.
In publishing and academia, un saggio often means a non-fiction essay or scholarly piece; it sounds more formal than tema.
As 'sample' or 'proof,' saggio is technical and context-specific; everyday Italian usually prefers campione for a sample.

wise (having wisdom)

Mia nonna è una donna molto saggia.
My grandmother is a very wise woman.

Sei abbastanza saggio da non fare scelte affrettate.
You are wise enough not to make hasty decisions.

Seguire il suo consiglio è stata una decisione saggia.
Following his advice was a wise decision.

Word forms (4)

For a person's character, saggio is more natural than sapiente; sapiente often sounds literary or refers to learned knowledge.
To mean "skilled at something," use saggio less often than esperto or bravo; saggio usually highlights judgment, not technical ability.
It agrees normally: saggio, saggia, saggi, sagge. Learners often forget the feminine plural sagge.