A guide to saying it correctly
How to Pronounce Linguine
A popular Italian pasta shape, often confused with spaghetti. Get the pronunciation right!
linguine
lwin-GAY-nee
/lwinˈɡeɪni/ · lwin · gay · nee
Native US English · Kokoro neural TTS · 0:01
It's also common in recipes and food-related articles discussing different pasta types.
Where the word comes from
The word 'linguine' comes from Italian, where it is the plural of 'linguina', meaning 'little tongue'. This refers to the pasta's flat, tongue-like shape.
Common ways people get it wrong
- lin-GOO-nee This mistake often comes from misinterpreting the 'g' sound, but in Italian, 'gn' makes a 'ny' sound, which is not present here.
- lin-KWIN-ee The 'l' at the beginning is pronounced as a clear 'l', not 'kw'.
Frequently asked
Is linguine a type of spaghetti?
Linguine is similar to spaghetti but is flatter and narrower, often described as 'little tongues'. It's a distinct pasta shape with a slightly different texture and sauce-holding capability.
What's the difference between linguine and fettuccine?
Fettuccine is wider and flatter than linguine, while linguine is elliptical or flattened round in cross-section. Both are Italian pasta shapes, but fettuccine is generally broader.
