# Why is it pizzeria and not pizzaria? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2016, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207 "2016-09-29T15:09:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/1 "2016-09-29T15:09:50Z")
The root word is “pizza,” obviously. Seems simpler just to add “ria” at the end. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/2 "2016-09-29T15:16:07Z")
Plural? i.e., pizzeria is a word in Italian, and the Italian plural is pizze. So presumably the fully-formed word pizzeria was adopted from Italian. ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/3 "2016-09-29T15:51:34Z")
Because the people who decide these things about words have no common sense! Probably the same people who prefer the English system of measurement as opposed to the metric system. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/4 "2016-09-29T16:10:39Z")
Well, why are _pizzicati_ not _pizzecati_? Same etymology (pinch or pluck). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/5 "2016-09-29T16:12:38Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > Plural? > > i.e., pizzeria is a word in Italian, and the Italian plural is pizze. > So presumably the fully-formed word pizzeria was adopted from Italian. I would guess this is it. The plural of _pizza_ in Italian is _pizze_, so a _pizzeria_ is a place where multiple pizzas are sold. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/6 "2016-09-29T16:35:00Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Well, why are _pizzicati_ not _pizzecati_? > > Same etymology (pinch or pluck). In that case, why is the singular not pizzecato? Quick Italian grammar lesson: singular nouns ending in -a have the plural -e; nouns ending in -o or -e have the plural -i. There are exceptions (for example, the plural of “uomo” (man) is “uomini”), but you get the idea. But what I want to know is, why is it “spaghetti,” “linguini,” and “rigatoni,” which are plural, but “lasagna,” which is singular? There’s more than one lasagna noodle used in a serving; shouldn’t it be “lasagne”? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/7 "2016-09-29T16:41:57Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > In that case, why is the singular not pizzecato? > > Quick Italian grammar lesson: singular nouns ending in -a have the plural -e; nouns ending in -o or -e have the plural -i. There are exceptions (for example, the plural of “uomo” (man) is “uomini”), but you get the idea. > > But what I want to know is, why is it “spaghetti,” “linguini,” and “rigatoni,” which are plural, but “lasagna,” which is singular? There’s more than one lasagna noodle used in a serving; shouldn’t it be “lasagne”? I _have_ seen “lasagne” noodles on some grocery shelves and wondered what the diff was. Thanx, **That-a Don-o Guy-o**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/8 "2016-09-29T16:48:16Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > In that case, why is the singular not pizzecato? > > Quick Italian grammar lesson: singular nouns ending in -a have the plural -e; nouns ending in -o or -e have the plural -i. There are exceptions (for example, the plural of “uomo” (man) is “uomini”), but you get the idea. > > But what I want to know is, why is it “spaghetti,” “linguini,” and “rigatoni,” which are plural, but “lasagna,” which is singular? There’s more than one lasagna noodle used in a serving; shouldn’t it be “lasagne”? Is “salami” singular or plural? Which language and which “rules” are followed? Same issue. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/9 "2016-09-29T16:52:57Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > But what I want to know is, why is it “spaghetti,” “linguini,” and “rigatoni,” which are plural, but “lasagna,” which is singular? There’s more than one lasagna noodle used in a serving; shouldn’t it be “lasagne”? Because the name of the dish is lasagna. The noodles are named after the dish, not the other way round. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/10 "2016-09-29T16:54:22Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Is “salami” singular or plural? Which language and which “rules” are followed? Same issue. In Italian it’s the plural of salame. English borrowed the plural and made it singular. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/11 "2016-09-29T16:56:34Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Well, why are _pizzicati_ not _pizzecati_? > > Same etymology (pinch or pluck). No no no no no, that word is not a compound of the noun “pizza/pizze” with “cato/cati”. It’s the past participle of the verb “pizzicare”, “to pinch or pluck”. You can’t stick a noun plural into the middle of a verb form. > [@That Don Guy](#): > > In that case, why is the singular not pizzecato? The singular is “pizzicato”, because it’s the same past participle of the verb “pizzicare”, just in the singular form. Apologies if all of this was just a joke and I got whooshed. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/12 "2016-09-29T16:58:01Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Apologies if all of this was just a joke and I got whooshed. You are not alone, I was still unsure if this was serious, but was leaning toward joke. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/13 "2016-09-29T16:58:41Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Because the name of the dish is lasagna. The noodles are named after the dish, not the other way round. I take it back. I didn’t research far enough. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/14 "2016-09-29T17:01:36Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I would guess this is it. The plural of _pizza_ in Italian is _pizze_, so a _pizzeria_ is a place where multiple pizzas are sold. Nope. The Italian word is a combination of the generic noun “pizza” with the suffix “-eria”, cognate with the English “-ery” as in “bakery”, “eatery”, “creamery”, “nunnery”, both ultimately from Latin “-oria”. The final “a” of “pizza” assimilates to the initial “e” of “-eria”. Nothing to do with how many pizzas are sold in the pizzeria. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/15 "2016-09-29T17:01:58Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Is “salami” singular or plural? Which language and which “rules” are followed?.. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/t30JzS0LHpk/hqdefault.jpg "Family Guy - Speaking Italian [Translation]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t30JzS0LHpk) ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/16 "2016-09-29T17:05:13Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > …cognate with the English “-ery” as in “bakery”, “eatery”, “creamery”, “nunnery”, both ultimately from Latin “-oria”… Thanks - I can’t believe the similarity to -ery didn’t occur to me, it’s so obvious now that you’ve pointed it out. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/17 "2016-09-29T17:10:33Z")
Because you’re supposed to pronounce it like Sal the Stockbroker. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I1sc_vgUsI) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/18 "2016-09-29T17:41:05Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > > [@Riemann](#): > > > > Plural? > > > > i.e., pizzeria is a word in Italian, and the Italian plural is pizze. > > So presumably the fully-formed word pizzeria was adopted from Italian. > > I would guess this is it. The plural of _pizza_ in Italian is _pizze_, so a _pizzeria_ is a place where multiple pizzas are sold. Sure, but what if I’m opening a _very_ special shop that will only ever sell one pizza? Can I call it a pizzaria then? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/19 "2016-09-29T17:44:46Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Because the name of the dish is lasagna. The noodles are named after the dish, not the other way round. No, in Italian the name of the dish is _lasagne_ (or, in full, [_lasagne al forno_](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasagne_al_forno), “oven-baked lasagnas”). I usually see it spelt “lasagne” in Britain, but the usual American form seems to be “lasagna”. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207/20 "2016-09-29T20:06:21Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Sure, but what if I’m opening a _very_ special shop that will only ever sell one pizza? Can I call it a pizzaria then? You have my permission. How much for the pizza? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-it-pizzeria-and-not-pizzaria/767207.md?page=2)