barricata

barricade

noun bar-ree-KAH-tah Rare

Origin: French barricade, from barrique (barrel) — barrels were used to build street blockades

Usage Note

Barricata refers to a physical street barricade, historically associated with revolutions (le barricate del 1848). The idiom essere dall'altra parte della barricata = 'to be on the other side of the barricade' (i.e., to be on the opposing side), used figuratively in everyday speech. Plural: barricate.

Examples

"I manifestanti hanno eretto barricate in strada."

Natural Translation

The protesters erected barricades in the street.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Days & Months in Italian: A Beginner's Guide

Days of the week in Italian are lowercase, all masculine except la domenica, and il lunedì means every Monday. Learn the days, months, dates, and seasons.

June 5, 2026 4 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Articles: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le Explained

Italian has seven words for 'the' — il, lo, la, i, gli, le — but it's two questions, not seven cases. Master gender, sound, and the lo/gli rule fast.

June 5, 2026 7 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Present Tense: -are, -ere, -ire Verbs

Conjugate Italian present-tense verbs fast: one color-coded chart for -are, -ere, and -ire endings, plus the sneaky -isc- group most guides bury.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Tu vs Lei: Formal & Informal "You" in Italian

When in doubt, use Lei. Here's exactly when to use tu vs Lei in Italian — the who-to-use-with map, the verb and possessive shifts, and how to switch politely.

June 5, 2026 6 min read