“Otto Tentacoli” — Octopus Song Song in Italian for Kids
In “Otto Tentacoli” (The Octopus Song), kids sing key Italian words like il polpo, otto tentacoli, cinque and sei, going back and forth between English and Italian, so the meaning is never a mystery. It's a early-learner (A1) song from Unit 29: At the Sea, 1:58 long, made for ages 2–8.
- 🇮🇹 Italian
- Level: A1
- Unit 29 · Al Mare
- ⏱ 1:58
- 🔒 Premium
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“Otto Tentacoli” lyrics with English translation
Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. Italian is shown in teal.
| Sung | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Octopus! | Il polpo! |
| Il polpo! | Octopus! |
| Eight arms! | Otto tentacoli! |
| Otto tentacoli! | Eight arms! |
| One arm waves! | Uno saluta! |
| Uno saluta! | One arm waves! |
| Two arms clap! | Due battono le mani! |
| Due battono le mani! | Two arms clap! |
| Three arms swim! | Tre nuotano! |
| Tre nuotano nel mare! | Three swim in the sea! |
| Four arms tickle! | Quattro fanno il solletico! |
| Quattro fanno il solletico! | Four arms tickle! |
| Who is dancing in the blue? | Chi balla nel blu? |
| Il polpo! Tocca a te! | The octopus! Your turn! |
| Count with me—one, two, three, four! | Conta con me — uno, due, tre, quattro! |
| Uno, due, tre, quattro! | One, two, three, four! |
| Five! | Cinque! |
| Cinque! | Five! |
| Six! | Sei! |
| Sei! | Six! |
| Seven! | Sette! |
| Sette! | Seven! |
| Eight! | Otto! |
| Otto! | Eight! |
| Cinque, sei, sette, otto! | Five, six, seven, eight! |
| Eight arms, otto tentacoli! | |
| Il polpo waves—saluta! | |
| Give a hug, un abbraccio! | |
| Red! | Rosso! |
| Rosso! | Red! |
| Blue! | Blu! |
| Blu! | Blue! |
| Purple! | Viola! |
| Viola! | Purple! |
| It changes color! | Cambia colore! |
| Cambia colore! | It changes color! |
| Shy little polpo, what do you do? | |
| Mi nascondo—si nasconde! | I hide — it hides! |
| A sudden fright—what comes out? | Uno spavento — cosa esce? |
| Squirt! Schizza l’inchiostro! | Squirt! It sprays ink! |
| Ink! | L’inchiostro! |
| L’inchiostro! | Ink! |
| Where did it go? | Dov’è andato? |
| Si nasconde! It hides! | |
| Count with me—one, two, three, four! | Conta con me — uno, due, tre, quattro! |
| Uno, due, tre, quattro! | One, two, three, four! |
| Five! | Cinque! |
| Cinque! | Five! |
| Six! | Sei! |
| Sei! | Six! |
| Seven! | Sette! |
| Sette! | Seven! |
| Eight! | Otto! |
| Otto! | Eight! |
| Cinque, sei, sette, otto! | Five, six, seven, eight! |
| Eight arms, otto tentacoli! | |
| Il polpo waves—saluta! | |
| Give a hug, un abbraccio! | |
| Where’s the octopus? | Dov’è il polpo? |
| Dov’è il polpo? | Where’s the octopus? |
| It hides! | Si nasconde! |
| Si nasconde! | It hides! |
| Count to eight and call it back! | Conta fino a otto e richiamalo! |
| Conta fino a otto! | Count to eight! |
| Cinque, sei, sette, otto! | Five, six, seven, eight! |
| A big hug! | Un abbraccio! |
| Un abbraccio! | A big hug! |
| Count with me—one, two, three, four! | Conta con me — uno, due, tre, quattro! |
| Uno, due, tre, quattro! | One, two, three, four! |
| Five! | Cinque! |
| Cinque! | Five! |
| Six! | Sei! |
| Sei! | Six! |
| Seven! | Sette! |
| Sette! | Seven! |
| Eight! | Otto! |
| Otto! | Eight! |
| Cinque, sei, sette, otto! | Five, six, seven, eight! |
| Eight arms, otto tentacoli! | |
| Il polpo waves—saluta! | |
| Give a hug, un abbraccio! | |
| Octopus! | Il polpo! |
| Il polpo! | Octopus! |
| Otto tentacoli—ciao, ciao! | Eight arms — bye, bye! |
Key Italian words in this song
The 13 words and phrases this song is built around.
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| il polpo | octopus |
| otto tentacoli | eight arms |
| cinque | five |
| sei | six |
| sette | seven |
| otto | eight |
| saluta | it waves |
| batte le mani | it claps |
| un abbraccio | a hug |
| cambia colore | it changes color |
| rosso | red |
| l'inchiostro | ink |
| si nasconde | it hides |
How to use this song with your child
- 1
Make “otto” the word of the day
This song repeats “otto” (eight) on 13 lines. Use it once or twice during the day outside the song, and let your child correct you if you get it wrong.
- 2
Split the parts
Once the song is familiar, you sing the English lines and your child sings the Italian ones, then swap. It turns listening into speaking.
- 3
Make it a routine
At 1:58, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Swim, snap and wiggle like each sea animal as it comes up in the song.
More ocean songs in Italian
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In Fondo al Mare
Down in the Deep Sea · 2:21 · Premium
in fondo al mare, il sottomarino, cosa vedi?, vedo
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