Pesca vs. pesca vs. pesce
The Italian words pesca and pesce can be confusing for learners as they sound similar. However, they refer to completely different things: a fruit, an activity, and an animal.
Pesca
As a feminine noun, la pesca refers to the sweet, fuzzy fruit known as a peach. Its plural form is le pesche.
In estate mangio una pesca ogni giorno.
(In the summer I eat a peach every day.)
La marmellata di pesche è deliziosa sul pane tostato.
(Peach jam is delicious on toast.)
Ho preparato un frullato con banana e pesca.
(I made a smoothie with banana and peach.)
Questo tè freddo è al gusto di pesca.
(This iced tea is peach flavored.)
Pesca
The word pesca is also a feminine noun, la pesca, that means fishing, which is the activity or sport of catching fish.
La domenica mio padre va a pesca con i suoi amici.
(On Sundays my father goes fishing with his friends.)
È necessaria una licenza per la pesca in questo fiume.
(A license is required for fishing in this river.)
La pesca sportiva è un hobby molto rilassante.
(Sport fishing is a very relaxing hobby.)
Hanno vietato la pesca in questa zona per proteggere la fauna.
(They have banned fishing in this area to protect the wildlife.)
Pesce
A1The word pesce is a masculine noun, il pesce, that means fish. It refers to the animal, whether alive in the water or prepared as food. Its plural form is i pesci.
Al ristorante ho ordinato un piatto di pesce.
(At the restaurant I ordered a fish dish.)
Nell'acquario nuotava un grande pesce tropicale.
(A large tropical fish was swimming in the aquarium.)
Il salmone è un pesce ricco di omega-3.
(Salmon is a fish rich in omega-3.)
Ci sono molti pesci colorati nella barriera corallina.
(There are many colorful fish in the coral reef.)
Summary
In short, pesce (masculine) is always the animal, fish. Pesca (feminine) has two meanings distinguished by context: it can be the fruit, peach, or the activity, fishing. A simple way to remember is: you go to do la pesca (fishing) to catch il pesce (the fish), and afterwards you might eat una pesca (a peach) for dessert.