Divano vs. sofà
In Italian, both divano and sofà translate to couch or sofa. The difference between the two is mostly a matter of tone and frequency of use. While divano is the everyday, standard word used in modern contexts, sofà has a more elegant, traditional, or slightly old-fashioned nuance.
Divano
A1This is the standard and most common Italian word for a couch or sofa. It is the go-to term for average living room seating, regardless of its style, and is used everywhere in casual daily conversation.
Ho comprato un nuovo divano per il soggiorno.
(I bought a new couch for the living room.)
Mi piace guardare la televisione sdraiato sul divano.
(I like watching television lying on the couch.)
Hanno un enorme divano in pelle bianca.
(They have a huge white leather sofa.)
Se sei stanco puoi dormire sul divano letto.
(If you are tired you can sleep on the sofa bed.)
Il cane ha rovinato i cuscini del divano.
(The dog ruined the couch cushions.)
Sposta il divano più vicino alla finestra.
(Move the couch closer to the window.)
Sofà
B2This word also means sofa, but it sounds more refined, formal, or slightly vintage. It is frequently used to describe antique, velvet, or classic-style couches, or simply to add an elegant or nostalgic tone to the sentence.
La nonna si è addormentata sul vecchio sofà.
(Grandmother fell asleep on the old sofa.)
Nel salotto d'epoca c'è un elegante sofà in velluto rosso.
(In the vintage parlor there is an elegant red velvet sofa.)
Gli ospiti si sono accomodati sul sofà vittoriano.
(The guests settled on the Victorian sofa.)
Ha un appartamento arredato con mobili antichi e un piccolo sofà.
(She has an apartment furnished with antique furniture and a small sofa.)
Abbiamo trovato un bellissimo sofà in un negozio di antiquariato.
(We found a beautiful couch in an antique shop.)
Il gatto passa le sue giornate a dormire sul sofà di broccato.
(The cat spends its days sleeping on the brocade sofa.)
Summary
To summarize, divano is the universal, modern word for couch that you will hear daily in Italy. You should use sofà when referring to older, more formal styles of furniture, or when you simply want to make your language sound a bit more elegant, cozy, and classic.