Muro vs. parete
The Italian words 'muro' and 'parete' both refer to walls, but they have distinct uses and connotations in everyday language.
Muro
'Muro' typically refers to an exterior wall, a thick structural wall, or a barrier.
Il muro di cinta della città era molto alto.
(The city's perimeter wall was very high.)
Hanno costruito un muro di mattoni per dividere il giardino.
(They built a brick wall to divide the garden.)
Il muro di Berlino è caduto nel 1989.
(The Berlin Wall fell in 1989.)
Parete
'Parete' usually refers to an interior wall or a vertical surface within a building.
Ho appeso un quadro sulla parete del soggiorno.
(I hung a painting on the living room wall.)
La parete della cucina è dipinta di giallo.
(The kitchen wall is painted yellow.)
Gli alpinisti scalano la parete rocciosa.
(The mountaineers are climbing the rock face.)
Summary
While both 'muro' and 'parete' translate to 'wall' in English, 'muro' is typically used for exterior, structural, or barrier walls, whereas 'parete' is more commonly used for interior walls or vertical surfaces. 'Muro' often implies thickness and solidity, while 'parete' can refer to thinner, non-load-bearing walls within a structure.