La Famiglia: Essential Italian Family Vocabulary for Beginners
Benvenuti! (Welcome!) Family is a central part of Italian culture, and learning the vocabulary to describe family members is essential for anyone learning the language. Whether you're talking about your own family or asking about someone else's, these words will come up frequently in conversation. Mastering family vocabulary is a key milestone for A1/A2 level Italian learners.
In this detailed guide, we'll cover the most common terms for immediate and extended family members, discuss how to make them plural, and explain the important rule about using possessive adjectives with family words. This topic integrates nicely with learning possessive adjectives and basic verbs like essere (to be) and avere (to have), skills you'll develop in our Italian course curriculum.
Immediate Family (La Famiglia Immediata)
Let's start with the core members of a family.
| Italian (Singular) | Italian (Plural) | Gender | English Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| il padre | i padri | Masculine | the father | Mio padre si chiama Antonio. (My father is called Antonio.) |
| la madre | le madri | Feminine | the mother | Mia madre è professoressa. (My mother is a professor.) |
| il figlio | i figli | Masculine | the son | Ho un figlio e una figlia. (I have a son and a daughter.) Note: 'i figli' can also mean 'children' (mixed gender) |
| la figlia | le figlie | Feminine | the daughter | Sua figlia studia medicina. (His/Her daughter studies medicine.) |
| il fratello | i fratelli | Masculine | the brother | Hai fratelli o sorelle? (Do you have brothers or sisters?) Note: 'i fratelli' can also mean 'siblings' (mixed gender) |
| la sorella | le sorelle | Feminine | the sister | Ho due sorelle maggiori. (I have two older sisters.) |
| il marito | i mariti | Masculine | the husband | Suo marito lavora a Milano. (Her husband works in Milan.) |
| la moglie | le mogli | Feminine | the wife | Mia moglie è italiana. (My wife is Italian.) |
| i genitori | (only plural) | Masculine (plural) | the parents | I miei genitori vivono a Napoli. (My parents live in Naples.) |
Extended Family (La Famiglia Allargata)
Beyond the immediate family, there are many other important relatives.
| Italian (Singular) | Italian (Plural) | Gender | English Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| il nonno | i nonni | Masculine | the grandfather | Mio nonno è molto simpatico. (My grandfather is very kind.) Note: 'i nonni' can also mean 'grandparents' (mixed gender) |
| la nonna | le nonne | Feminine | the grandmother | Mia nonna prepara un caffè fantastico. (My grandmother makes fantastic coffee.) |
| il zio | gli zii | Masculine | the uncle | Suo zio abita in Canada. (His uncle lives in Canada.) Note: 'gli zii' can also mean 'aunts and uncles' |
| la zia | le zie | Feminine | the aunt | Mia zia è venuta a trovarmi. (My aunt came to visit me.) |
| il cugino | i cugini | Masculine | the male cousin | Ho molti cugini a Roma. (I have many male cousins in Rome.) Note: 'i cugini' can also mean 'cousins' (mixed gender) |
| la cugina | le cugine | Feminine | the female cousin | Sua cugina si sposa l'anno prossimo. (His/Her female cousin is getting married next year.) |
| il nipote | i nipoti | Masculine | the nephew OR the grandson | Mio nipote (figlio di mio fratello) ha 3 anni. (My nephew (my brother's son) is 3 years old.) Mio nipote (figlio di mio figlio) è uno studente. (My grandson (my son's son) is a student.) Note: 'i nipoti' can mean 'nephews', 'grandsons', 'nieces and nephews', or 'grandchildren'. Context is key! |
| la nipote | le nipoti | Feminine | the niece OR the granddaughter | Sua nipote (figlia di sua sorella) vive in Francia. (Her niece (her sister's daughter) lives in France.) Sua nipote (figlia di sua figlia) ha 16 anni. (Her granddaughter (her daughter's daughter) is 16 years old.) |
| il suocero | i suoceri | Masculine | the father-in-law | Mio suocero è in pensione. (My father-in-law is retired.) Note: 'i suoceri' can mean 'fathers-in-law' or 'parents-in-law'. |
| la suocera | le suocere | Feminine | the mother-in-law | Mia suocera cucina benissimo. (My mother-in-law cooks very well.) |
| il cognato | i cognati | Masculine | the brother-in-law | Suo cognato è un avvocato. (Her brother-in-law is a lawyer.) Note: 'i cognati' can mean 'brothers-in-law' or 'siblings-in-law'. |
| la cognata | le cognate | Feminine | the sister-in-law | Mia cognata è molto gentile. (My sister-in-law is very kind.) |
Other Family-Related Terms
A few more useful words to talk about family status.
| Italian (Singular) | Italian (Plural) | Gender | English Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| il single / lo scapolo | i single / gli scapoli | Masculine | the single person / the bachelor | Lui è single. (He is single.) |
| la single / la nubile | le single / le nubili | Feminine | the single person / the unmarried woman | Lei è single. (She is single.) |
| lo sposo | gli sposi | Masculine | the groom / the husband (on wedding day) | Gli sposi erano molto felici. (The bride and groom were very happy.) Note: 'gli sposi' often refers to the married couple. |
| la sposa | le spose | Feminine | the bride / the wife (on wedding day) | La sposa indossava un abito bellissimo. (The bride was wearing a beautiful dress.) |
| il vedovo | i vedovi | Masculine | the widower | Mio nonno è vedovo. (My grandfather is a widower.) |
| la vedova | le vedove | Feminine | the widow | Sua nonna è vedova. (His/Her grandmother is a widow.) |
| il partner | i partner | Masculine | the partner | Il mio partner si chiama Alex. (My partner's name is Alex.) |
| la compagna / il compagno | le compagne / i compagni | Feminine / Masculine | the partner / significant other (often unmarried) | La sua compagna è molto simpatica. (His partner is very nice.) Il mio compagno è un musicista. (My partner is a musician.) |
A Special Rule for Possessive Adjectives with Family Members
This is a very common point for beginners learning Italian! Usually, when you use a possessive adjective (like mio, tuo, suo, etc.) with a noun, you also need the definite article (il, la, i, le).
il mio libro(my book)la tua casa(your house)i suoi amici(his/her friends)
However, for singular, non-modified family members, you DO NOT use the article.
- ❌
il mio padre - ✅ mio padre (my father)
- ❌
la tua sorella - ✅ tua sorella (your sister)
- ❌
il suo figlio - ✅ suo figlio (his/her son)
Important Exception to the Exception: This rule (no article) only applies to *singular* family members when there is *no adjective* describing them.
- For plural family members, you DO use the article:
i miei genitori(my parents)le tue sorelle(your sisters)i suoi figli(his/her children/sons)
- For singular family members with an adjective, you DO use the article:
il mio caro padre(my dear father)la tua sorella maggiore(your older sister)il suo unico figlio(his/her only son)
- Certain non-standard or less common family terms like
mamma(mom) andpapà(dad) often *do* take the article, especiallyla mia mammaoril mio papà, although the rule can be a bit flexible here depending on regional usage and context. Stick tomio padreandmia madrefor the standard rule.
Asking About Family
Here are some common questions you might ask or be asked about family:
Hai fratelli o sorelle?(Do you have brothers or sisters?)Quanti siete in famiglia?(How many are you in your family?)Come si chiama tuo padre/tua madre?(What's your father's/mother's name?)Dove abitano i tuoi genitori?(Where do your parents live?)Sei sposato/sposata?(Are you married? - masculine/feminine)Hai figli?(Do you have children?)
Metti alla prova il tuo Vocabolario sulla Famiglia! Area Membri
Pratica i termini familiari e gli aggettivi possessivi con il nostro quiz interattivo!
Fai il nostro quiz sulla FamigliaConclusion: Practice Talking About La Famiglia!
Learning the vocabulary for 'la famiglia' is not just about memorizing words; it's about being able to talk about one of the most important aspects of Italian life. Pay close attention to the gender and number of the nouns, and especially practice the rule about possessive adjectives.
Try describing your own family members aloud in Italian. Ask friends or language partners about their families. The more you use these words in context, the more comfortable you'll become. Our speaking-focused Italian classes and interactive online Italian classes provide excellent opportunities to practice discussing topics like family in a natural, communicative way. For learners in India, explore our Italian language classes in Chennai.
Ready to talk about your loved ones in Italian?
Explore Our Italian Language CoursesKeep practicing, and soon talking about your family will feel completely natural! Buon apprendimento! (Happy learning!)