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A1  ·  45 words

Person and family in Italian

Who you are, and who belongs to you.

Practise this list

From these 45 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.

More about this list

Il vicino looks like one vocabulary item and is really two. Left bare, the word measures distance: mio zio abita vicino says only that the walk is short, and vicino a works as a preposition, vicino alla stazione, next to the station. Put an article in front of that same form and it stops being a measurement and becomes a person: il vicinois the man next doorla vicinathe womani vicini di casathe people on the same landing English keeps the two jobs in two unrelated words, « near » and « neighbour », so a reader has no reason to suspect that one Italian word covers both, and will look the second one up as if it were new. The working rule is short: bare vicinois about spaceil vicinonames somebody The same move is available elsewhere on this list — il giovane out of giovane, il vecchio out of vecchio — and it is one of the cheapest ways Italian has of making a noun. An article is all it takes to turn a quality into a person.

The words

Noun (2)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

i genitorithe parentsNounA1
I miei genitori abitano in campagna.My parents live in the country.
l’insegnantethe teacherNounA1
La nostra insegnante è italiana.Our teacher is Italian.

Adjective (9)

Grammar for these: Adjective agreement · Where the adjective stands

giovaneyoungAdjectiveA1
È ancora molto giovane.He is still very young.
vecchiooldAdjectiveA1
Una vecchia amica di famiglia.An old friend of the family.
sposatomarriedAdjectiveA1
Sono sposata da tre anni.I have been married for three years.
natobornAdjectiveA1
Sono nata a Bologna.I was born in Bologna.
italianoItalianAdjectiveA1
Sono italiana, di Firenze.I am Italian, from Florence.
tedescoGermanAdjectiveA1
Siamo tedeschi.We are German.
svizzeroSwissAdjectiveA1
Un amico svizzero.A Swiss friend.
austriacoAustrianAdjectiveA1
La mia collega è austriaca.My colleague is Austrian.
simpaticolikeable, niceAdjectiveA1
I tuoi amici sono simpatici.Your friends are nice.

Noun (m) (19)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

il nomethe name, the first nameNoun (m)A1
Il mio nome è Anna.My name is Anna.
il cognomethe surnameNoun (m)A1
Come si scrive il Suo cognome?How do you spell your surname?
l’uomothe man, the human beingNoun (m)A1
Gli uomini aspettano fuori.The men are waiting outside.
il ragazzothe boy, the young manNoun (m)A1
I ragazzi giocano fuori.The boys are playing outside.
il bambinothe childNoun (m)A1
I bambini dormono già.The children are already asleep.
il padrethe fatherNoun (m)A1
Mio padre è medico.My father is a doctor.
il figliothe sonNoun (m)A1
Ho due figli.I have two sons.
il fratellothe brotherNoun (m)A1
Mio fratello vive a Milano.My brother lives in Milan.
il nonnothe grandfatherNoun (m)A1
Andiamo dai nonni domenica.On Sunday we are going to our grandparents’.
lo ziothe uncleNoun (m)A1
Mio zio abita vicino.My uncle lives nearby.
il maritothe husbandNoun (m)A1
Suo marito è tedesco.Her husband is German.
l’amicothe friend (male)Noun (m)A1
Esco con gli amici.I am going out with friends.
il collegathe colleagueNoun (m)A1
Un collega di lavoro.A colleague from work.
il vicinothe neighbourNoun (m)A1
Il vicino è molto gentile.The neighbour is very kind.
il lavorothe work, the jobNoun (m)A1
Che lavoro fai?What do you do for a living?
lo studentethe studentNoun (m)A1
Gli studenti aspettano fuori.The students are waiting outside.
il medicothe doctorNoun (m)A1
Mio padre è medico.My father is a doctor.
il papàthe dadNoun (m)A1
Il papà prepara la colazione.Dad is making breakfast.
il cuginothe cousin (male)Noun (m)A1
Mio cugino vive a Torino.My cousin lives in Turin.

Noun (f) (15)

Grammar for these: Definite article: il, lo, la · Indefinite article: un, uno

la personathe personNoun (f)A1
Un tavolo per tre persone.A table for three people.
la donnathe womanNoun (f)A1
Quella donna è mia zia.That woman is my aunt.
la ragazzathe girl, the young womanNoun (f)A1
La ragazza legge un libro.The girl is reading a book.
la famigliathe familyNoun (f)A1
La mia famiglia vive a Torino.My family lives in Turin.
la madrethe motherNoun (f)A1
Mia madre lavora in ospedale.My mother works in a hospital.
la figliathe daughterNoun (f)A1
Mia figlia ha otto anni.My daughter is eight.
la sorellathe sisterNoun (f)A1
Ho una sorella più giovane.I have a younger sister.
la nonnathe grandmotherNoun (f)A1
Mia nonna cucina benissimo.My grandmother is an excellent cook.
la ziathe auntNoun (f)A1
La zia arriva sabato.My aunt arrives on Saturday.
la mogliethe wifeNoun (f)A1
Mia moglie non parla italiano.My wife does not speak Italian.
l’amicathe friend (female)Noun (f)A1
Le mie amiche arrivano stasera.My friends are arriving this evening.
l’etàthe ageNoun (f)A1
Alla mia età si dorme poco.At my age one does not sleep much.
la mammathe mumNoun (f)A1
La mamma arriva alle sei.Mum is coming at six.
la cuginathe cousin (female)Noun (f)A1
Mia cugina studia medicina.My cousin is studying medicine.
la bambinathe little girlNoun (f)A1
La bambina gioca in giardino.The little girl is playing in the garden.

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This list belongs to Everyday life and feelings — 17 lists and 634 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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