The Family in Italian

A common topic when starting conversations with new people is talking about family, so it’s important to know this type of vocabulary when learning a new language. That’s why, in this article, we’re showing you vocabulary and phrases to talk about family in Italian. Keep reading to discover key words and expressions that will help you navigate these kinds of situations if you’re learning Italian!

To start, let’s take a look at an image that shows each family member (famiglia in Italian) and their corresponding name in the Italian language.

This will make it easier for you to learn these terms.

The Family in Italian: Infographic

The Family in Italian: Vocabulary Lists

Now, take a look at this classification of the different family members, as well as other relevant terms related to family in Italian.

Grandparents: i nonni

• Grandmother – La nonna
• Grandfather – Il nonno

Parents: i genitori

• Mother – La madre
• Father – Il padre
• Wife – La moglie
• Husband – Il marito

Children: i bambini

• Daughter – La figlia
• Son – Il figlio
• Sister – La sorella
• Brother – Il fratello

Relatives: i parenti

• Aunt – La zia
• Uncle – Lo zio
• Niece – La nipote
• Nephew – Il nipote
• Female cousin – La cugina
• Male cousin – Il cugino
• Granddaughter – La nipote
• Grandson – Il nipote
• Grandchildren – I nipoti
• Great-grandfather – Il bisnonno
• Great-grandmother – La bisnonna

You may have noticed that the word “nipote” is used for both niece/nephew and granddaughter/grandson, so the meaning depends on the context. In case of doubt, further clarification may be needed.

In-laws: la famiglia politica

• Mother-in-law – La suocera
• Father-in-law – Il suocero
• Parents-in-law – I suoceri
• Daughter-in-law – La nuora
• Son-in-law – Il genero
• Sister-in-law – La cognata
• Brother-in-law – Il cognato

Other family members

• Godmother – La madrina
• Godfather – Il padrino
• Goddaughter – La figlioccia
• Godson – Il figlioccio

Other terms related to family

• Adopted – Adottivo/a
• Twins – Gemelli
• Common-law partner – Coppie di fatto
• Fiancé/fiancée – Fidanzato/a
• Married – Sposato/a
• Separated – Separato/a
• Divorced – Divorziato/a
• Widowed – Vedovo/a

Some expressions to talk about family in Italian

As we’ve mentioned before, knowing vocabulary is important when learning a new language.

But even more important is putting those terms into context, that is, using them in sentences.

So, here are some expressions that can guide you in conversations about family in Italian.

• Quanti fratelli hai? (How many siblings do you have?)
• Ho una sorella e un fratello. (I have a sister and a brother.)
• Sono figlio/a unico/a. (I’m an only child.)

• Hai una famiglia numerosa? (Do you have a big family?)
• Ho una famiglia numerosa. (I have a big family.)
• Siamo in quattro in famiglia. (There are four of us in the family.)

• Hai figli? (Do you have children?)
• No, non ho figli. (No, I don’t have children.)
• Ho un figlio di quattro anni. (I have a four-year-old son.)

• Sei sposato/a? (Are you married?)
• Sono sposato/a da due anni. (I’ve been married for two years.)
• Sono divorziato/a. (I’m divorced.)

• Tua sorella è più grande o più piccola? (Is your sister older or younger?)
• Mia sorella ha cinque anni più di me. (My sister is five years older than me.)

• Mio padre cucina molto bene. (My father cooks very well.)
• Mia madre si chiama Raffaella. (My mother’s name is Raffaella.)
• I miei nonni vivono in un villaggio. (My grandparents live in a village.)
• La mia cugina studia in Spagna. (My cousin studies in Spain.)
• La mia zia è molto simpatica. (My aunt is very nice.)
• Il mio cognato è un bravo disegnatore. (My brother-in-law is a good illustrator.)

We hope you found this article interesting, especially if you want to learn Italian or improve your language skills.

And if you know any other Italian words about family, feel free to write them in the comments — we’d love to read them!

For More Information

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