Family in Italian - La Famiglia

Chapter: Family in Italian

Introduction

In this chapter, we explore Italian vocabulary related to family members, relationships, and common expressions used to discuss family. Understanding these terms is essential for conversations about personal relationships and social interactions.

FOCUS:

Main Grammar Rule for Possessive Adjectives (Mio, Tuo, etc.)

In Italian, possessive adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to, not the owner. These adjectives are usually accompanied by a definite article, except for some cases such as singular family members in the informal form.

Singular Family Member Exception:

  • When referring to a singular family member (like mamma or papà), you omit the definite article (e.g., “mio fratello” – my brother, “tua sorella” – your sister).
  • Plural family members do take the article (e.g., “i miei fratelli” – my brothers).

General Rule:

  • Definite Article + Possessive Adjective + Noun
    Example: il mio libro (my book), la tua casa (your house)

Here’s a table of possessive adjectives based on the gender and number of the noun:

Owner

Masculine Singular

Feminine Singular

Masculine Plural

Feminine Plural

My

il mio

la mia

i miei

le mie

Your (tu)

il tuo

la tua

i tuoi

le tue

His/Her

il suo

la sua

i suoi

le sue

Our

il nostro

la nostra

i nostri

le nostre

Your (voi)

il vostro

la vostra

i vostri

le vostre

Their

il loro

la loro

i loro

le loro

Key Notes:

  • Il/La is the definite article used for singular nouns.
  • I/Le is the definite article used for plural nouns.
  • Loro does not change based on gender or number, but the article does.

1. Family Vocabulary

Below is a list of common family-related vocabulary in Italian:

English

Italian

Pronunciation

Father

Padre

PAH-dray

Mother

Madre

MAH-dray

Son

Figlio

FEE-lyoh

Daughter

Figlia

FEE-lyah

Brother

Fratello

fra-TEL-loh

Sister

Sorella

so-REL-lah

Grandfather

Nonno

NON-noh

Grandmother

Nonna

NON-nah

Uncle

Zio

TSEE-oh

Aunt

Zia

TSEE-ah

Cousin (male)

Cugino

koo-JEE-noh

Cousin (female)

Cugina

koo-JEE-nah

Nephew

Nipote (m)

nee-POH-teh

Niece

Nipote (f)

nee-POH-teh

Husband

Marito

mah-REE-toh

Wife

Moglie

MOH-lyeh

1. Immediate Family Members

In Italian, family terms are essential for daily conversation. Here’s a guide to the most common family members:

  • La famiglia: the family
  • Il padre: father
  • La madre: mother
  • Il figlio: son
  • La figlia: daughter
  • Il marito: husband
  • La moglie: wife
  • I genitori: parents
  • Il fratello: brother
  • La sorella: sister

Children often call their father papà (dad) and their mother mamma (mum/mom). For a generic reference to parents, use i genitori. Note that i parenti means relatives, not parents.

Examples:

  • I nostri genitori abitano a Milano. (Our parents live in Milan.)
  • I nostri parenti abitano a Roma. (Our relatives live in Rome.)

To say you are an only child:

  • Sono figlio unico (I am an only child, male)
  • Sono figlia unica (I am an only child, female)

When using possessive adjectives (my, your, his, etc.) with family members, add a definite article, except for a single family member:

  • Mio fratello: my brother (singular, no article)
  • I miei fratelli: my brothers (plural, with article)
  • Mia sorella: my sister
  • Le mie sorelle: my sisters (plural, with article)

Example:

  • Oggi e’ il compleanno di mia sorella. Tu vieni alla festa con le tue sorelle? (Today is my sister’s birthday. Are you coming to the party with your sisters?)
  • Mia madre e’ al mercato. Tuo padre e’ a lavoro. (My mather is at the market. Your father is at work)
  • I nostri genitori sono a mare. (Our parents are at the beach*)
  • Mio fratello e’ in palestra. I tuoi fratelli sono con lui. (My borther is at the gym. Your brothers are with him)

2. Relatives and Extended Family

Here’s how you refer to extended family members:

  • Il bisnonno: great-grandfather
  • La bisnonna: great-grandmother
  • I nonni: grandparents
  • Il nonno: grandfather
  • La nonna: grandmother
  • I nipoti: grandchildren (can also mean nephews)
  • Le nipoti: nieces
  • Il nipote: grandson or nephew
  • La nipote: granddaughter or niece

Additional Terms:

  • Il pronipote: great-grandson
  • La pronipote: great-granddaughter
  • Lo zio: uncle
  • La zia: aunt
  • I cugini: cousins
  • Il cugino: cousin (male)
  • La cugina: cousin (female)
  • Il nipote: nephew
  • La nipote: niece

Fun Fact:

  • I pronipoti (plural of pronipote) also means descendants. It’s the name of the cartoon series “The Jetsons” by Hanna-Barbera.

3. The In-Laws

In-laws are the family members related through marriage:

  • Il suocero: father-in-law
  • La suocera: mother-in-law
  • I suoceri: parents-in-law
  • Il genero: son-in-law
  • La nuora: daughter-in-law
  • Il cognato: brother-in-law
  • La cognata: sister-in-law

Example:

  • Lei non è mia sorella! È mia zia! (She is not my sister! She is my aunt!)

4. Stepfamily Terms

When someone gets remarried, these terms describe the new family members:

  • Il patrigno: stepfather
  • La matrigna: stepmother
  • Il figliastro: stepson
  • La figliastra: stepdaughter
  • Il fratellastro: stepbrother
  • La sorellastra: stepsister

Exercise 1: Family Tree Draw a simple family tree and label each member in Italian. Use the vocabulary provided to describe the relationships between each person.

Exercise 2: Fill in the Gaps Complete the sentences with the correct family member term:

  1. Mia _____ è molto gentile. (My grandmother is very kind.)
  2. Il _____ di mio padre è un uomo saggio. (My father’s father is a wise man.)
  3. Ho una _____ e un _____ più grandi. (I have an older sister and a younger brother.)
  4. La _____ di mia madre è sempre allegra. (My mother’s sister is always cheerful.)

2. Family Relationships and Phrases

Here are some common phrases used to discuss family relationships:

  • Ho due figli. (I have two children.)
  • Mia sorella è sposata con Marco. (My sister is married to Marco.)
  • I nonni vivono con noi. (The grandparents live with us.)
  • Luca è il mio cugino. (Luca is my cousin.)
  • Mia zia abita in città. (My aunt lives in the city.)

Exercise 3: Describe Your Family Write a short paragraph about your family, using as many of the vocabulary words and phrases from this chapter as possible.

Exercise 4: Family Dialogue Practice Create a dialogue between two people discussing their families. Use the vocabulary and phrases from this chapter. Practice reading the dialogue aloud.

3. Verbs Related to Family

Verbs are crucial for discussing family activities and relationships. Here are some common verbs related to family:

  • Essere (to be)
    • Sono il padre di Maria. (I am Maria’s father.)
  • Avere (to have)
    • Abbiamo due figli. (We have two children.)
  • Sposare (to marry)
    • Mia sorella si sposa domani. (My sister is getting married tomorrow.)
  • Vivere (to live)
    • I nonni vivono con noi. (The grandparents live with us.)

Exercise 5: Verb Conjugation Conjugate the following verbs in the present tense for each subject pronoun:

  1. Essere
  2. Avere
  3. Sposare
  4. Vivere

Exercise 6: Complete the Sentences Fill in the blanks with the correct verb form:

  1. Maria _____ (essere) la mia cugina.
  2. Noi _____ (avere) una famiglia grande.
  3. I miei genitori _____ (vivere) in campagna.
  4. Lui _____ (sposare) sua fidanzata oggi.

Conclusion

Understanding family vocabulary and phrases is essential for discussing personal relationships and engaging in social conversations in Italian. By practicing the exercises and using the vocabulary provided, you’ll be able to talk about your family and relationships with confidence.

Additional Resources

  • Wordwall - Family Vocabulary Exercises
  • Wordwall - Verbs Practice