Have you ever wondered about the various ways to address your significant other in Italian? Just like in English, we use different terms from casual “boyfriend” and”girlfriend“More determined”husband” and”wife”, the Italian language is rich in expressions. In this article, we’ll take a deeper look at the various terms you may encounter when discussing relationships in Italian. Let’s get started!
boy girl
Let's start with the most casual ways to address your significant other. young man and girl similar to english terminology boyfriend and girlfriend. These are often used when you are not living with the other person and in the early stages of the relationship when the commitment may not be absolute.
I go in cinema Tonight with my girlfriend.
I'm going to see a movie with my girlfriend tonight.
If an older woman calls her partner young man, one would think she was talking about her son.Similarly, if an elderly person uses girlit may be considered inappropriate or creepy.
In addition to symbolizing romantic relationships, young man and girl also means boy/young man and girl/young woman, respectively. These terms are not appropriate to refer to children.
The girl held the boy's hand.
The girl held the boy's hand.
companion/companion
Terms company and companion Serves as a safe and inclusive option in a variety of situations, avoiding assumptions about a couple's marital status. They are usually used between couples who are not married but are living together or in a long-term relationship.
in English, partner In addition, there are many translations companionincluding words such as “other half,” “significant other,” and”partner”.
My partner will arrive soon. Is it okay if we wait?
My partner will be here soon. Can we wait for her?
boyfriend girlfriend
fiancé and fiancée traditionally refers to fiancé and fiancéerespectively indicating engagement or upcoming marriage.
That being said, there is an interesting cultural shift taking place among older adults who often choose to use these terms fiancé and fiancée For their significant other, even if marriage hasn’t come yet. Having experienced divorce and having no intention of moving or remarrying, they are more willing to accept the concept of “permanent engagement” without necessarily marrying or living together. (source)
I'd like to introduce you to my girlfriend Julia.
I'd like to introduce my fiancée, Julia.
husband wife
Terms husband (husband) and wife (wife) is used in Italian to refer to a married couple.
It is important to note that when using these terms husband or wifeIf they are close relatives, it is not appropriate to add the definite article.Therefore, it is more accurate to say My husband or my wife replace My husband or my wife.
When someone knows a couple is living together but is still unsure about their marital status, they often use something like husband or wife With a hint of uncertainty. Often, in this case, the couple themselves clarify: “We got married” Or, in Italian, “We got married.“
Where is your husband? – I have no idea. Maybe he's out.
Where is your husband? – I have no idea. Maybe he's out.
Interestingly, some women in long-term relationships still choose husband to describe their significant other. This preference not only removes ambiguity in the relationship but also firmly establishes the partner's status as the child's father.Additionally, women who are eagerly anticipating a proposal can also use husband referring to their significant other.
Especially during wedding ceremonies, husband and wife translated as couple.
I pronounce you husband and wife.
I pronounce you husband and wife.
Default/Preset
Terms defaulter and girlfriendderived from love (lover), commonly used in many regions of northern Italy, such as Veneto, Friuli, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont. The most appropriate English translation of these terms is “Honey”.These terms can be substituted boy/girl, partnerand boyfriend girlfriend But they will not be understood by all of Italy.
do you have a boyfriend?
do you have a boyfriend?
still got more regional difference it means the same thing Moroso/a include:
- toso/a (Lombardy and Veneto)
- I do not care (Perugia)
- Duduo/one (Sicily
- Miss (Luca)
- Zatu/a (Calabria)
partner
incorporate Translation of English terms into Italian is a growing trend, so it’s no surprise partner has entered the Italian vocabulary. Borrowed from English, partner Mainly used for internal use Professional and sports fieldsrather than everyday language.
Mario changes partners again!
Mario has a new girlfriend again!
Heather Broster is a graduate with honors in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, fluent in English and Italian, as well as varying degrees of fluency in Japanese, Welsh and French. Originally from Toronto, Heather has lived in several countries, notably Italy for six years. Her main research areas are language acquisition, education and bilingual teaching.
Ethics statement: Below you will find affiliate links. If you purchase an item after clicking the link, we will receive a small commission. To learn more about our ethics, you can visit our full disclosure page. Thank you!
linguistics (affiliate link) is Netflix's language learning app that uses real TV shows and movies to help you learn new languages. You can choose to watch shows based on your fluency level and get instant translations using interactive subtitles to help you learn quickly.
Are you interested in improving your Italian in a fun and stress-free way?Then we highly recommend Italian short stories by Serena Capelli (affiliate link), designed for beginners, advanced beginners, and lower-intermediate learners (A1-B1 CEFR). These stories are optimized for English speakers looking for a fun, leisurely learning experience!Read our full review here.
