Kinship terms in Italian - I termini di parentela in italiano

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Learning the names of family members is one of the most important first steps when learning a new language. In Italian, family terms can be slightly different from those in other languages, so it is important to know them well. In this article we will look at the most common terms and use them in simple sentences to help you remember them.

Kinship terms

Let's start by exploring the Italian vocabulary related to family. This list will introduce you to the most common terms related to family and will help you to describe your family relationships.

Here is a list of the most common kinship terms:
Padre / Father 
Papร  / Dad
Mamma / Mum
Madre / Mother
Fratello / Brother
Sorella / Sister
Nonno / Grandfather
Nonna / Grandmother
Zio / Uncle
Zia / Aunt
Cugino / Cousin (male)
Cugina / Cousin (female)
Figlio / Son
Figlia / Daughter
Marito / Husband
Moglie / Wife
Genitori / Parents (father and mother together)
Figli / Children (plural of son/daughter)

In Italian, when referring to a single family member, we do not use the article (il, la, i, le) before the possessive adjective. However, when we refer to more than one family member or when we use a descriptive adjective, the article becomes necessary.

Possessive adjectives and surnames

In the previous article we talked about possessive adjectives such as "mio", "tuo", "suo", etc. Now let's see how to use them together with family names. 

In Italian, when referring to a single family member, we do not use the article (il, la, i, le) before the possessive adjective. However, when we refer to more than one family member or when we use a descriptive adjective, the article becomes necessary.

Let us look at some examples:
Mio padre (no article because it is singular)
I miei genitori (we use the article 'i' because it is plural)
La mia cara mamma (the article 'la' is used because there is the adjective 'cara').

Remember that the possessive 'loro' always takes the article, even for a single family member:
Il loro cugino ('cugino' is singular, always with the article)
Le loro cugine ('cugine' is plural, always with the article)

Some other examples:

  • Mia madre รจ gentile. 
  • Tuo padre รจ simpatico.
  • Suo fratello รจ alto. 
  • I suoi fratelli sono alti.
  • Nostra sorella รจ intelligente. 
  • Le nostre sorelle sono intelligenti.
  • Vostro nonno รจ affettuoso.
  • I vostri nonni sono affettuosi. 
  • Il loro zio รจ bello.
  • I loro zii sono belli. 


To conclude

Kinship terms in Italian are not difficult, but it is important to be aware of the use of articles with possessive adjectives. The general rule is that the article is not used for individual family members (in the singular) unless there is a descriptive adjective or it is the possessive 'loro'. 


Learning Italian on your own requires commitment and dedication, but with the right strategies and resources, you can achieve your goal. Remember to have fun during the process and celebrate every little bit of progress. Enjoy your journey towards learning Italian!

If you would like to expand on any of the concepts or would like to speak to a native speaker teacher qualified in teaching Italian to foreigners, please contact me at info@appylanguage.com. I will be happy to meet you and guide you in a one-to-one online session. Happy learning!

If you have any questions or would like to share your learning experience, please leave a comment below. I'm curious to know how you are progressing on your language journey!

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