Italian for English speakers House · Lesson 1

Introducing your parents

Introduce family in Italian — Questo è mio padre, Bolin (This is my father, Bolin) — with possessives mio/mia.

Conversation

  1. Cassian Cassian

    Questo è mio padre, Bolin

    This is my dad, Bolin

    Tip: <Questo> = This ♂

  2. Pishi Pishi

    Buongiorno signor Bolin

    Good morning Mr. Bolin

  3. Cassian Cassian

    Questa è mia madre, Yennifer

    This is my mum, Yennifer

    Tip: <Questa> = This ♀

  4. Pishi Pishi

    Buongiorno!

    Good morning

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

How do possessives work with Italian family?

Family members don't use definite article: mio padre, mia madre, mio fratello. But: i miei fratelli (plural takes article).

Padre/papà vs Madre/mamma?

Padre/madre = formal/written. Papà/mamma = casual/spoken (= 'dad/mom'). Both common.

Common Italian family words?

Padre/madre (father/mother), fratello/sorella (brother/sister), zio/zia (uncle/aunt), cugino/a (cousin), nonno/nonna (grandparents).

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