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La famiglia
One of the interesting things about la famiglia and Italian family vocabulary is that the word parente means not just "parent" as in mother or father, but also "relative."
Per esempio…
| Ho un parente a Firenze. | I have a relative in Florence. | |
| Gianni è un parente alla lontana. | Gianni is a distant relative. |
A better word when you specifically want to talk about a "parent" is genitore.
La famiglia
Close relations, next of kin = i parenti più prossimo
| brother | un fratello | sister | una sorella | |
| father | un padre | mother | una madre | |
| son | un figlio | daughter | una figlia | |
| husband | un marito | wife spouse |
una moglie | |
| uncle | uno zio | aunt | una zia | |
| nephew | un nipote | niece | una nipote | |
| cousin – male | un cugino | cousin – female | una cugina | |
| grandfather | un nonno | grandmother | une nonna | |
| great grandfather | un bisnonno | great grandmother | una bisnonna | |
| grandson | un nipote | granddaughter | una nipote | |
| great grandson | un bisnipote un pronipote |
great granddaughter | una bisnipote una pronipote |
Note that the word nipote has four possible translations: nephew, niece, grandson, granddaughter. Pay attention to context and the gender of the article for hints about which meaning the speaker intends.
Likewise, bisnipote and prosnipote can both refer to great grandchildren as well as great-nephews / great-nieces.
Family by marriage ~ Famille par alliance
| extended family | la famiglia estesa | |||
| blended family | la famiglia acquisita | |||
| step-father | patrigno | step-mother | matrigna | |
| step-brother | fratellastro | step-sister | sorellastra | |
| step-son | figliastro | step-daughter | figliastra | |
| father-in-law | suocero | mother-in-law | suocera | |
| brother-in-law | cognato | sister-in-law | cognata | |
| son-in-law | genero | daughter-in-law | nuora | |
Other Family Matters
Adoptive Family ~ Famiglia adottiva
| biological father | padre biologico | biological mother | madre biologica | |
| adoptive father | padre adottivo | adoptive mother | madre adottiva | |
| adopted son | figlio adottivo | adopted daughter | figlia adottiva |
Foster Family ~ Famiglia affidataria
| foster father | padre affidatario | foster mother | madre affidataria | |
| foster son | figlio adottivo | foster daughter | figlia adottiva |
Godparents and Godchildren
| godfather | padrino | godmother | madrina | |
| godson | figlioccio | goddaughter | figlioccia |
Related lessons
Italian lesson plans
- Book Report (Lesson plan, 1st – 6th grade)
- Family Album (Lesson plan, K – 12th grade)
- Travel photos (Lesson, 3rd – 5th grade)
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En français
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