adolescente
/a.do.leʃˈʃɛn.te/feminine, masculine
The English phrase 'adolescent' is translated into Italian as adolescente.
The word adolescente is used as a noun to refer to a teenager. It can also be used as an adjective to mean 'characteristic of adolescence'.
Meaning: a teenager (noun)
Which one should you use?
While adolescente is a formal or clinical term for a teenager, ragazzo (boy) or ragazza (girl) is much more common in everyday conversation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word adolescente is the same for both masculine and feminine singular nouns. To refer to multiple adolescents, use the plural form adolescenti.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has five syllables, with the stress on the fourth syllable: /a.do.leʃˈʃɛn.te/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, calling someone an adolescente to their face can sound overly clinical or detached, almost as if you are discussing a medical case study rather than a person.
- Italian law and bureaucracy often use minorenne instead of adolescente to distinguish those under 18 from adults.
- The Italian suffix '-scente' in adolescente is a remnant of the Latin present participle, which is why it sounds so similar to other English words ending in '-escent' like 'luminescent'.
Examples in context
- È un adolescente di talento.He's a talented adolescent.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe a talented adolescente.Tatoeba #11570686 by Nuel, translation #9401200 by Nuel
- Mia figlia è un'adolescente.My daughter is an adolescent.
- Gli adolescenti sono spesso considerati giovani promettenti.Adolescents are often considered promising youths.
- I ragazzi in questa fase della vita possono essere piuttosto turbolenti.Adolescents at this stage of life can be quite turbulent.
Example conversation
Chiara and Lorenzo are discussing their nephew's behavior.
- ChiaraTuo nipote è ormai un adolescente.Your nephew is a teenager now.
- LorenzoSì, Lorenzo è cresciuto molto velocemente.Yes, Lorenzo has grown very quickly.
- ChiaraÈ normale che sia così timido.It's normal that he is so shy.
- LorenzoHai ragione, è la fase dell'adolescente.You're right, it's the teenager phase.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “adolescent” translations and entries adolescente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
