Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| migliore | /miʎˈʎo.re/ |
| meglio | /ˈmɛʎ.ʎo/ |
The word migliore is the comparative of the adjective good, used when comparing the quality of nouns. You can use the phrase essere migliore di to say to be better than, or diventare migliore to say to become better. If you want to emphasize a significant improvement, you can use molto meglio (much better). The word meglio is the comparative of the adverb well. The phrase è meglio is used in an impersonal sense to mean 'it is better' or 'it is preferable'. The related verb migliorare means to improve.
Which one should you use?
Use migliore when comparing the quality of nouns (adjective), whereas meglio is used to compare how an action is performed (adverb).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective migliore must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies: migliore (masculine singular), migliore (feminine singular), migliori (masculine plural) and migliori (feminine plural). In contrast, the adverb meglio is invariable and does not change its form to match gender or number.
How do you pronounce it?
The word migliore has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /miʎˈʎo.re/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use meglio when they should use migliore to describe a noun.
Did you know?
- The word migliore shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'much' through the Proto-Indo-European root *mel-, meaning 'strong' or 'big'.
- Italian speakers use the expression meglio così to express resignation or acceptance of a situation, which translates to 'better this way' or 'it is for the best'.
- In Italian, the word meglio is often used as a noun meaning 'the best part' or 'the best' in phrases like il meglio di, similar to how English uses 'the best'.
Examples in context
- È meglio di me.You're better than me.This sentence is useful for saying you are better than someone using meglio.Tatoeba #2764174 by Guybrush88, translation #2669956 by CK
- È meglio di noi.He's better than us.This sentence is useful for saying he is better than us using meglio.Tatoeba #3187672 by Guybrush88, translation #3187671 by CM
- Lei è meglio me?Is she better than me?This sentence is useful for asking if she is better than me using meglio.Tatoeba #4193360 by Guybrush88, translation #4157445 by Hybrid
- Ho comprato una macchina migliore.I bought a better car.
- La mia salute è migliorata.My health has improved.
- Questo prodotto è superiore agli altri.This product is better than the others.
- La loro squadra è stata superiore nella competizione.Their team was better in the competition.
- Questo libro è meglio di quello.This book is better than that one.
- Questo gelato è più buono del precedente.This ice cream is better than the previous one.
- La lasagna di mia nonna è la più buona che abbia mai mangiato.My grandma's lasagna is the best I've ever had.
- 2323 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Francesco are comparing two books.
- SofiaQuale di questi due libri preferisci?Which of these two books do you prefer?
- FrancescoPenso che questo sia migliore.I think that this one is better.
- SofiaPerché pensi che sia migliore?Why do you think it is better?
- FrancescoLa trama è molto più interessante.The plot is much more interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “better” translations and entries migliore, meglio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries meglio, migliore, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
