sorella maggiore
/soˈrɛl.la madˈd͡ʒo.re/word by word
The English phrase 'big sister' is translated into Italian as sorella maggiore.
The term is used to describe a sister who is older than the speaker or another sibling.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of sorella (sister) and maggiore (elder/greater).
Which one should you use?
To say 'little sister' (a younger sister), you use sorella minore instead of maggiore.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because sorella is a feminine noun, the adjective maggiore remains the same in both masculine and feminine forms, but the article must be feminine (for example, la sorella maggiore). The plural form of sorella maggiore is sorelle maggiori.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /soˈrɛl.la madˈdʒo.re/. It has 5 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word sorella is a linguistic relative of the English word 'sorority', both tracing back to the Latin word soror.
- While maggiore means 'older', it is also the word for 'major' in musical scales and 'majority' in legal terms, all stemming from the concept of being greater.
- In Italian, calling someone la sorella maggiore can imply a protective or authoritative role that goes beyond just being older in years.
Examples in context
- La mia sorella maggiore vuole uccidermi.My big sister wants to kill me.This sentence uses sorella maggiore to describe a sister's intent.Tatoeba #2403485 by Guybrush88, translation #2366949 by FeuDRenais2
- Ho un fratello minore e una sorella maggiore.I have a little brother and a big sister.This sentence uses sorella maggiore to contrast a younger brother and an older sister.Tatoeba #10841326 by Bethanielle, translation #10287713 by CK
- Grazie per essere sempre presente, sorellona. Sei il mio punto di riferimento nella vita.Thank you for always being there, big sis. You're my rock in life.
- Mia sorella maggiore vive a Roma.My big sister lives in Rome.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are looking at old family photos.
- LorenzoChi è questa ragazza nella foto?Who is this girl in the photo?
- SofiaÈ mia sorella maggiore, Sofia.That is my big sister, Sofia.
- LorenzoTi somiglia molto!She looks a lot like you!
- SofiaSì, siamo molto simili.Yes, we are very similar.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sorella, maggiore) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maggiore, sorella, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
