poliziotto
/po.litˈt͡sjɔt.to/
The English phrase "bobby" can be translated into Italian as poliziotto. Wiktionary also lists agente.
Meaning: police officer (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| poliziotto | /po.litˈt͡sjɔt.to/ | |
| agente | /aˈd͡ʒɛn.te/ | masculine |
Both poliziotto and agente are used to refer to a police officer. Poliziotto focuses on the person's specific job, while agente is used to refer to an officer or agent.
Which one should you use?
Poliziotto refers specifically to the occupation of the person, whereas agente serves as a more formal and neutral way to address or refer to an officer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word agente is invariable in gender, so it remains the same whether referring to a male or female officer. For the word poliziotto, you use the feminine form poliziotta when referring to a female police officer.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /po.litˈtsjɔt.to/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- If you see an officer in a distinct grey or blue uniform, they are likely polizia di stato, but those in dark green are the carabinieri, who are technically soldiers.
- The suffix -otto in poliziotto actually functions as an augmentative or a pejorative marker in many Italian contexts, though it has become a standard way to name the profession.
- Italian has no single equivalent for the friendly English term 'bobby', as poliziotto is a neutral description of the profession rather than a colloquial nickname.
Examples in context
- Egregio Signor JonesDear Mr. Jones
- Ciao BoboHi Bobo
- Il poliziotto è molto gentile.The police officer is very kind.
- Ho visto un poliziotto in strada.I saw a police officer in the street.
- Il poliziotto mi ha aiutato.The police officer helped me.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are walking in the city center.
- LorenzoGuarda, c'è un poliziotto laggiù.Look, there is a police officer over there.
- MartinaSì, sembra molto attento.Yes, he seems very attentive.
- LorenzoForse può aiutarci con le indicazioni.Maybe he can help us with directions.
- MartinaBuona idea, andiamo da lui.Good idea, let's go to him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bobby” translations and entries poliziotto, agente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agente, poliziotto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
