Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| autista | /awˈtis.ta/ | feminine, masculine |
| chauffeur | masculine |
Both words refer to a person employed to drive a motor car.
Which one should you use?
autista is the standard, everyday Italian word for a driver or chauffeur. In contrast, chauffeur is a loanword from French used to denote a high-status, professional driver, often implying a more formal or luxury context than autista.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
autista is the neutral, standard term. chauffeur is used in more formal or high-status professional contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
autista can be used for both masculine and feminine subjects. chauffeur is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /awˈtis.ta/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
When do people say it?
If you need to ask a chauffeur to take you to a hotel in a formal manner, you can say, Potrebbe portarmi in albergo, per favore?
Did you know?
- In Italy, a professional chauffeur is often expected to perform the apertura della portiera, the formal ritual of opening the car door for the passenger.
- The word autista is constructed from the Greek prefix 'autos' meaning 'self' and the suffix '-ista', which denotes a person who performs a specific action.
- The term autista is gender-neutral in its spelling, meaning you use the exact same word for a man or a woman, unlike many other Italian professions that change their endings.
Examples in context
- Tom è un autista.Tom is a chauffeur.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use autista.Tatoeba #6672438 by Guybrush88, translation #2272772 by CK
- Ho bisogno di un autista per il mio viaggioI need a chauffeur for my trip
- Ho un autista privato per portarmi in cittàI have a private driver to take me into the city
- Cerco un autista per l'estate.I am looking for a driver for the summer.
- L'autista è molto puntuale.The driver is very punctual.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are discussing their travel arrangements for a wedding.
- FrancescoHai già chiamato l'autista?Have you already called the driver?
- MartinaNo, non l'ho ancora fatto.No, I haven't done it yet.
- FrancescoDovresti chiamarlo subito, Martina.You should call him immediately, Martina.
- MartinaHai ragione, lo faccio ora.You're right, I'll do it now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chauffeur” translations and entries autista, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries autista, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
