che
/ˈke/
The Italian word che translates to the English conjunction or relative pronoun "that".
The word che is used to connect a subordinate clause to a main clause. It functions either as a conjunction or as a relative pronoun meaning "that".
Which one should you use?
In English, the word "that" can often be omitted in many subordinate clauses, but in Italian, che must almost always be explicitly stated to connect the clauses.
How does it change in a sentence?
che serves to link a subordinate clause to a main clause, acting as a relative pronoun or a conjunction meaning "that".
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈke/
Did you know?
- The word che is an ancestral relative of the English word 'what', as both can be traced back to the same Proto-Indo-European roots used to ask questions.
- In spoken Italian, che is frequently used as an interjection to express surprise, annoyance, or confusion, similar to how an English speaker might say 'What?!'
- The word che is used to form the Italian equivalent of the English 'how' when exclaiming about a quality, such as che bella giornata for 'what a beautiful day'.
Examples in context
- Che strano!How strange!
- Che bello!How beautiful!
- Che cosa fai?What are you doing?
- Che freddo fa oggi!It's so cold today!
- Che carina questa casa!This house is so cute!
- Che bel film abbiamo visto!We watched such a great movie!
- Penso che sia tardi.I think that it is late.
- Spero che domani faccia bel tempo.I hope that the weather is nice tomorrow.
- Dimmi che tutto va bene.Tell me that everything is fine.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a movie they just saw.
- AlessandroCredi che il film sia stato bello?Do you think that the movie was good?
- GiuliaSì, penso che sia stato molto divertente.Yes, I think that it was very funny.
- AlessandroSono felice che ti sia piaciuto.I am happy that you liked it.
- GiuliaAnche io sono contenta di esserci venuta.I am also glad that I came.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry che, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries che, CC BY-SA 4.0.
