Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| congratulazioni | /kon.ɡra.tu.latˈt͡sjɔ.ni/ | feminine, plural |
| complimenti | masculine, plural |
Italian offers several ways to express approbation depending on the context. congratulazioni is a versatile way to say 'congratulations' used in both formal and informal settings. complimenti is a common term that can be used to express admiration for someone's skill, appearance or an achievement, rather than just a specific milestone. For more casual situations, you might use Bel lavoro to mean 'nice work' regarding a specific task or Bravo for a male or Brava for a female to say 'well done'.
Which one should you use?
congratulazioni is typically used for major life milestones or formal achievements. In contrast, complimenti is more common for everyday successes or for expressing admiration for personal qualities.
How does it change in a sentence?
congratulazioni is a feminine plural noun. complimenti is a masculine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of congratulazioni is /kon.ɡra.tu.latˈtsjɔ.ni/. It has 6 syllables and the stress is on the 5th syllable.
Did you know?
- While an English speaker might say 'congratulations' for a wedding, an Italian speaker is more likely to use felicitazioni to wish a couple happiness.
- In Italy, saying complimenti to a chef or host after a meal is a vital social ritual that emphasizes the skill of the cook rather than just the taste of the food.
- While complimenti usually means 'congratulations', it can also be used to describe 'compliments' in a romantic or flirtatious sense, similar to the English word.
Examples in context
- "Ho due gatti." "Congratulazioni!""I have two cats." "Congratulations!"This sentence shows a use of congratulazioni in response to a statement.Tatoeba #13084047 by Guybrush88, translation #10218748 by shekitten
- Complimenti per la tua nuova auto.Congratulations on your new car.This sentence shows how to use complimenti to congratulate someone on an achievement.Tatoeba #13815960 by Nuel, translation #13815959 by Nuel
- Ho saputo che hai vinto. Congratulazioni!I heard you won. Congratulations!This sentence shows how to use congratulazioni after hearing about someone's success.Tatoeba #1541514 by Guybrush88, translation #870508 by sundown
- Bravo! Hai superato l'esame con ottimi risultati.Well done! You passed the exam with excellent results.
- Complimenti per la tua vittoria nella partita di calcio.Congratulations on your victory in the soccer match.
- Bel lavoro sulla presentazione! Ti sei davvero superato.Nice work on the presentation! You really outdid yourself.
- 37 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara calls Francesco to tell him about his job promotion.
- ChiaraFrancesco, ho saputo del tuo nuovo lavoro!Francesco, I heard about your new job!
- FrancescoSì, sono davvero molto felice.Yes, I am really very happy.
- ChiaraTantissime congratulazioni per questo traguardo!Many congratulations on this achievement!
- FrancescoGrazie mille, Chiara, sei molto gentile.Thanks a lot, Chiara, you are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “congratulations” translations and entries congratulazioni, complimenti, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
