carino
/kaˈri.no/
The Italian word for cutie is carino.
carino is used to describe a cute person or animal.
Meaning: cute person or animal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word must agree in gender with the person or animal being described, so use carina for females. The plural form carini is used when referring to a group of males or a mixed-gender group. The plural form carine is used when referring to a group of females.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /kaˈri.no/.
Did you know?
- In some Italian contexts, calling a person carino can actually be a backhanded compliment, implying they are 'nice' but perhaps not very attractive or interesting.
- In a romantic context, calling a partner carino can sometimes be seen as 'friend-zoning' them because it sounds more innocent than passionate.
- The word carino is actually a diminutive of caro, which means 'dear' or 'expensive'.
Examples in context
- Sei un ragazzo carino.You're a cutie.This example shows how to use carino to describe a boy.Tatoeba #4332330 by Guybrush88, translation #2218012 by CK
- Ciao amore! Hai visto quanto sei carino oggi?Hi love! Have you seen how cute you look today?
- Hai visto quel ragazzo? È davvero bello!Did you see that guy? He's really cute!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are looking at a photo of a puppy.
- MatteoGuarda questo cucciolo di cane.Look at this puppy.
- ChiaraOh, ma è un carino!Oh, he is such a cutie!
- MatteoVoglio proprio comprarlo.I really want to buy him.
- ChiaraSì, è troppo dolce.Yes, he is too sweet.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry carino, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
