figlia
/ˈfiʎ.ʎa/feminine
The Italian word for daughter is figlia.
figlia is used to refer to a female offspring. You may also encounter various terms of endearment when speaking about a daughter, such as Fiorellina (little flower), Cucciola (literally puppy) or La mia bambina (my little girl).
Meaning: female offspring (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use the feminine form figlia for a daughter, while the masculine form figlio is used to mean son.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Sicily, the word piccirilla is used affectionately to refer to a daughter or a young girl.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of figlia is figlie.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfiʎ.ʎa/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
To add warmth and endearment when speaking to or about a daughter, you can use the phrase Figlia mia.
Did you know?
- The word figlia shares a common ancestor with the English word 'suckler', as both stem from a root referring to the act of nursing.
- The Italian figlia is a linguistic cousin to the French fille and Spanish hija because they all evolved from the Latin fīlia.
- In some traditional contexts, the phrase la mia bambina is used for a daughter regardless of her actual age to show parental tenderness.
Examples in context
- Lei è mia figlia.She's my daughter.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a daughter using the form figlia.Tatoeba #724403 by Guybrush88, translation #724401 by CM
- Tua figlia è qui?Is your daughter here?This sentence is useful for asking a question about a daughter using the form figlia.Tatoeba #1956532 by rado, translation #1956324 by Spamster
- Lei è sua figlia.She's her daughter.Tatoeba #4816328 by Guybrush88, translation #1761856 by Dejo
- 641 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Chiara are talking about their family photos.
- AlessandroChi è questa bambina?Who is this little girl?
- ChiaraÈ mia figlia, Sofia.It is my daughter, Sofia.
- AlessandroÈ proprio carina tua figlia!Your daughter is really cute!
- ChiaraGrazie, è molto dolce.Thank you, she is very sweet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daughter” translations and entries figlia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries figlia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
