gentile
/d͡ʒenˈti.le/
The Italian word for gentle is gentile.
gentile is used to describe something as soft and mild rather than hard or severe. In Italian, it is generally used to describe a person's behavior, attitude or actions rather than their physical attributes. While it can mean gentle in terms of temperament, it is most frequently used to mean 'kind' or 'polite' during social interactions.
Meaning: soft and mild rather than hard or severe (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
gentile is the singular form used for both masculine and feminine nouns. For both masculine and feminine plural nouns, use gentili.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /dʒenˈti.le/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse the Italian word gentile with the English word 'gentle'. While the two are related, in Italian gentile is much more commonly used to describe a person's politeness or kindness than their physical softness.
Did you know?
- The word gentile actually shares a history with the English word 'gentile', which refers to someone who is not part of a specific religion.
- If you want to describe a physically soft touch or a light wind, an Italian would likely use dolce instead of gentile.
- If you try to describe a 'gentle' sound or voice using gentile, an Italian might think you are commenting on the person's good manners rather than the volume of their voice.
Examples in context
- Il ragno è gentile.The spider is gentle.This sentence shows how to describe a creature as gentile.Tatoeba #13174980 by Guybrush88, translation #10862092 by Amastan
- Tom era molto gentile.Tom was very gentle.This sentence shows how to describe a person's level of being gentile.Tatoeba #3750337 by Guybrush88, translation #4494807 by CK
- Ha una natura gentile.She has a gentle nature.This sentence shows how to describe a person's nature using gentile.Tatoeba #13004050 by Nuel, translation #13004049 by Nuel
- La mia amica è davvero dolce con i bambini.My friend is really gentle with children.
- Ho appena adottato un cucciolo, è molto dolce e affettuoso.I just adopted a puppy, he is very gentle and affectionate.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro is helping Chiara with a small animal.
- AlessandroDevi essere gentile con il gattino.You have to be gentle with the kitten.
- ChiaraHai ragione, è così piccolo.You are right, it is so small.
- AlessandroUsa un tocco gentile per accarezzarlo.Use a gentle touch to pet it.
- ChiaraGrazie per il consiglio, Alessandro.Thanks for the advice, Alessandro.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry gentile, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gentile, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
