Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ragazza | /raˈɡat.t͡sa/ | feminine |
| bambina | /bamˈbi.na/ | feminine |
The term is used to refer to a young female person. In certain contexts, such as when preceded by a possessive adjective like 'mia' (my) or 'tua' (your), ragazza often means 'girlfriend' rather than just 'girl'. When referring to a girl in a sentence, you can use the pronoun lei as the subject, la as the direct object and le to mean 'to her' as the indirect object.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on age. Use bambina for a young child and ragazza for an adolescent or teenager.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the word in the plural, the form changes based on the gender of the group. Use ragazze specifically for a group consisting only of females. If the group consists of boys, or a mixed-gender group of girls and boys, use ragazzi.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /raˈɡat.tsa/. It has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable.
When do people say it?
To express endearment towards a girl, speakers may use terms such as amore (love), tesoro (treasure) or cucciola (little puppy).
Did you know?
- The term ragazza is an unexpected relative of the English word 'rag'. Its etymology traces back to a word meaning 'rag' or 'tattered clothing', suggesting the term originally described someone wearing rags.
- In Italian, if a group of one hundred girls has just one boy in it, you must stop using ragazze and use the masculine ragazzi.
- While ragazza means 'girl', calling a woman ragazza is common in Italy even well into her thirties to imply youthfulness or a casual spirit.
Examples in context
- È la mia ragazza.That's my girl.This sentence shows how to identify someone as 'my girl' using ragazza.Tatoeba #1280528 by Guybrush88, translation #1804030 by Spamster
- Chi è la ragazza?Who is the girl?This sentence is useful for asking who the girl is using ragazza.Tatoeba #6143028 by Guybrush88, translation #5974529 by CarpeLanam
- È la tua ragazza?Is that your girl?This sentence shows how to ask if someone is 'your girl' using ragazza.Tatoeba #14035758 by Guybrush88, translation #9171142 by CK
- Mi scusi, signora, potrebbe aiutare questa ragazza?Excuse me, madam, could you help this girl?
- Ciao ragazze! Come state oggi?Hi girls! How are you today?
- 1173 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are at a party looking at a photo.
- LorenzoChi è quella ragazza in foto?Who is that girl in the photo?
- GiuliaÈ mia cugina, si chiama Elena.She is my cousin, her name is Elena.
- LorenzoÈ una ragazza molto simpatica.She is a very nice girl.
- GiuliaSì, lo è davvero!Yes, she really is!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “girl” translations and entries ragazza, bambina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ragazza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
