Buongiorno, piccola
/ˌbwɔnˈd͡ʒor.no ˈpik.ko.la/word by word
The English phrase "good morning, baby" is translated into Italian as Buongiorno, piccola.
Buongiorno, piccola is an affectionate greeting used in the morning for a romantic partner or a child. While the English term "baby" is frequently used for romantic partners, the Italian word piccola carries a connotation of "little one" and is very common when speaking to children.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of buongiorno (good day) and piccola (little girl/little one).
Which one should you use?
Use Buongiorno, piccolo instead if you are addressing a male partner or a baby boy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective piccola must agree in gender with the person being addressed.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˌbwɔnˈdʒor.no ˈpik.ko.la/. It has 6 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word piccola shares an unexpected ancestral link with the word for 'small beer', as it originally derived from a term describing a weak or small serving of beer.
- Despite being a greeting, buongiorno is frequently used sarcastically in Italy to signal that someone has finally woken up or noticed something obvious.
- In various Italian regions, calling a partner piccola or piccolo is intended to emphasize a feeling of 'preciousness' rather than the person's physical size.
Examples in context
- Buongiorno, piccola mia.Good morning, my baby.
- Buongiorno, piccola, hai dormito bene?Good morning, baby, did you sleep well?
- Buongiorno, piccola, ti ho preparato il caffè.Good morning, baby, I made you some coffee.
Example conversation
Matteo enters the bedroom to wake up Chiara.
- MatteoBuongiorno, piccola, è ora di alzarsi.Good morning, baby, it is time to get up.
- ChiaraAncora cinque minuti, Matteo.Five more minutes, Matteo.
- MatteoDai, la colazione è pronta.Come on, breakfast is ready.
- ChiaraVa bene, arrivo subito.Okay, I'm coming right now.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (buongiorno, piccola) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buongiorno, piccola, CC BY-SA 4.0.
