nipote
/niˈpo.te/masculine
The Italian word for grandson is nipote.
nipote is used to refer to the son of one's child. It is a versatile term that can also mean nephew or niece, depending on the context, as Italian does not make a distinction between these relationships with a single word.
Meaning: son of one's child (noun)
Which one should you use?
While English uses different words for grandchildren and for nephews/nieces, the Italian word nipote covers all of these relations. Additionally, while nipote is the standard term, you may encounter nipotino as an affectionate alternative.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of nipote is nipoti, which can refer to a group of grandsons, a group of granddaughters or a mixed group of both.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /niˈpo.te/.
Did you know?
- The word nipote shares an ancient ancestor with the Persian word نوه, which also describes a grandchild.
- The word nipote is used for both males and females, meaning the word for grandson is identical to the word for granddaughter.
- In some regional Italian dialects, distinct words for 'grandson' and 'nephew' exist, meaning a speaker's vocabulary might change depending on which part of Italy they are in.
Examples in context
- Tom è mio nipote.Tom is my grandson.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific person as your nipote.Tatoeba #3996309 by Guybrush88, translation #6663407 by CK
- Mio nipote è ancora un bambino.My grandson is still a child.This sentence is useful for describing the age of your nipote.Tatoeba #4272354 by Guybrush88, translation #4272349 by abeskies
- Romolo era il nipote di Numitore.Romulus was the grandson of Numitor.This sentence is useful for describing the familial relationship of a historical figure using nipote.Tatoeba #6163518 by Guybrush88, translation #5124802 by CarpeLanam
- Mi fa molto piacere rivedere mio nipote maschio.I am very pleased to see my grandson again.
- Ho trascorso un pomeriggio fantastico con il mio nipotino oggi.I had a fantastic afternoon with my grandson today.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are looking at family photos.
- LorenzoChi è questo bambino nella foto?Who is this child in the photo?
- SofiaÈ mio nipote, si chiama Luca.He is my grandson, his name is Luca.
- LorenzoChe bello! Quanti anni ha?How lovely! How old is he?
- SofiaIl mio nipote ha appena compiuto tre anni.My grandson just turned three years old.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grandson” translations and entries nipote, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nipote, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
