lei
/ˈlɛj/
In Italian, the phrase 'her' is translated as lei.
The pronoun lei is used to refer to a female person or animal. It functions as a stressed pronoun when used after prepositions, such as con (with) or per (for).
Which one should you use?
While lei is the standard form for 'her', it is important to note that the word can also mean the formal singular 'you'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on how it is used in a sentence. If 'her' is an indirect object, such as in the phrase 'to her', use le instead of lei. To express possession ('hers') using a prepositional construction, use di lei.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlɛj/
Did you know?
- The formal 'you' version of lei was inspired by titles of high status like 'Excellency' or 'Holiness' in the 16th century. It allowed speakers to address someone with the same respect one would use for a person of high rank.
- When using Lei as the formal 'you', it is traditionally capitalized in writing to distinguish it from the pronoun meaning 'her'.
- While lei means 'her', it is part of a system where the formal address is conceptually treating the other person as a third party to maintain social distance.
Examples in context
- So che è lei.I know it's her.This sentence demonstrates using lei to identify a specific person.Tatoeba #5951619 by Guybrush88, translation #3910732 by CH
- Tom è con lei.Tom is with her.This sentence shows lei used as a stressed pronoun after the preposition con.Tatoeba #2273711 by Guybrush88, translation #2273631 by CK
- Lo dica a lei.Tell her.Tatoeba #5708980 by Guybrush88, translation #3907791 by CH
- Vorrei presentarti Angela. Lei è una mia amica.I'd like to introduce you to Angela. She is a friend of mine.
- Ho visto Giulia oggi. Lei sembrava molto felice.I saw Giulia today. She seemed very happy.
- Ho parlato con Laura. La sua reazione è stata positiva.I talked to Laura. Her reaction was positive.
- 5536 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are talking about a colleague.
- FrancescoHai visto Maria oggi?Have you seen Maria today?
- ChiaraSì, ho parlato con lei stamattina.Yes, I spoke with her this morning.
- FrancescoCosa ha detto?What did she say?
- ChiaraHa detto che lei arriverà in ritardo.She said that she will arrive late.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry lei, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lei, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
