ciao sorella
/ˈt͡ʃa.o soˈrɛl.la/word by word
The English phrase "hi sister" is translated into Italian as ciao sorella.
ciao sorella is an informal greeting used when speaking to one's sister.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈtʃa.o soˈrɛl.la/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The greeting ciao actually has humble origins, evolving from the Venetian expression s-ciao vostro which meant 'I am your slave' or 'at your service'.
- While ciao is used for 'hi', it is also the standard way to say 'bye' in Italian.
- In Italy, the word sorella is sometimes used colloquially to address a very close female friend, even if they are not biologically related.
Examples in context
- Salve, sorellina!Hello, little sister!
- Ciao, sorellona!Hi, big sister!
- Ciao, sorelluzza!Hi, dear sister!
Example conversation
Giulia walks into the living room to see her brother.
- GiuliaCiao sorella, che cosa fai?Hi sister, what are you doing?
- AlessandroCiao Alessandro, sto leggendo un libro.Hi Alessandro, I am reading a book.
- GiuliaVuoi andare a fare una passeggiata?Do you want to go for a walk?
- AlessandroSì, buona idea, andiamo!Yes, good idea, let's go!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ciao, sorella) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ciao, sorella, CC BY-SA 4.0.
