sono italiano
/ˈso.no i.taˈlja.no/word by word
To say "I am italian" in Italian, use sono italiano.
The phrase is used to express that one's nationality is Italian. If you wish to express this with extra emphasis, you can use the word orgogliosamente, which means "proudly".
What does it mean word for word?
Sono is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb essere (to be), meaning "I am".
Which one should you use?
italiano functions as both the noun for an Italian man and the adjective for the nationality. In contrast, italiana refers specifically to an Italian woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject pronoun io (I) is typically omitted because the verb conjugation sono already indicates the first-person singular. If the speaker is female, the adjective must change from the masculine italiano to the feminine italiana.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable: /ˈso.no i.taˈlja.no/.
Did you know?
- The word sono is a homonym that can also mean 'I sound' or 'they sound' when derived from the verb sonare. This means the same spelling can describe both a person's identity and a musical noise.
- In Italy, stating one's nationality is often accompanied by a passionate hand gesture, such as pinching the fingers together, to emphasize the cultural identity behind the words sono italiano.
- While italiano describes a nationality today, the term originally referred to the inhabitants of the peninsula long before Italy existed as a unified nation in the 19th century.
Examples in context
- Sono italiano.I am Italian.This sentence is useful for stating your nationality using sono italiano.Tatoeba #999958 by Guybrush88, translation #716947 by CN
- Sono italiano di RomaI am Italian from Rome
- Sono italiana di NapoliI am Italian from Naples
- Sono orgogliosamente italianoI am proudly Italian
- Qual è la tua nazionalità?What is your nationality?
- Sì, sono italiano.Yes, I am Italian.
- Non parlo bene l'inglese perché sono italiano.I don't speak English well because I am Italian.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Sofia are meeting for the first time at a party.
- FrancescoCiao, Sofia! Di dove sei?Hi, Sofia! Where are you from?
- SofiaSono spagnola, e tu?I am Spanish, and you?
- FrancescoIo sono italiano.I am Italian.
- SofiaChe bello, Francesco!That's great, Francesco!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sono, italiano) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries italiano, sono, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
