Sono triste
/ˈso.no ˈtris.te/word by word
In Italian, "I am sad" is translated as Sono triste.
Sono triste is a statement used to express that you are feeling unhappy.
Which one should you use?
While Sono triste means "I am sad", you can also use Mi sento triste to emphasize the specific feeling or sensation of sadness, which translates to "I feel sad".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Sono triste, the subject pronoun io (I) is typically omitted because the verb conjugation sono already indicates that the subject is the first-person singular. The adjective triste is invariable in gender, so it remains the same whether the speaker is male or female. If you wish to say "we are sad", you must change the adjective to its plural form tristi to say Siamo tristi.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈso.no ˈtris.te/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- If you describe a person as triste in a specific social context, you might actually be saying they are 'unattractive' or 'dull' rather than just emotionally unhappy.
- In many Italian songs and poems, the phrase tristezza (sadness) is often personified as a physical entity that one can carry or encounter.
- In certain Italian dialects and older literary forms, you might encounter the word tristo to describe a man, which is a masculine version of the standard triste.
Examples in context
- Sono triste di sentirlo.I am sad to hear it.This sentence is useful for expressing sadness upon hearing specific news using Sono triste.Tatoeba #11840710 by Guybrush88, translation #41755 by CK
- La squadra tedesca ha perso e ora io sono triste.The German team lost and now I am sad.This sentence shows the use of Sono triste to describe a reaction to a sports result.Tatoeba #421400 by Pharamp, translation #425592 by FeuDRenais
- Non ho superato la mia ex, sono giù di corda.I haven't moved on from my ex, I'm down.
- Sono triste perché oggi piove.I am sad because it is raining today.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Francesco are talking in the kitchen.
- MartinaFrancesco, perché hai quella faccia?Francesco, why do you have that look on your face?
- FrancescoSono triste per il mio cane.I am sad because of my dog.
- MartinaMi dispiace molto, caro.I am very sorry, dear.
- FrancescoGrazie, Martina.Thank you, Martina.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sono, triste) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
