io
/ˈi.o/
The English pronoun "I" is translated as io in Italian.
io is the standard personal pronoun used to refer to oneself. In many cases, Italian speakers omit the pronoun entirely because the verb conjugation is sufficient to identify the speaker. When io is included in a sentence, it is typically used to add emphasis or to contrast the speaker with another person.
Meaning: personal pronoun (pron)
How does it change in a sentence?
In Italian, io functions strictly as a subject pronoun. While English uses "I" for the subject and "me" for the object, Italian uses distinct forms for object pronouns, such as mi, rather than using io.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈi.o/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word io is a homonym for the name of a moon of Jupiter and a figure in Greek mythology who was turned into a heifer.
- If you use io too often in a normal conversation, you may sound unintentionally arrogant or overly dramatic to a native speaker.
- Unlike the English 'I', which is always capitalized, the Italian io is written in lowercase unless it starts a sentence.
Examples in context
- Io non lo so.I don't know that.Tatoeba #2391792 by Guybrush88, translation #254835 by CK
- Io ne ho uno.I have one.Tatoeba #2433237 by Guybrush88, translation #2245891 by CK
- Io non ti amo.I don't love you.Tatoeba #1687369 by Guybrush88, translation #1213414 by alec
- Io sono molto contento di fare affari con lei.I am very pleased to do business with you.
- 4715 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are deciding who will cook dinner.
- MatteoChi cucina stasera?Who is cooking tonight?
- MartinaIo cucino, non preoccuparti.I will cook, don't worry.
- MatteoSei sicura, Martina?Are you sure, Martina?
- MartinaSì, io voglio provare una ricetta nuova.Yes, I want to try a new recipe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I” translations and entries io, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
