Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bambino | /bamˈbi.no/ | masculine |
| bimbo | /ˈbim.bo/ | masculine |
The term is used to refer to a child in a colloquial way. While bambino and its variants describe a child, if you are talking about a legal minor, you would use the formal term minore. You can also use the verb scherzare to mean to joke.
Which one should you use?
bambino is the default masculine form. The form bimbo is also a masculine noun used for a kid. For a young boy, you might use the informal term ragazzino or ragazzina for a young girl.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Neapolitan dialect, you may hear piccirillo or piccirilla to mean kid.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of bambino is bambina. To refer to a group of kids, use the masculine plural bambini, which is used even if the group includes girls. For the word bimbo, the feminine plural form is bimbe.
How do you pronounce it?
3 syllables. The stress is on the second syllable: /bamˈbi.no/.
Did you know?
- In English, 'bimbo' refers to a stereotypically unintelligent woman, but in Italian, it is the affectionate word for a baby.
- In modern Italian slang, bimbo can be used as an insult to describe a vain or shallow young man who is obsessed with his appearance.
- The word bambino is thought to be onomatopoeic, mimicking the repetitive, stammering sounds a child makes when first learning to speak.
Examples in context
- È solo un bambino.He's just a kid.This example shows how to say he is just a kid using bambino.Tatoeba #2742422 by Guybrush88, translation #8480244 by CH
- È un bambino pigro.He's a lazy kid.This example demonstrates describing a lazy kid with bambino.Tatoeba #8499820 by Guybrush88, translation #8479995 by CH
- È un bambino ricco.He's a rich kid.This example shows how to say he is a rich kid using bambino.Tatoeba #9347172 by Guybrush88, translation #8480026 by CH
- Il bambino gioca nel parcoThe boy is playing in the park.
- Il ragazzino sta giocandoThe kid is playing.
- Vieni qui, piccoloCome here, kid.
- 65 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are walking in a park.
- LorenzoGuarda quel bambino con il palloncino!Look at that kid with the balloon!
- GiuliaSì, è davvero carino.Yes, he is really cute.
- LorenzoIl bambino sembra molto felice oggi.The kid seems very happy today.
- GiuliaProbabilmente perché è al parco con la mamma.Probably because he is at the park with his mom.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kid” translations and entries bambino, bimbo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bambino, bimbo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
