ginocchio
/d͡ʒiˈnɔk.kjo/
The English word "knee" is ginocchio in Italian.
ginocchio is a noun referring to the joint in the middle of the leg and the area surrounding it. It can also be used as a verb meaning "to kneel to".
Meaning: joint in the middle of the leg and area around it (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of ginocchio is ginocchia. Although ginocchi exists as a masculine plural form, it is almost never used in modern standard Italian, which prefers the feminine plural ginocchia.
How do you pronounce it?
/dʒiˈnɔk.kjo/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word ginocchio is used to describe the 'knee' of a pipe or a curved section of a tube in plumbing and engineering.
- The word ginocchio is a diminutive, meaning it literally translates to 'little knee'.
- The expression mettersi in ginocchio is a common way to describe a person or even an entire nation being forced into submission or defeat.
Examples in context
- Si sbucciò il ginocchio.He skinned his knee.This sentence is useful for describing skinning one's ginocchio.Tatoeba #9638962 by Guybrush88, translation #7386135 by CH
- Mi graffiai il ginocchio.I scraped my knee.This sentence is useful for describing scraping one's ginocchio.Tatoeba #10743287 by Guybrush88, translation #3732791 by CK
- Si fece male al ginocchio.He hurt his knee.This sentence is useful for describing hurting one's ginocchio.Tatoeba #8163157 by Guybrush88, translation #7385319 by CH
- 64 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are sitting in the living room after a hike.
- FrancescoTi fa male il ginocchio?Does your knee hurt?
- ChiaraSì, Francesco, mi fa un po' male.Yes, Francesco, it hurts a little.
- FrancescoForse dovresti mettere del ghiaccio sul ginocchio.Maybe you should put some ice on your knee.
- ChiaraHai ragione, grazie per il consiglio.You're right, thanks for the advice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “knee” translations and entries ginocchio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ginocchio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
