ragazza
/raˈɡat.t͡sa/
The Italian word for lass is ragazza.
The term ragazza is used to refer to a girl, a young woman or a girlfriend. While ragazza means girl, its masculine counterpart is ragazzo, which means boy.
Meaning: girl (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Ragazza is a feminine singular noun. To refer to more than one girl, use the plural form ragazze.
How do you pronounce it?
/raˈɡat.tsa/. The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word ragazza originally comes from the Ancient Greek word for 'rag' or 'tatter'. This suggests that the term was first used to describe children based on their worn out clothing.
- Adult women may still be called ragazza in certain social contexts to imply a youthful spirit or a flirtatious nature, even well past their teens.
- While ragazza is the standard term, using it to address a stranger in a formal setting might be seen as patronizing or overly casual.
Examples in context
- Guarda quella piccola bambina, è così carina!Look at that little lass, she's so cute!
- Quella ragazza è molto simpatica.That girl is very nice.
- Ho visto una ragazza al parco.I saw a girl at the park.
- La ragazza legge un libro.The girl is reading a book.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Sofia are at a café.
- LorenzoConosci quella ragazza?Do you know that girl?
- SofiaSì, è una mia amica.Yes, she is a friend of mine.
- LorenzoÈ una ragazza molto gentile.She is a very kind girl.
- SofiaSì, lo è sempre stata.Yes, she always has been.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ragazza, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ragazza, CC BY-SA 4.0.
