signorina
/siɲ.ɲoˈri.na/
The English phrase 'miss' can be translated into Italian as signorina.
signorina is commonly used to address unmarried women or younger girls.
Meaning: to feel the absence of someone or something, to feel the want or need of (verb)
Which one should you use?
signorina is specifically used for unmarried women, whereas signora is the standard title used for married women or as a respectful way to address adult women regardless of their marital status.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
signorina is a formal title equivalent to the English 'Miss'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /siɲ.ɲoˈri.na/.
Did you know?
- While signorina is a title, the verb used to express the feeling of missing someone is mancare, which grammatically functions as if the missing person is the one doing the action.
- While 'Miss' in English is a simple title, the Italian signorina can be used as a sarcastic way to mock a woman who is acting overly precious or fragile.
- In some parts of Italy, using signorina to address a woman in her twenties or thirties can actually be perceived as patronizing rather than polite.
Examples in context
- Questa è la signorina Curtis.This is Miss Curtis.This example shows how to use signorina when introducing someone.Tatoeba #1299330 by Guybrush88, translation #61536 by CN
- Cosa ne pensa, signorina West?What do you think, Miss West?This example demonstrates addressing someone as signorina when asking for their opinion.Tatoeba #903204 by Guybrush88, translation #69877 by CN
- Buon compleanno, signorina Aiba!Happy birthday, Miss Aiba!This example shows using signorina when offering birthday wishes.Tatoeba #1824339 by Guybrush88, translation #328541 by fcbond
- Mi scusi, signorina.Excuse me, miss.
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry signorina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
