mio cugino
/ˈmi.o kuˈd͡ʒi.no/word by word
The English phrase "my cousin" is translated into Italian as mio cugino.
mio cugino refers to a male relative who is the child of one's aunt or uncle. If you specifically need to express the concept of a "first cousin," you can use cugino di primo grado.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, Italian requires you to specify the gender of the cousin using mio cugino for a male and mia cugina for a female.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes based on the gender and number of the cousins being discussed. To refer to a female cousin, use the feminine form mia cugina. For a group of male cousins or a mixed-gender group of cousins, use the plural form i miei cugini. If you are referring to a group consisting only of female cousins, use the plural feminine form le mie cugine.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈmi.o kuˈdʒi.no/. It consists of 4 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- Italian speakers sometimes use cugino colloquially to describe a trusted associate or close friend who is not actually a relative.
- While cugino is the standard word, you might encounter the archaic term consobrino, which is a linguistic doublet of cugino.
- If an Italian is unsure of the exact branch of a distant relative's family tree, they might simply use the term cugino to describe them.
Examples in context
- Non è mio cugino.He isn't my cousin.This sentence is useful for using the form mio cugino.Tatoeba #399803 by Pharamp, translation #297738 by CK
- Tom è mio cugino.Tom is my cousin.Tatoeba #3838415 by Guybrush88, translation #2273297 by CK
- Lei è mio cugino?Are you my cousin?Tatoeba #5765955 by Guybrush88, translation #5758031 by CM
- Mio cugino Marco è un bravo ragazzoMy cousin Marco is a good guy
- Mia cugina Martina è una talentuosa artistaMy cousin Martina is a talented artist
- Il mio cugino Giovanni è un avvocato di successoMy cousin Giovanni is a successful lawyer
- 48 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are looking at an old photo.
- GiuliaChi è questo ragazzo?Who is this boy?
- MatteoÈ mio cugino, Luca.He is my cousin, Luca.
- GiuliaÈ molto simpatico!He is very nice!
- MatteoSì, lo è veramente.Yes, he truly is.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mio, cugino) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cugino, mio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
