mio padre
/ˈmi.o ˈpa.dre/word by word
The English phrase "my father" is translated into Italian as mio padre.
Mio padre is used to refer to the male parent of the speaker.
Which one should you use?
While mio padre is the standard way to say "my father", the phrase il mio papà is a more affectionate and informal way to say "my dad" or "my daddy".
How does it change in a sentence?
In Italian, possessive adjectives are not used with singular, unmodified family members. Therefore, you should not include the definite article before mio padre.
How do you pronounce it?
It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly include the definite article il before mio padre (as in "il mio padre"). However, you should omit the article.
Did you know?
- The word padre shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'father' and the Sanskrit word 'pitar'.
- While you omit the article for mio padre, you must use it if you add an adjective, such as il mio caro padre'.
- In many Italian regions, using mio padre in a casual conversation might sound overly formal or even slightly cold compared to using a nickname.
Examples in context
- Lei è mio padre.You are my father.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as your father.Tatoeba #1098005 by Guybrush88, translation #1097991 by cntrational
- Non è mio padre.He's not my father.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is not your father.Tatoeba #1659517 by Guybrush88, translation #1109897 by Scott
- Non è mio padre!You're not my father!This sentence is useful for expressing that someone is not your father with emphasis.Tatoeba #3073222 by Guybrush88, translation #2235365 by Hybrid
- Ho un grande affetto per papà.I have a deep affection for dad.
- 855 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Francesco are talking about their families.
- ChiaraDove vive tuo padre?Where does your father live?
- FrancescoMio padre vive a Roma.My father lives in Rome.
- ChiaraMio padre è anche a Roma.My father is also in Rome.
- FrancescoChe coincidenza!What a coincidence!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (mio, padre) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mio, padre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
