Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| parente prossimo | /paˈrɛn.te ˈprɔs.si.mo/ (word by word) | masculine |
| parente stretto | /paˈrɛn.te ˈstret.to/ (word by word) | masculine |
| familiare stretto | /fa.miˈlja.re ˈstret.to/ (word by word) | masculine |
The term refers to a person's closest blood relative, often heir to inheritance.
What does it mean word for word?
The term parente prossimo is a literal combination of parente (relative) and prossimo (close/next).
Which one should you use?
While parente prossimo and parente stretto are often used interchangeably, stretto (tight/narrow) emphasizes the closeness of the bond or the degree of kinship. Additionally, familiare stretto is frequently used in legal or medical contexts to refer to the immediate family or next of kin.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express 'next of kin' in the plural, both the noun and the adjective must change: parenti prossimi. The masculine plural form of familiare stretto is familiari stretti.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /paˈrɛn.te ˈprɔs.si.mo/. The word has 6 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word parente means 'relative' in Italian, but it is a false friend for English speakers because it does not mean 'parent'. For 'parents', Italians use the word genitori.
- The word prossimo is used not only for kinship but also as the standard Italian word for 'neighbor' when referring to the 'fellow man' in a religious or moral context.
- The word stretto is derived from the Latin strictus, which is the perfect passive participle of stringō, meaning 'to bind' or 'to tie'.
Examples in context
- I miei parenti prossimi sono…My next of kin are…
- Deve indicare un parente prossimo in caso di emergenza.You must indicate a next of kin in case of emergency.
- Il suo parente prossimo è un uomo molto anziano.His next of kin is a very old man.
- Cerchiamo il parente prossimo del defunto per la pratica.We are looking for the deceased's next of kin for the paperwork.
Example conversation
Chiara and Francesco are filling out emergency contact forms at a clinic.
- ChiaraFrancesco, devi indicare un parente prossimo qui.Francesco, you need to indicate a next of kin here.
- FrancescoPosso scrivere il nome di mia sorella?Can I write my sister's name?
- ChiaraSì, lei è il tuo parente prossimo.Yes, she is your next of kin.
- FrancescoVa bene, scrivo subito i suoi dati.Alright, I'll write her details right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “next of kin” translations and entries parente prossimo, parente stretto, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (parente, prossimo, stretto, familiare) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries familiare, parente, prossimo, stretto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
