ufficiale
/uf.fiˈt͡ʃa.le/
The Italian word for officer is ufficiale.
ufficiale is a noun used to refer to an officer. While it can be used for a police officer, it is more commonly used to refer to military officers or high-ranking officials in a general sense.
Meaning: a respectful term of address for an officer, especially a police officer (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
ufficiale is used for both masculine and feminine officers. The plural form is ufficiali.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable: /uf.fiˈtʃa.le/.
Did you know?
- In a sporting context, an 'official' or referee is not called an ufficiale but is instead referred to as an arbitro.
- If you are looking for a high-ranking official in a government building, you might use the term funzionario instead of ufficiale. While both relate to duties, funzionario specifically implies a civil servant.
- In Italian, the word for 'official' as in a formal announcement is the same word as 'officer', ufficiale, acting as both a noun and an adjective.
Examples in context
- Tom è un ufficiale?Is Tom an officer?This sentence is useful for asking if Tom is an ufficiale.Tatoeba #10739539 by Guybrush88, translation #6351709 by CK
- È un ufficiale dell'esercito.He is an army officer.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is an ufficiale of the army.Tatoeba #1605492 by Guybrush88, translation #304636 by CK
- Eri un ufficiale nell'esercito?Were you an officer in the army?This sentence is useful for asking if someone was an ufficiale in the army.Tatoeba #2788508 by Guybrush88, translation #2784460 by sharptoothed
- Gli ufficiali erano presenti all'addestramento.The officers were present at the training.
- Ho visto due poliziotti in strada.I saw two police officers on the street.
- Io e mio fratello vogliamo diventare carabinieri.My brother and I want to become carabinieri.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A woman is reporting a lost wallet to a policeman.
- AlessandroBuongiorno, ufficiale. Ho perso il mio portafoglio.Good morning, officer. I lost my wallet.
- SofiaMi dispiace. Quando l'ha perso, Sofia?I'm sorry. When did you lose it, Sofia?
- AlessandroPenso di averlo lasciato qui, ufficiale.I think I left it here, officer.
- SofiaControlliamo insieme i video della sorveglianza.Let's check the surveillance videos together.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry ufficiale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
