vecchio
/ˈvɛk.kjo/masculine
The Italian phrase for old man is vecchio.
vecchio is used to refer to an elderly man. When used as a noun, it refers to the person (an old man), whereas when used as an adjective, it describes a quality of a person or object.
Meaning: elderly man (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of Italy, especially in the north, the term nonno is sometimes used to refer to an older man even if he is not a biological grandfather. Additionally, Babbo is used to affectionately refer to an older man, especially in a family context, in the central and southern parts of Italy.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on gender and number: the masculine singular is vecchio, the masculine plural is vecchi, the feminine singular is vecchia and the feminine plural is vecchie.
How do you pronounce it?
vecchio is pronounced /ˈvɛk.kjo/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word vecchio may share a surprising ancestry with the Latin word for 'bull calf', vitulus, suggesting a linguistic path from young livestock to old age.
- Italian uses the word vecchio to describe things that are 'long-term', such as a vecchio amico who is a 'longtime friend' regardless of their actual age.
- The word vecchio can be used as a colloquial term for one's father in certain Italian dialects and informal settings.
Examples in context
- Tom è un vecchio.Tom is an old man.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to identify someone as a vecchio.Tatoeba #3803225 by Guybrush88, translation #3734758 by CK
- Il vecchio è pazzo.The old man is crazy.This sentence shows how to use vecchio as a noun to describe a person.Tatoeba #7535057 by Guybrush88, translation #6377742 by Hybrid
- Parla come un vecchio.He speaks like an old man.This sentence illustrates the use of vecchio to describe the manner of an old man.Tatoeba #8859306 by Guybrush88, translation #8566592 by CH
- 98 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Alessandro are talking about a neighbor.
- SofiaChi è quell'uomo?Who is that man?
- AlessandroÈ un vecchio molto gentile.He is a very kind old man.
- SofiaVive da solo qui?Does he live here alone?
- AlessandroSì, il vecchio abita in quel palazzo.Yes, the old man lives in that building.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “old man” translations and entries vecchio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vecchio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
