polizia
/po.litˈt͡si.a/feminine
The English word 'police' is translated into Italian as polizia. If unsure, use polizia. Wiktionary also lists forza pubblica.
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| polizia | /po.litˈt͡si.a/ | feminine |
| forza pubblica | feminine |
polizia is used to refer to the law enforcement agency or the police force in general.
Which one should you use?
polizia refers to the institution or the force as a whole, whereas poliziotto is used for an individual male police officer and poliziotta is used for an individual female police officer.
Is it said differently in some regions?
vigili urbani is a term used to mean 'municipal police'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Unlike the English word 'police', which is plural, polizia is a feminine singular noun. Therefore, it is used with singular verb forms.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /po.litˈtsi.a/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word polizza with a double 'z' means 'insurance policy', which sounds almost identical to polizia.
- If you are looking for the 'Carabinieri', you are looking for a branch of the military that performs police duties, which can be confusing since they are technically part of the armed forces.
- The Italian word polizia shares the same ancient Greek root as 'politics', πολιτεία, which originally referred to the entire structure of a city-state or the rights of its citizens.
Examples in context
- La polizia è qui.The police are here.This sentence shows how to use polizia with a singular verb.Tatoeba #3434909 by Guybrush88, translation #3434460 by CK
- È con la polizia?Are you with the police?This sentence demonstrates a question using polizia.Tatoeba #3855742 by Guybrush88, translation #2645547 by CK
- Ci serve la polizia.We need the police.This sentence shows how to express a need for polizia.Tatoeba #13082415 by Guybrush88, translation #4501146 by CK
- Ho bisogno di contattare la polizia.I need to contact the police.
- La polizia è arrivata in pochi minuti.The police arrived in a few minutes.
- È compito delle forze dell'ordine garantire la sicurezza pubblica.It is the task of law enforcement to ensure public safety.
- I poliziotti sono intervenuti prontamente.The police officers intervened promptly.
- Ho visto due poliziotti passeggiare per la piazza.I saw two police officers walking through the square.
- Vorrei segnalare quanto accaduto alla poliziotta di pattuglia.I would like to report what happened to the patrolling female police officer.
- Il poliziotto mi ha aiutato a ritrovare il portafoglio.The male police officer helped me find my wallet.
- Ho chiamato i carabinieri per segnalare il furto del mio motorino.I called the carabinieri to report the theft of my scooter.
- I vigili urbani multano chi parcheggia in divieto di sosta.The municipal police fine those who park in no-parking zones.
- 945 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are walking when they see a car accident.
- LorenzoHai già chiamato la polizia?Have you already called the police?
- ChiaraSì, Chiara ha appena finito la chiamata.Yes, Chiara just finished the call.
- LorenzoSpero che la polizia arrivi presto.I hope the police arrive soon.
- ChiaraArriveranno tra pochi minuti.They will arrive in a few minutes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations and entries polizia, forza pubblica, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries forza, polizia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
