casa di riposo
/ˈka.sa di riˈpɔ.zo/word by wordfeminine
The English phrase 'retirement home' is translated into Italian as casa di riposo.
casa di riposo is used to refer to a housing facility for the elderly.
Meaning: housing facility for the elderly (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'house of rest'.
Which one should you use?
While casa di riposo is the common term, residenza per anziani is a more formal and clinical term for a nursing or retirement home.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Naples, Campania, Struttura Per Anziani is a formal expression for retirement facility.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase plural, you change the noun casa to case while keeping di riposo the same to get case di riposo.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of casa di riposo is /ˈka.sa di riˈpɔ.zo/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italy, the concept of riposo is so central to daily life that many towns observe a riposo pomeridiano, where shops and businesses close completely for a mid-day break.
- While casa di riposo describes a facility, the word riposo is also the technical term used by Italian musicians to describe a 'rest' or a pause in a musical score.
- In professional or medical settings, Italians often use the acronym RSA, which stands for Residenza Sanitaria Assistita, rather than the common phrase casa di riposo.
Examples in context
- Volevo vivere da solo, non in una casa di riposo.I wanted to live alone, not in a retirement home.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference to live independently rather than in a casa di riposo.Tatoeba #9937045 by carlosalberto, translation #9937039 by carlosalberto
- Mia nonna vive in una casa di riposo.My grandmother lives in a retirement home.
- Mio zio è stato trasferito in una struttura per anziani.My uncle has been transferred to a retirement facility.
- Ho deciso di iscrivere mia madre in un centro di assistenza per anziani.I have decided to enroll my mother in a retirement care center.
- Mio nonno è stato accolto in una casa di riposo.My grandfather was admitted to a retirement home.
- Cerca una buona casa di riposo per sua madre.He is looking for a good retirement home for his mother.
- La nuova casa di riposo è molto moderna.The new retirement home is very modern.
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are talking about their families.
- MartinaDov'è tua zia in questo periodo?Where is your aunt these days?
- AlessandroOra è in una casa di riposo.She is in a retirement home now.
- MartinaÈ una struttura moderna e bella?Is it a modern and nice facility?
- AlessandroSì, Alessandro dice che è ottima.Yes, Alessandro says it is excellent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “retirement home” translations and entries casa di riposo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (casa, di, riposo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
