grande
/ˈɡran.de/
The English phrase "rock on" can be translated into Italian as grande.
grande is an enthusiastic expression used to show approval or to encourage someone to keep doing something great.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of grande is /ˈɡran.de/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In many Italian regions, if someone says grande with a slight shrug or a specific hand gesture, it can actually sound sarcastic rather than encouraging. Context and tone are essential to ensure you are actually saying 'rock on' and not 'big deal'.
- While grande means 'big' or 'great' in most contexts, it is used as a standalone exclamation in Italy to praise someone's performance, much like saying 'way to go' in English.
- If you want to emphasize the 'rock on' feeling even more, Italians might say Ma dai, grande! to add a sense of 'Come on, you're doing great!'
Examples in context
- Sei grande!You rock!
- Continua così, sei grande.Keep it up, you're doing great.
Example conversation
Chiara has just finished a beautiful piano performance.
- FrancescoChe bella musica, Chiara!What beautiful music, Chiara!
- ChiaraGrazie, Francesco. Sono molto emozionata.Thanks, Francesco. I am very excited.
- FrancescoSei grande, continua così!You rock, keep it up!
- ChiaraGrazie mille per l'incoraggiamento.Thank you so much for the encouragement.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry grande, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
