triste
/ˈtris.te/
The Italian word for "sad" is triste.
The adjective triste is used to describe both a person's emotional state and a situation or object that evokes sadness, much like in English.
Meaning: feeling sorrow (adj)
Which one should you use?
While triste is the most common and straightforward translation, other words can change the nuance of the feeling. Addolorato implies a deeper sense of sorrow or grief, whereas sconsolato captures a sense of discouragement or desolation. If you want to describe someone as being "down in spirit," you can use the phrase giù di morale.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective triste is invariable in gender, meaning it is the same for both masculine and feminine, but it changes to tristi in the plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈtris.te/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- While triste means 'sad', the expression una triste figura refers to making a fool of oneself or embarrassing oneself in public.
- While triste is a general term, calling a meal or a piece of music triste in Italian often suggests it is 'lacking flavor' or 'dull' rather than just emotionally sorrowful.
- The English word 'tristful' is a rare, archaic relative of the Italian triste, sharing the same Latin root.
Examples in context
- È triste ma vero.It's sad, but true.This sentence shows how to use triste to describe a situation that is true.Tatoeba #2515113 by Guybrush88, translation #2305027 by Hybrid
- Tom non è triste.Tom isn't sad.This sentence shows how to use triste to describe a person's state.Tatoeba #11839980 by Guybrush88, translation #8416658 by CK
- È una cosa triste.That's a sad excuse.This sentence shows how to use triste to describe a thing or excuse.Tatoeba #5116486 by Guybrush88, translation #2985513 by sharptoothed
- Sono tristeI am sad
- È una notizia tristeIt's sad news
- Un uomo addoloratoA sorrowful man
- Mi sento sconsolatoI feel sad
- Sono giù di moraleI am feeling down
- Questa notizia mi ha messo giù di moraleThis news has gotten me down
- 872 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Francesco are talking about a movie they just watched.
- GiuliaPerché sei così triste?Why are you so sad?
- FrancescoIl finale del film era molto triste.The end of the movie was very sad.
- GiuliaSì, mi ha fatto piangere.Yes, it made me cry.
- FrancescoCapisco, è un film molto triste.I understand, it is a very sad movie.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sad” translations and entries triste, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries triste, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
