lei
/ˈlɛj/
In Italian, 'she' is expressed as lei. Wiktionary also lists ella.
Meaning: person (pron)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| lei | /ˈlɛj/ |
| ella | /ˈɛl.la/ |
The pronoun is used to refer to a female person. In many contexts, Italian speakers omit the subject pronoun lei entirely because the verb conjugation makes the subject clear.
Which one should you use?
While lei is the most common way to say 'she', ella is a more formal or literary version. It is important to note that lei also serves a dual purpose: it is used both to mean 'she' and to mean the polite, singular 'you' when addressing someone directly.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈlɛj/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might be confused when they hear lei used to mean 'you' in a polite context, but this is the standard way to address a stranger or a superior in Italian.
Did you know?
- Switching from Lei to the informal tu during a conversation is a significant social move known as 'dare del tu'.
- The formal address Lei emerged in the 16th century by following the linguistic pattern of titles like 'Excellency' or 'Holiness'.
- When using the formal 'you' as Lei, Italians often capitalize the word in writing to distinguish it from the pronoun 'she', even though they are spelled identically.
Examples in context
- Lei sa chi è?Do you know who she is?This sentence is useful for practicing a question involving lei.Tatoeba #2477436 by Guybrush88, translation #308085 by CK
- Lei è a casa.She is at home.This sentence shows lei used in a simple statement about being at home.Tatoeba #3828907 by Guybrush88, translation #4848413 by jarbv
- Lei sa chi è.She knows who he is.This sentence demonstrates lei used in a statement about knowing someone.Tatoeba #3876868 by Guybrush88, translation #1828595 by Amastan
- Lei è una donna stupenda.She is a wonderful lady.
- Lei è una ragazza simpatica.She is a nice girl.
- Lei, Anna, è molto gentile.She, Anna, is very kind.
- Lei è molto gentile.She is very kind.
- 6207 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Giulia are talking about a mutual friend.
- LorenzoDove si trova Maria?Where is Maria?
- GiuliaLei è in ufficio oggi.She is in the office today.
- LorenzoLavora fino a tardi?Does she work until late?
- GiuliaSì, lei deve finire un progetto.Yes, she has to finish a project.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “she” translations and entries lei, ella, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ella, lei, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
