Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| simile | /ˈsi.mi.le/ |
| somigliante | |
| rassomigliante |
Italian uses different words for similar depending on whether you are describing shared characteristics or physical resemblance. simile is used for things that have traits or characteristics in common, while somigliante can be used to describe someone or something as 'similar' or 'resembling'.
Which one should you use?
Use simile to describe things that share characteristics, whereas somigliante is more often used to describe people who look like one another.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective simile is typically followed by the preposition a to mean 'similar to' (simile a).
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈsi.mi.le/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use simile as a noun to mean a comparison (as one might do with the English word 'simile'). In Italian, simile is primarily an adjective.
Did you know?
- In formal Italian, simile can be used as a pronoun meaning 'someone of the same kind', a usage not found in English.
- In Italian, saying mi somigli does not just mean you are similar, but specifically that you look like the speaker.
- The word somigliante is derived from a Vulgar Latin present participle, which is why it ends in -ante, a suffix used for active participants.
Examples in context
- C# è simile a Java.C# is similar to Java.This sentence shows how to use simile to compare programming languages.Tatoeba #2842998 by Guybrush88, translation #1616973 by Spamster
- È simile a suo padre.He is similar to his father.This sentence shows how to use simile to describe a person's resemblance to a parent.Tatoeba #2722851 by Guybrush88, translation #1647548 by CM
- È molto simile a lui.You are very similar to him.This sentence shows how to use simile to express that someone is very similar to another person.Tatoeba #9734763 by Guybrush88, translation #9723118 by ariarin
- Queste due opere d'arte sono simili.These two artworks are similar.
- La situazione è analoga a quella di un anno fa.The situation is similar to that of a year ago.
- Abbiamo pensato analogamente.We thought similarly.
- 107 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are looking at two different phone models in a shop.
- SofiaQuesto modello è simile a quello?Is this model similar to that one?
- MatteoSì, sono molto simili.Yes, they are very similar.
- SofiaMa il prezzo è simile?But is the price similar?
- MatteoNo, questo è più caro.No, this one is more expensive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “similar” translations and entries simile, somigliante, rassomigliante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries simile, somigliante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
