sorella
/soˈrɛl.la/feminine
The Italian word for sister is sorella.
sorella refers to a woman or girl who has the same parents as another person.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
Which one should you use?
While sorella is the standard term, you may use sorellina when referring to a little sister in an affectionate way. If you are referring specifically to a stepsister, the word is sorellastra.
How does it change in a sentence?
sorella is a feminine noun. Its plural form is sorelle.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /soˈrɛl.la/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- While sorellastra is the technical term for a stepsister, in many modern contexts it can carry a slightly negative or even derogatory connotation, implying a lack of real familial bond.
- In Italian, sorella is used to describe a nun, as they are called suore in the plural. This reflects the religious tradition of viewing the community as a spiritual sisterhood.
- The Italian word sorella shares a common root with the English word 'sister' and the German 'Schwester', as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European ancestor.
Examples in context
- Tua sorella è lì?Is your sister there?This sentence shows how to ask if a sister is in a specific location using sorella.Tatoeba #8508053 by Guybrush88, translation #6489639 by sejb
- Lei è sua sorella?Is she your sister?This sentence is useful for asking if a specific person is someone's sister using sorella.Tatoeba #1802908 by Guybrush88, translation #310274 by CK
- Lei è mia sorella.She's my sister.This sentence is used to identify someone as one's sister using sorella.Tatoeba #1803042 by Guybrush88, translation #469126 by CK
- Mia sorella è la mia migliore amicaMy sister is my best friend
- Che fortuna avere una sorella così specialeHow lucky to have such a special sister
- Sorellina mia, sei il sole della mia vitaMy little sister, you are the sunshine of my life
- Grazie per essere sempre al mio fianco, sorellaThank you for always being by my side, sister
- 1274 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Matteo are talking about family members.
- ChiaraHai una sorella?Do you have a sister?
- MatteoSì, ho una sorella minore.Yes, I have a younger sister.
- ChiaraCome si chiama tua sorella?What is your sister's name?
- MatteoMia sorella si chiama Giulia.My sister is named Giulia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries sorella, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sorella, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
