che carino
/ˈke kaˈri.no/word by word
The English phrase "so cute" is expressed in Italian as che carino.
che carino is used to express that something or someone is cute or charming. While it is a common way to react to something adorable, it is more specific to cuteness than the more general exclamation che bello, which means "how beautiful" or "how nice".
What does it mean word for word?
In this exclamatory context, che functions as "how" rather than the conjunction "that", making the literal translation "how cute".
Which one should you use?
Use che carino when you want to emphasize charm or cuteness. If you want to express a more general sense of something being beautiful, great or nice, use che bello instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must change its ending to match the gender and number of the person or thing you are describing: use che carina for a feminine singular subject, che carini for a masculine or mixed group and che carine for a feminine plural group.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈke kaˈri.no/
Did you know?
- The word carino comes from caro, which means 'dear' or 'expensive'. Calling something carino is etymologically similar to calling someone 'dear' in English.
- In Italy, using che carino to describe a grown man can sometimes be perceived as belittling, as it suggests he has child-like or feminine charms rather than masculine strength.
- The suffix -ino used in carino is a common Italian diminutive. It is used across the language to make things smaller, sweeter or more affectionate.
Examples in context
- Che carino!So cute!This example shows how to use che carino as an exclamation.Tatoeba #1317167 by giullina, translation #1636288 by fengli
- Guarda quel cucciolo, è così carino!Look at that puppy, it is so cute!
- La sua risata è semplicemente adorabile!His/her laugh is simply adorable!
- Che bambino dolcissimo!What a sweet baby!
- Guarda quel neonato, è troppo simpatico!Look at that newborn, he/she is too cute!
- Che carino quel gattino!That little kitten is so cute!
- Guarda il bambino, che carino.Look at the baby, he is so cute.
Example conversation
Alessandro shows Chiara a photo of his new puppy.
- AlessandroGuarda la foto del mio cane!Look at the photo of my dog!
- ChiaraMa che carino!But he is so cute!
- AlessandroSi chiama Leo.His name is Leo.
- ChiaraVoglio vederlo presto, Alessandro.I want to see him soon, Alessandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (che, carino) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carino, che, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
