social network
masculine
The English phrase "social network" can be translated into Italian as social network or rete sociale.
Meaning: social network service on the Internet (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| social network | masculine | |
| rete sociale | /ˈre.te soˈt͡ʃa.le/ (word by word) | feminine |
The term refers to a social network service on the Internet. When using the English loanword social network, it is treated as a masculine noun, meaning you should use articles such as il or un.
Which one should you use?
The English loanword social network is used commonly in digital contexts and casual conversation. In contrast, the Italian translation rete sociale is more formal and is frequently used in academic, sociological or journalistic writing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine term rete sociale has the plural form reti sociali.
Did you know?
- While rete sociale is the literal translation, if you use it in a casual conversation about Facebook or Instagram, an Italian might think you are talking about a government welfare system or a community support group.
- In Italy, you will often hear the word social used as a plural noun, i social, to refer to the entire world of social media platforms.
- The word sociale traces back to the Latin socius, which means 'companion' or 'partner'. This roots the modern concept of a social network in the ancient idea of human companionship.
Examples in context
- Tatoeba è un social network?Is Tatoeba a social network?This sentence asks if a specific platform is a social network.Tatoeba #11918599 by Guybrush88, translation #11764912 by ddnktr
- Tatoeba non è un social network.Tatoeba is not a social network.This sentence uses a negative to state that a platform is not a social network.Tatoeba #4591634 by Guybrush88, translation #4567907 by Hybrid
- Google+ è una nuova rete sociale.Google+ is a new social network.This sentence uses the feminine rete sociale to describe a specific platform.Tatoeba #3855932 by Guybrush88, translation #1272495 by marcelostockle
- Passo ore a navigare sui social ogni giorno.I spend hours browsing social networks every day.
- Mi trovi su tutti i social! Aggiungimi su Instagram.You can find me on all social media! Add me on Instagram.
- Sono sempre connesso a vari social network.I'm always connected to different social networks.
- Oggi ho passato troppo tempo sui social.Today, I spent too much time on social networks.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Giulia and Lorenzo are talking about their phone apps.
- GiuliaQual è il tuo social network preferito?What is your favorite social network?
- LorenzoUso soprattutto Instagram, e tu?I mostly use Instagram, and you?
- GiuliaIo non uso alcun social network.I don't use any social network.
- LorenzoDavvero? Sei molto originale, Giulia!Really? You are very original, Giulia!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “social network” translations and entries social network, rete sociale, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (rete, sociale) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries rete, social, social network, sociale, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
