Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| coniuge | /ˈkɔ.nju.d͡ʒe/ | feminine, masculine |
| consorte | /konˈsɔr.te/ | feminine, masculine |
Both coniuge and consorte refer to a person in a marriage or a marital relationship. In common practice, you will use these terms to identify a partner in a legal or official sense.
Which one should you use?
coniuge is the standard term used in legal, administrative or formal contexts. consorte is a much higher-register term that is often considered archaic. It is typically reserved for official titles, such as describing a royal spouse.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both coniuge and consorte are epicene nouns, meaning they have the same form for both masculine and feminine genders. To specify the gender of the spouse when using coniuge, you must change the article and possessive: use the masculine il mio coniuge for a male spouse or the feminine la mia coniuge for a female spouse.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables: /ˈkɔ.nju.dʒe/. The stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word coniuge comes from the Latin coniugem, which literally means 'yoked together'. This reflects the ancient Roman view of marriage as two people being joined like oxen under a single yoke.
- The word consorte shares a root with sorte, meaning 'fate' or 'luck'. This suggests that a spouse is someone with whom you share a common destiny.
- In daily conversation, Italians almost never use coniuge to describe their partner. To avoid sounding like a lawyer, they use marito for 'husband' and moglie for 'wife'.
Examples in context
- Il mio coniuge ha una relazione sentimentale con un'altra persona.My spouse is in a romantic relationship with someone else.This sentence shows how to use coniuge when discussing a spouse's relationship.Tatoeba #13004676 by Nuel, translation #13004675 by Nuel
- Ho parlato con il marito di tua sorella.I spoke to your sister's husband.
- Amore, sei la mia dolce metà.Darling, you are my better half.
- Il suo coniuge è un avvocato.Her spouse is a lawyer.
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are filling out a formal application form.
- FrancescoDevo scrivere il nome del mio coniuge qui?Should I write my spouse's name here?
- ChiaraSì, Francesco, inserisci i suoi dati in questo spazio.Yes, Francesco, enter their details in this space.
- FrancescoVa bene, ora aggiungo anche la data di nascita.Alright, now I will also add the date of birth.
- ChiaraPerfetto, così il modulo è completo.Perfect, now the form is complete.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spouse” translations and entries coniuge, consorte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coniuge, consorte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
