dolce ragazzo
/ˈdol.t͡ʃe raˈɡat.t͡so/word by word
The English phrase "sweet boy" is translated into Italian as dolce ragazzo.
While dolce can mean 'sweet' in terms of taste, when applied to a person, it describes a person's temperament as kind or gentle.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase dolce ragazzo, the adjective dolce precedes the noun ragazzo, following standard Italian word order. To express the plural form "sweet boys", you must change the endings of both words to dolci ragazzi.
How do you pronounce it?
It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word ragazzo may have come from the Arabic word raqqāṣ, which referred to a 'courier' or 'delivery boy'.
- While dolce describes a 'sweet boy' as kind, the phrase dolce far niente describes the 'sweetness of doing nothing', a cultural ideal of leisure in Italy.
- In Italy, calling a grown man a ragazzo is often used as a term of endearment or to describe a youthful spirit, regardless of his actual age.
Example conversation
Martina is talking to Francesco about his younger brother.
- FrancescoHai visto come aiuta tutti?Did you see how he helps everyone?
- MartinaSì, è un dolce ragazzo.Yes, he is a sweet boy.
- FrancescoÈ molto gentile con me.He is very kind to me.
- MartinaLo è con tutti.He is with everyone.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (dolce, ragazzo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dolce, ragazzo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
