la preghiera del Signore
The Lord's Prayer in Italian is la preghiera del Signore.
This phrase is a descriptive way to refer to the traditional Christian prayer taught by Jesus to his disciples.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of la preghiera (the prayer) and del Signore (of the Lord). The word del is a contraction of the preposition di (of) and the masculine article il (the).
Which one should you use?
While la preghiera del Signore is the descriptive name for the prayer, Italians almost always refer to the prayer itself by its opening words, Padre Nostro.
Did you know?
- The word signore is actually a descendant of the Latin word for 'old man', senex, which originally referred to a person of high status or seniority.
- Many Italian regional dialects have their own version of the Padre Nostro which differs significantly in phonetics from the standard Italian la preghiera del Signore.
- In Italian, when people say they are 'reciting' the prayer, they often use the verb recitare instead of just 'saying' it, much like one would 'recite' a poem or a play.
Examples in context
- Dobbiamo imparare la preghiera del Signore.We must learn the lord's prayer.
- La preghiera del Signore è molto importante.The lord's prayer is very important.
- Il bambino recita la preghiera del Signore.The child recites the lord's prayer.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are visiting a church together.
- MatteoMartina, ascolta la preghiera del Signore.Martina, listen to the Lord's Prayer.
- MartinaSì, è molto emozionante.Yes, it is very moving.
- MatteoVuoi recitare la preghiera del Signore con me?Do you want to recite the Lord's Prayer with me?
- MartinaSì, Matteo, facciamolo.Yes, Matteo, let's do it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries del, la, preghiera, signore, CC BY-SA 4.0.
