How to Say "They Are" in Italian

sono

/ˈso.no/

In Italian, the phrase "they are" is translated as sono.

The word sono is used to describe the state or identity of more than one person or thing.

Which one should you use?

While sono can mean "they are", it is also the first-person singular form meaning "I am".

The form sono is used for both "they are" and "I am".

The word is pronounced /ˈso.no/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.

The verb sono traces its roots back to the Latin 'sum' for 'I am' and 'sunt' for 'they are', which eventually merged into this single form in Italian.
The ambiguity of sono leads to common puns in Italian literature and cinema, where a character says sono and the listener is unsure if the speaker is referring to themselves or a group.
Because sono means both 'I am' and 'they are', Italian speakers often include the pronoun io or loro to avoid confusion. In English, the pronoun is mandatory, but in Italian, it is usually omitted unless the meaning is ambiguous.

Io so chi sono.
I know who they are.
This sentence shows how to use sono to identify people.
Tatoeba #2896015 by Guybrush88, translation #1828689 by Amastan
Sono in TV ora.
They are on TV now.
This sentence demonstrates the use of sono to describe where people are.
Tatoeba #14002501 by Guybrush88, translation #9023994 by Amastan
Io so cosa sono.
I know what they are.
This sentence illustrates the use of sono to describe what things are.
Tatoeba #2421132 by Guybrush88, translation #2376320 by CK
Loro sono simpatici.
They are nice.
Loro sono intelligenti.
They are intelligent.
697 more sentences on Tatoeba

Lorenzo and Giulia are looking at some photos of their friends.

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