ladro
/ˈla.dro/masculine
The Italian word for thief is ladro. Wiktionary also lists ladruncolo.
Meaning: one who carries out theft (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ladro | /ˈla.dro/ | masculine |
| ladruncolo | /laˈdrun.ko.lo/ | masculine |
The word refers to a person who carries out a theft.
Which one should you use?
While ladro is the standard term, ladruncolo is a diminutive form used specifically to describe a petty thief or a small-time thief.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is ladro. To refer to a group of male thieves or a mixed-gender group, use the masculine plural ladri. If you are referring to a single female thief, use the feminine ladra and for a group of female thieves, use the feminine plural ladre.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈla.dro/. It has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Latin, the ancestor of ladro was latrō, but this word originally described a 'mercenary' or a soldier for hire rather than just a criminal.
- The Italian phrase ladro di scene is used to describe an actor who steals the spotlight, mirroring the English 'scene stealer'.
- In historical contexts, ladrone was used to describe bandits who operated in the rural countryside and mountains.
Examples in context
- Lui è un ladro.He is a thief.This sentence shows how to identify a person as a ladro.Tatoeba #1171285 by Guybrush88, translation #301724 by Dorenda
- Non è un ladro.He isn't a thief.This sentence shows how to deny that someone is a ladro.Tatoeba #8483061 by Guybrush88, translation #8480859 by CH
- Ha preso il ladro.She got the thief.This sentence shows an action involving a ladro.Tatoeba #5778744 by Guybrush88, translation #2875487 by Amastan
- La polizia ha arrestato il ladro.The police arrested the thief.
- 122 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are talking about a missing wallet.
- MatteoChiara, qualcuno ha rubato il mio portafoglio!Chiara, someone stole my wallet!
- ChiaraOddio! Dove si trova il ladro adesso?Oh my god! Where is the thief now?
- MatteoNon lo so, è scappato velocemente.I don't know, he ran away quickly.
- ChiaraDobbiamo chiamare subito la polizia.We need to call the police immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thief” translations and entries ladro, ladruncolo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ladro, ladruncolo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
