zio
/ˈd͡zi.o/masculine
The Italian word for uncle is zio.
zio is the standard and most widely used term to refer to the brother or brother-in-law of one's parent.
Meaning: brother (or brother-in-law) of someone’s parent (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form for aunt is zia. To refer to a group of uncles, or a mixed group of uncles and aunts, use the masculine plural form zii.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable. The IPA is /ˈdzi.o/.
Did you know?
- In certain very informal or affectionate settings, young people might use zio as slang for 'dude' or 'mate', similar to how 'bro' is used in English.
- The Italian word zio shares its ancestry with the Greek word theîos, which also means 'divine' or 'god-like'.
- In some Southern Italian traditions, a child may call their father's close friends zio as a sign of respect and familial closeness.
Examples in context
- Lui è mio zio.He is my uncle.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific person as your uncle using zio.Tatoeba #4567767 by Guybrush88, translation #297898 by CK
- Tom è tuo zio.Tom is your uncle.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific person as someone's uncle using zio.Tatoeba #5973863 by Guybrush88, translation #2273652 by CK
- Bob è tuo zio?Is Bob your uncle?This sentence is useful for asking a question to confirm if someone is an uncle using zio.Tatoeba #13503609 by Guybrush88, translation #10852563 by andibing
- Mi piace passare il tempo con mio zio durante le vacanze.I enjoy spending time with my uncle during the holidays.
- Vado a trovare zio Paolo domani.I'm going to visit Uncle Paolo tomorrow.
- 616 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Alessandro are looking at a family photo.
- SofiaChi è quest'uomo nella foto?Who is this man in the photo?
- AlessandroLui è mio zio.He is my uncle.
- SofiaÈ il fratello di tuo padre?Is he your father's brother?
- AlessandroSì, mio zio vive a Roma.Yes, my uncle lives in Rome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations and entries zio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries zio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
