laurea
/ˈlaw.re.a/
The English phrase "university degree" is laurea in Italian.
laurea is the general term for a university degree in Italy. It can refer to the degree itself or the graduation ceremony/process. To talk about the act of graduating or obtaining a degree, you can use the verb laurearsi. When discussing the achievement of a degree, the verb conseguire is used to mean "to earn." If you want to mention the specific university where you obtained your degree, you should use the preposition presso.
Which one should you use?
Italian uses specific terms to distinguish between different levels of academic achievement. Laurea triennale specifically refers to a three-year undergraduate degree, while laurea magistrale refers to a two-year graduate degree. If you need to distinguish a degree obtained under the old Italian educational legislation from those obtained under the current system, use laurea vecchio ordinamento. For a doctoral degree or Ph.D., the term is dottorato di ricerca.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of laurea is lauree.
How do you pronounce it?
laurea is pronounced /ˈlaw.re.a/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- During the laurea celebration, it is a common custom for friends to play practical jokes on the new graduate, such as covering them in flour or eggs.
- After obtaining a laurea, the graduate is traditionally addressed by the title dottore or dottoressa, regardless of whether they practiced medicine.
- In many Italian universities, graduates participate in a ritual called 'la corona d'alloro', where they are literally crowned with a wreath of laurel leaves.
Examples in context
- Ho una laurea.I've got a university degree.This sentence demonstrates how to state that you have a laurea.Tatoeba #634405 by Guybrush88, translation #633583 by CM
- Ho conseguito una Laurea in Economia e Commercio.I earned a degree in Economics and Business.
- Mio fratello sta per completare una Laurea magistrale in Ingegneria.My brother is about to complete a Master's degree in Engineering.
- Mia sorella ha fatto una Laurea breve in Psicologia.My sister completed a three-year degree in Psychology.
- La sua laurea è in economia.Her university degree is in economics.
- Dopo la laurea, vorrà lavorare all'estero.After his university degree, he will want to work abroad.
Example conversation
Alessandro and Giulia are talking about their future careers.
- AlessandroHai già finito la laurea?Have you already finished your degree?
- GiuliaSì, l'ho presa l'anno scorso.Yes, I got it last year.
- AlessandroComplimenti, Giulia!Congratulations, Giulia!
- GiuliaGrazie, Alessandro!Thank you, Alessandro!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry laurea, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
