Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| università | /u.ni.ver.siˈta/ | feminine |
| istituto | /is.tiˈtu.to/ | masculine |
| politecnico | /ˌpɔ.liˈtɛk.ni.ko/ | masculine |
| collegio | /kolˈlɛ.d͡ʒo/ | masculine |
| ateneo | /a.teˈnɛ.o/ | masculine |
The standard term for an institution of higher education is università. To refer to a specific department or school within a university, use la facoltà. If you are talking about the physical grounds, the term il campus universitario is used. Within the Italian university system, la matricola refers to a student's registration or identification number.
Which one should you use?
While università is the standard term, ateneo is a synonym used in more formal, official or journalistic contexts. If the institution specifically focuses on engineering, architecture or technical sciences, it is referred to as a politecnico. Other terms include istituto and collegio, which are masculine nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
Università is a feminine noun. The terms istituto, politecnico, collegio and ateneo are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables and the stress is on the fifth syllable: /u.ni.ver.siˈta/.
Did you know?
- Italy is home to the University of Bologna, founded in 1088, which is recognized as the oldest university in the continuous operation in the Western world.
- In Italy, the word matricola is used for both a student's ID number and the first-year student themselves.
- The synonym ateneo comes from the Greek 'Athenaion', referring to the temple of Athena in Athens where philosophers gathered to teach.
Examples in context
- È una buona università.It's a good university.This sentence demonstrates the use of università to describe a good institution.Tatoeba #12300020 by Pare, translation #12305370 by Miktsoanit
- In che università studi?Which university are you studying at?This sentence uses università to ask where someone is studying.Tatoeba #1805228 by Guybrush88, translation #1805229 by CM
- A me manca l'università.I miss university.This sentence shows how to express missing the time spent at università.Tatoeba #4367290 by Guybrush88, translation #11864489 by sundown
- Marco studia all'università di Roma.Marco studies at the University of Rome.
- L'università è un luogo di apprendimento e crescita.The university is a place of learning and growth.
- La prestigiosa Università di Bologna è conosciuta in tutto il mondo.The prestigious University of Bologna is known worldwide.
- Sto frequentando la facoltà di economia all'università.I am attending the Faculty of Economics at the university.
- Il mio campus universitario si trova nel centro della città.My university campus is located in the city center.
- 269 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are talking about their studies in a cafe.
- FrancescoDove studi, Chiara?Where do you study, Chiara?
- ChiaraStudio all'università di Roma.I study at the university of Rome.
- FrancescoÈ un'università molto grande.It is a very large university.
- ChiaraSì, ma mi piace molto.Yes, but I like it a lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “university” translations and entries università, istituto, politecnico, collegio, ateneo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
