su
/ˈsu/
The Italian word for "up" is su.
su is primarily an adverb of direction used to describe movement away from the earth's surface. It is also used in idiomatic expressions to mean "cheer up" or to lift one's spirits, such as in the phrase Su con la vita!
Meaning: away from earth’s surface (adv)
Which one should you use?
The opposite of su is giù, which means "down".
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adverb of direction, su does not change its form based on gender or number.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsu/
Did you know?
- While su means 'up', in the context of an address or a list, Italians often use su to mean 'on' or 'upon', such as in the phrase su questo tavolo meaning 'on this table'.
- The Italian word su is a direct descendant of the Latin word sūsum, which is the root for many Romance language terms for 'above' or 'up'.
- Depending on the region, people may use su to mean 'upstairs' without needing an additional word for 'stairs'.
Examples in context
- Su con la vita!Cheer up!This sentence demonstrates the idiomatic use of su to mean "cheer up".Tatoeba #2780099 by Guybrush88, translation #239441 by CM
- Beva il suo tè.Drink up your tea.Tatoeba #13287193 by Guybrush88, translation #11872366 by Seael
- Il razzo andò su.The rocket went up.This sentence illustrates the literal direction of movement for su.Tatoeba #1251673 by Guybrush88, translation #29378 by CK
- Ho appeso il quadro sopra la scrivania.I hung the picture above/on top of the desk.
- Prego, può mettere l'oggetto sopra il tavolo?Please, can you put the object on the table?
- Alzati e vai su!Get up and go up!
- Ho messo i libri su quello scaffale.I placed the books on that shelf.
- L'aereo sta volando in alto nel cielo.The plane is flying up high in the sky.
- Ti prego, tira la corda in alto!Please, pull the rope up!
- 495 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Francesco are looking at a kite in the sky.
- SofiaGuarda quanto è andato su!Look how high up it went!
- FrancescoSì, vola molto in alto.Yes, it is flying very high.
- SofiaPuò andare ancora più su.It can go even further up.
- FrancescoSpero che non si incastri.I hope it doesn't get stuck.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “up” translations and entries su, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries su, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
