educazione
/e.du.katˈt͡sjo.ne/feminine
The English word 'upbringing' is translated into Italian as educazione.
educazione refers to the raising or training of a person. In a formal context, you might encounter the phrase Stile educativo to describe an 'educational style', referring specifically to the approach parents or guardians take when raising a child. Another formal expression, Formazione e crescita, can be used to emphasize both the educational and personal growth aspects of a person's upbringing.
Meaning: raising or training (noun)
Which one should you use?
While educazione can mean 'education' when referring to school settings, it is the standard term used when discussing a person's moral upbringing and manners.
How does it change in a sentence?
educazione is a feminine noun. It is common to pair it with the adjective buona to say buona educazione, meaning 'good upbringing'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 5 syllables, with the stress on the 4th syllable: /e.du.katˈtsjo.ne/.
Did you know?
- If you call someone 'educato', you are not complimenting their school degree, but rather their polite behavior and social graces.
- The Latin root of educazione actually implies 'leading out', suggesting that an upbringing is about drawing out a person's potential rather than just imposing rules.
- While educazione refers to upbringing, the Italian word for the schooling one receives is more commonly istruzione.
Examples in context
- La mia famiglia ha uno stile educativo basato sull'affetto e la comunicazione aperta.My family has an upbringing style based on affection and open communication.
- Ha ricevuto un'ottima educazione.He/she received an excellent upbringing.
- La sua educazione è stata molto rigorosa.Her upbringing was very strict.
- L'educazione ricevuta influisce sul carattere.The upbringing received influences one's character.
Example conversation
Sofia and Francesco are talking about a polite colleague.
- SofiaLuca è sempre così gentile con tutti.Luca is always so kind to everyone.
- FrancescoSì, ha avuto un'educazione eccellente.Yes, he had an excellent upbringing.
- SofiaSi vede che i genitori sono stati bravi.You can tell the parents were good.
- FrancescoCertamente, i valori della famiglia sono importanti.Certainly, family values are important.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “upbringing” translations and entries educazione, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries educazione, CC BY-SA 4.0.
