vittima
/ˈvit.ti.ma/feminine
The English phrase 'victim' is vittima in Italian.
vittima refers to one who is harmed. You may also encounter the idiomatic expression vittima del destino to describe someone who is a victim of fate or circumstance.
Meaning: one who is harmed (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun vittima is grammatically feminine, and this remains true even when you are referring to a male victim. The plural form is vittime.
How do you pronounce it?
vittima is pronounced /ˈvit.ti.ma/. The stress is on the first of the three syllables.
Did you know?
- The word vittima originates from the Latin victima, which originally referred to a sacrificial animal or person offered in religious rites.
- You might hear the phrase vittima del proprio successo to describe someone who is a victim of their own success, implying their achievements have caused new problems.
- In Italian, you can describe someone as una vittima regardless of their gender, but if you use it as an adjective to describe someone acting helpless, it is often a biting social critique.
Examples in context
- Non è la vittima.She is not the victim.This sentence demonstrates the use of vittima.Tatoeba #4200141 by Guybrush88, translation #1159733 by tinytina
- Chi era la vittima?Who was the victim?This sentence shows how to ask about the vittima.Tatoeba #5757297 by Guybrush88, translation #5756692 by CM
- Sami era una vittima.Sami was a victim.This sentence illustrates the use of vittima in a past tense context.Tatoeba #10539089 by Guybrush88, translation #7160522 by OsoHombre
- La vittima dell'incidente stradale è stata trasportata in ospedale.The victim of the car accident was transported to the hospital.
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are discussing a news report about a crime.
- MartinaPoverina, è stata una vittima innocente.Poor thing, she was an innocent victim.
- AlessandroSì, è terribile quello che è successo.Yes, it's terrible what happened.
- MartinaSpero che la vittima riceva giustizia.I hope the victim receives justice.
- AlessandroLo spero anch'io, Martina.I hope so too, Martina.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “victim” translations and entries vittima, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vittima, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
