noi
/ˈnoj/
In Italian, "we" is expressed as noi. Wiktionary also lists noialtri.
Meaning: generic we (the speaker and at least one other person, regardless of whether it's the person being addressed) (pron)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| noi | /ˈnoj/ |
| noialtri | /noˈjal.tri/ /no.iˈal.tri/ |
noi is used to refer to a group that includes the speaker and at least one other person. This applies regardless of whether the person being spoken to is part of that group.
Which one should you use?
While noi is the standard way to say "we", noialtri is used to mean "we others" or "the rest of us". Use noialtri when you want to distinguish your group from a specific group or from the person you are speaking to (for example, "we others, as opposed to you").
How does it change in a sentence?
In natural speech, the pronoun noi is frequently dropped because Italian verb endings typically indicate the person, making the explicit pronoun unnecessary.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnoj/
Did you know?
- Because Italian allows the subject to be dropped, starting a sentence with noi can sound aggressively assertive or exclusionary to a native speaker, as it highlights the 'us' against 'them' dynamic.
- The Italian noi is a direct descendant of the Latin nōs, maintaining a phonetic shape that has remained remarkably stable for over two thousand years.
- The Italian word noi shares a deep ancestral root with the English word 'we', as both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root *nos-.
Examples in context
- A noi piace Tom.We like Tom.This sentence shows how to use noi to express liking someone.Tatoeba #3209597 by Guybrush88, translation #2240297 by CK
- Noi siamo a casa.We are at home.This sentence uses noi to state a location.Tatoeba #3187002 by Guybrush88, translation #1496274 by Thryth
- Noi ce la faremo.We will make it.This sentence uses noi to express a sense of capability or achievement.Tatoeba #4200954 by Guybrush88, translation #2856046 by Amastan
- Noi siamo felici di accogliervi qui oggi.We are happy to welcome you all here today.
- Noi tutti speriamo di raggiungere grandi traguardi insieme.All of us hope to achieve great milestones together.
- Noi andremo al cinema stasera, vieni anche tu?We are going to the movies tonight, will you come too?
- Oggi noi ragazzi andremo in spiaggia.Today we guys will go to the beach.
- 5309 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- SofiaCosa mangiamo stasera?What are we eating tonight?
- MatteoNoi potremmo ordinare una pizza.We could order a pizza.
- SofiaOttima idea, Matteo!Great idea, Matteo!
- MatteoAllora chiamo subito.I'll call right away then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “we” translations and entries noi, noialtri, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries noi, noialtri, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
