moglie
/ˈmoʎ.ʎe/feminine
The English word 'wife' is translated into Italian as moglie or sposa.
Meaning: female partner in a marriage (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| moglie | /ˈmoʎ.ʎe/ | feminine |
| sposa | /ˈspɔ.za/ | feminine |
Both words refer to a female partner in a marriage. While moglie is the standard way to say 'wife', the term sposa is used to mean 'bride' or can serve as a more formal term for 'spouse'.
Which one should you use?
moglie is the common, standard word for 'wife'. In contrast, sposa is used in formal or legal contexts to mean 'spouse' or it is used specifically to mean 'bride'.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both moglie and sposa are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmoʎ.ʎe/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When speaking affectionately to one's wife, a person might use the term Tesoro, which means 'treasure' or 'darling'.
Did you know?
- In certain highly formal or religious settings, calling a woman la sposa di Cristo is a common way to refer to a nun, meaning 'the bride of Christ'.
- The word moglie is derived from the Latin mulier, which originally meant 'woman' in a general sense before specializing to mean 'wife'.
- While moglie is the standard term, using la mia sposa in a modern conversation can sound intentionally archaic or like a line from an old opera.
Examples in context
- Chi è tua moglie?Who is your wife?Tatoeba #2206812 by Guybrush88, translation #2176398 by dafp
- Chi è sua moglie?Who's your wife?Tatoeba #2206813 by Guybrush88, translation #9471979 by CK
- Lei è mia moglie.She's my wife.Tatoeba #2238069 by Guybrush88, translation #1325177 by Scott
- Mia moglie è una donna meravigliosa.My wife is a wonderful woman.
- Il marito di Maria si chiama Luigi ed è molto affezionato alla moglie.Maria's husband is called Luigi and he is very attached to his wife.
- 1525 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo is introducing Martina to a colleague.
- MartinaLui è mio marito.He is my husband.
- MatteoPiacere di conoscerti, Martina.Nice to meet you, Martina.
- MartinaTua moglie è italiana?Is your wife Italian?
- MatteoSì, mia moglie è di Roma.Yes, my wife is from Rome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations and entries moglie, sposa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries moglie, sposa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
