sorella minore
/soˈrɛl.la miˈno.re/word by word
The Italian phrase for "younger sister" is sorella minore.
Meaning: Translations (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term sorella minore literally means "younger sister," where minore means "minor" or "lesser" in the context of age or importance.
Which one should you use?
To specify an "older sister," you use the adjective maggiore instead of minore, resulting in sorella maggiore.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing the plural "younger sisters," you must change both the noun and the adjective to their feminine plural forms: sorelle minori.
How do you pronounce it?
The phrase consists of 5 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable. The IPA is /soˈrɛl.la miˈno.re/.
Did you know?
- In historical Italian texts, the word sorella was often used as a respectful title for a nun, regardless of whether she was a biological sibling.
- The term minore is used in music to describe a 'minor' key, showing how the same word for 'lesser' or 'younger' applies to scales and harmonies.
- In many Italian families, instead of using the formal sorella minore, siblings often use the affectionate diminutive sorellina to refer to a younger sister.
Examples in context
- Ho una sorella minore.I have a younger sister.This sentence shows how to state that you have a younger sister.Tatoeba #6883320 by Guybrush88, translation #6666482 by CK
- È la sorella minore di Tom.She's Tom's younger sister.This sentence demonstrates how to identify someone as Tom's younger sister.Tatoeba #1523974 by Guybrush88, translation #1523979 by CK
- La mia sorella minore è famosa.My younger sister is famous.This sentence is useful for describing a famous younger sister.Tatoeba #2769878 by Guybrush88, translation #2769870 by CK
- sorellina mia, sei la mia migliore amicaMy little sister, you are my best friend
- lei è mia sorella minoreShe is my younger sister
- sorellina, ti voglio beneLittle sister, I love you
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Lorenzo are looking at old family photos.
- SofiaChi è questa bambina nella foto?Who is this little girl in the photo?
- LorenzoQuesta è mia sorella minore, Giulia.This is my younger sister, Giulia.
- SofiaChe carina! Quanti anni ha adesso?How cute! How old is she now?
- LorenzoMia sorella minore ha ormai dieci anni.My younger sister is already ten years old.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sorella, minore) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
