Lesson 9.2: Describing Your Family – From Tall Uncles to Friendly Cousins 👨👩👧👦📏 #
It’s one thing to introduce your family, but it’s a whole other adventure to describe them. Italians love talking about their families—and they’re very descriptive. Whether your zio (uncle) is tall, your nonna (grandma) makes the best pasta, or your cugino (cousin) is always late, you’ll need the right words to paint the perfect family picture.
What You’ll Learn #
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:
- Use adjectives to describe family members’ appearances and personalities.
- Combine adjectives with family vocabulary to sound like you’ve been speaking Italian at family dinners for years.
- Avoid mixing up alto (tall) and vecchio (old)—unless you’re describing your uncle’s height and age!
Essential Vocabulary for Describing Family #
Let’s dive into some adjectives to help describe your family. Just remember: in Italian, adjectives need to match the gender and number of the noun!
| Italian Adjective | English Translation | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Alto/Alta | Tall | AHL-toh / AHL-tah |
| Basso/Bassa | Short | BAH-soh / BAH-sah |
| Vecchio/Vecchia | Old | VEH-kyo / VEH-kya |
| Giovane | Young | JOH-vah-neh |
| Simpatica/o | Friendly/Nice | Seem-PAH-tee-kah / Seem-PAH-tee-koh |
| Intelligente | Smart | Een-teh-lee-JEHN-teh |
| Divertente | Funny | Dee-vehr-TEN-teh |
| Gentile | Kind | Jen-TEE-leh |
| Paziente | Patient | Pahts-YEN-teh |
| Pigro/Pigra | Lazy | PEE-groh / PEE-grah |
| Rumoroso/Rumorosa | Noisy | Roo-moh-ROH-zoh / Roo-moh-ROH-zah |
Example Dialogue #
Scenario: Geoff and Viktor are chatting about their families.
- Geoff: Viktor, com’è la tua famiglia?
(Viktor, what’s your family like?) - Viktor: Mia sorella è molto simpatica e intelligente.
(My sister is very friendly and smart.) - Geoff: Bello! Mio zio, invece, è rumoroso… ma anche divertente!
(Nice! My uncle, on the other hand, is noisy… but also funny!) - Viktor: E tua nonna? (And your grandma?)
- Geoff: Oh, mia nonna è bassa, ma fa la pasta migliore del mondo!
(Oh, my grandma is short, but she makes the best pasta in the world!)
How to Use Adjectives Correctly #
1. Gender Agreement #
In Italian, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe.
- Mio fratello è alto. (My brother is tall.)
- Mia sorella è alta. (My sister is tall.)
2. Plural Forms #
When describing more than one family member, make sure to adjust the adjective accordingly.
- I miei cugini sono intelligenti. (My cousins are smart.)
- Le mie zie sono simpatiche. (My aunts are friendly.)
Practice Time #
-
Describe Your Family:
Write a few sentences describing your own family members. For example:- Mio padre è alto e intelligente. (My father is tall and smart.)
- Mia cugina è simpatica e divertente. (My cousin is friendly and funny.)
-
Fill in the Blanks:
Complete the sentences with the correct adjectives.- Mio fratello è molto ___. (My brother is very ___.)
- Le mie sorelle sono ___. (My sisters are ___. )
Quick Tips #
- Double Adjectives: When using more than one adjective, connect them with e (and).
- Mia madre è gentile e paziente. (My mother is kind and patient.)
- Don’t Overthink: Italians appreciate effort—even if you accidentally call your uncle divertente (funny) when he’s more pigro (lazy).
What’s Next? #
Now that you’ve mastered describing your family, let’s see how you do in the wild! Head over to Exercise 9.2: Family Descriptions – Tall, Short, and Everything in Between and practice using those adjectives like a pro.
✨ Bravissimo! Soon, you’ll be the master of family storytelling in Italian. Buona fortuna! 🎉