We all know how important family is in Italian society. Italian families tend to maintain strong bonds over generations, spending time together and caring for each other.
Let’s start with the pillars of an Italian family: i nonni!
Nonni – grandparents
Nonno – grandfather/grandpa
Nonna – grandmother/grandma
Then come the parents, i genitori, to whom children, i figli, tend to remain very close throughout their lives (taken to the extreme, this may produce i mammoni, mama’s boys).
Genitori – parents
Padre – father
Papà or Babbo – Dad
Madre – mother
Mamma – Mom/Mum
Figli – children
Figlio – son
Figlia – daughter
Fratello – brother
Sorella – sister
Other relatives include:
Zio – uncle
Zia – aunt
Cugino / Cugina – cousin
Nipote – nephew/niece/grandson/granddaughter; or, given Italians’ affection for diminutives, nipotino / nipotina
Marito – husband
Moglie – wife
Cognato – brother-in-law
Cognata – sister-in-law
Suocero – father-in-law
Suocera – mother-in-law
