11 Formal and Slang Methods To Check with Pals in Italian

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In Italy, friendship and love are two sides of the identical coin. Italians deeply worth human connection, which reveals within the language. In truth, amico (buddy) stems from the Latin phrase “amicus,” which in flip comes from the Latin “amor,” which means “love.”

Whereas amico is a well known phrase for “buddy” in Italian, it refers to male buddies solely. Italian phrases change in line with gender and quantity, so there are a couple of extra phrases to bear in mind as you discuss friendship. There’s additionally a variety of regional variations and slang for buddies in Italian which can be simply as necessary to know. Let’s discover these stunning Italian phrases collectively!

Amico/amica

To say “buddy” in Italian, the fitting phrases are amico (male buddy) and amica (feminine buddy).

• L’amico di Marco è molto simpatico. = Marco’s buddy could be very good.
• La donna incontra l’amica al ristorante. = The lady is assembly her buddy on the restaurant.
  

If you wish to say “my buddy” in Italian, add the possessive adjectives between the article and the phrase “buddy”:

• Questo è il mio amico. = That is my buddy. 
  
• Questa è la mia amica. = That is my buddy. 
  

Plural types of ‘buddies’ in Italian

When referring to a couple of buddy, the plural types are gli amici (male buddies or a mixed-gender group) and le amiche (feminine buddies).

• Il ragazzo nuota con gli amici. = The boy is swimming along with his buddies.
  
• Incontrano le amiche al museo. = They’re assembly their buddies on the museum. 
  

With the Italian possessive adjectives:

• Conosci i miei amici? = Have you ever met my buddies?
  
• Amo passare del tempo con le mie amiche. = I take pleasure in spending time with my buddies. 
  

Migliore amico/amica

Whereas it’d sound like one thing youngsters say, if you wish to make a buddy really feel particular, nothing beats saying:

• Sei il mio migliore amico/Sei la mia migliore amica. = You’re my greatest buddy. (m/f)

In Italy, referring to somebody or introducing them as your greatest buddy is sort of widespread, even amongst adults.

Amichetto/amichetta

Amichetto/amichetta (little buddy) are diminutives used to check with younger youngsters’s buddies in Italian.

• Mio figlio gioca con i suoi amichetti dell’asilo. = My son performs along with his little buddies from preschool.

Nonetheless, when used for adults, the tone shifts and it may possibly carry a adverse or ironic which means, usually referring to an off-the-cuff fling or somebody concerned in an affair.

Amicone

Amicone (huge buddy) is a buddy with a heat or beneficiant persona. Nonetheless, it may possibly additionally refer negatively to somebody overly pleasant or appearing like a buddy.

• Fa tanto l’amicone, invece… = He acts like a huge buddy, however…

How do you say ‘buddy’ in Italian slang?

Italian slang has all the time performed a key function in how Italians check with their buddies. Listed below are a couple of extra methods Italians discuss or deal with their buddies, plus some regional variations.

Raga

The slang phrase raga is brief for ragazzi/ragazze (boys/women). You should utilize raga when straight addressing a bunch of buddies. In any other case, when speaking about your folks, keep on with ragazzi/ragazze.

• Ciao raga! = Hey buddies!
• Esco con i ragazzi. = I’m going out with my buddies.

These three phrases imply “buddies” in Italian solely within the plural kind. In singular, il mio ragazzo/la mia ragazza is slang for “my boyfriend”/“my girlfriend.”

Bro and fra

Similar to in English, teenagers and younger Italians have adopted phrases like bro or fra, quick for fratello (brother) in its place of buddy. Much less widespread, however nonetheless a part of slang is sore (sis).

• Grande, fra! = Superior, bro!

Zio/zia

Two extra Italian nouns for members of the family have taken on a slang which means: zio/zia. They imply “uncle”/“aunt”; however in slang, they’re a technique to deal with a buddy.

• Oh, zio, che combini? = Dude, what are you as much as?

Socio/socia

Actually which means “enterprise associate,” socio/socia is slang for an in depth buddy, like saying your “buddy” or “associate in crime.”

• Vado con il socio alla festa. = I am going to the celebration with my buddy.

Examine/cumpà

In fact, we will’t overlook to say the affect of Italian dialects. Examine is a well-liked phrase to name buddies in Central and Southern Italy. It loosely interprets to “comrade” in English.

You would possibly hear it in several types relying on the area, like examine, compà, cumpà, ‘mpare, or ‘mbare.

• Ué, compà! Come stai? = Hey bro! How are you?

Paisano/paisà

The phrase “paisan” crossed the ocean due to the Italian-American group. This time period comes from paisano, which suggests “fellow countryman” or “somebody from the identical village” in Southern Italian dialects.

It unfold in the course of the liberation of Italy in World Warfare II, as Italian-American troopers used it to check with Italian civilians and allied troopers. Its reputation can be partly as a consequence of Roberto Rossellini’s 1946 movie Paisà, which helped carry the phrase into mainstream use.

As we speak, you possibly can nonetheless hear it as paisà or paesà in South Italy when folks bump right into a buddy from the identical space, like a neighbor throughout a passeggiata (stroll).

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