Italian · People & Family
"Father" in Italian: padre
il padre
Father in Italian is il padre (PAH-dreh), a masculine noun. At home people usually say papà. Padre is the neutral word for forms, news, and careful speech.
Talking about work
Mio padre lavora in banca.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce padre
Say it
PAH-dreh
/ˈpa.dre/
Padre is PAH-dreh with stress on PAH. Papà stresses the final syllable: pah-PAH, and the accent is written.
"Father" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| il padre | father Neutral or formal word. | Neutral or formal word. |
| il papà | dad Affectionate everyday word. | Affectionate everyday word. |
| mio padre | my father Common possessive pattern without the article. | Common possessive pattern without the article. |
| i padri | fathers Plural; also appears in set phrases. | Plural; also appears in set phrases. |
How to use padre in real life
- 1Talking about work
Mio padre lavora in banca.
My father works in a bank.
Mio padre is the natural spoken pattern.
- 2At the hospital desk
Il padre del paziente è in sala d'attesa.
The patient's father is in the waiting room.
Padre fits formal information.
- 3Sharing a memory
Da bambino giocavo a calcio con mio padre.
As a child I played football with my father.
A simple past habit with con mio padre.
Mistakes English speakers make with padre
Incorrect: La padre è alto.
Correct: Il padre è alto.
Padre is masculine: il padre.
Incorrect: Il mio padre è qui. (stiff for many speakers)
Correct: Mio padre è qui.
With close family words, drop the article after the possessive in everyday speech: mio padre.
Good to know
Padre is respectful and clear; papà is the emotional default at home. Father's Day is la Festa del Papà, again showing how the affectionate form lives in public Italian.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Waiting outside a school play
ChatPal
Lì c'è mio padre con i fiori.
There's my father with the flowers.
You
Che carino! Tuo padre viene sempre?
How sweet! Does your father always come?
ChatPal
Sì, mio padre non perde mai questi spettacoli.
Yes, my father never misses these shows.
You
Vorrei salutare tuo padre dopo lo spettacolo.
I'd like to say hi to your father after the show.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Father" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Father" in Italian
What is the difference between padre and papà?
Same person, different tone. Papà is warm and everyday; padre is neutral or formal.
How do I say my father?
Mio padre in everyday speech. Il mio padre is understandable but less typical with this family noun.
How is papà pronounced?
pah-PAH, with stress on the final a and a written accent: papà.
Is padre used on forms?
Yes. Official documents usually ask for padre, not papà.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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