Italian · Body & Health

"Kidney" in Italian: rene

il rene

Say it: ee-REH-nehmasculine · il renenoun/ˈrɛ.ne/

Kidney in Italian is il rene (ee-REH-neh), plural i reni. It is the medical and everyday word for the organ.

At the doctor

Mi fa male il rene sinistro.
My left kidney hurts.
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How to pronounce rene

Say it

ee-REH-neh

/ˈrɛ.ne/

Rene stresses REH: ee-REH-neh. Plural reni is REH-nee.

"Kidney" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
il renethe kidney

One kidney as an organ.

i renithe kidneys

Both kidneys.

dolore ai renikidney pain / lower back kidney area

Common complaint phrasing.

calcoli renalikidney stones

Medical talk.

How to use rene in real life

  1. 1At the doctor

    Mi fa male il rene sinistro.

    My left kidney hurts.

    Il rene with side adjective.

  2. 2Lab results

    I valori del rene sono nella norma.

    The kidney values are normal.

    Del rene in medical Italian.

  3. 3Explaining anatomy

    Abbiamo due reni, uno per lato.

    We have two kidneys, one on each side.

    Plural reni.

Mistakes English speakers make with rene

Incorrect: La rene.

Correct: Il rene.

Rene is masculine.

Incorrect: I reni stones.

Correct: I calcoli renali.

Say calcoli renali, not a mix with English stones.

Good to know

Italians often say mal di schiena for back pain, but when they mean the kidney area they say ai reni. Pharmacies and family doctors use rene freely; it does not sound overly clinical in everyday speech.

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After a checkup

  1. ChatPal

    Il medico ha controllato il rene?

    Did the doctor check the kidney?

  2. You

    Sì. Ha detto che il rene destro sta bene.

    Yes. He said the right kidney is fine.

  3. ChatPal

    Bene. Bevi tanta acqua per i reni.

    Good. Drink lots of water for the kidneys.

  4. You

    Lo farò. Non voglio problemi al rene.

    I will. I don't want kidney problems.

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"Kidney" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Kidney" in Italian

Is rene masculine?

Yes: il rene, i reni.

How do I say kidney pain?

Dolore al rene or mi fanno male i reni.

What about kidney beans?

Those are fagioli; rene is only the organ.

Is there a more formal word?

Rene is already the standard medical term.

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