Italian · Emotions & Descriptions

"Lonely" in Italian: solo/a

solo/a

Say it: SOH-lohadjective/ˈso.lo/

Lonely in Italian is often solo for a man and sola for a woman (SOH-loh / SOH-lah). Mi sento solo can mean lonely; sono solo can also mean I am alone or by myself.

After moving cities

I primi mesi mi sentivo solo.
The first months I felt lonely.
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How to pronounce solo/a

Say it

SOH-loh

/ˈso.lo/

Solo is SOH-loh. Sola is SOH-lah. Stress the first syllable.

"Lonely" in Italian: quick reference

ItalianEnglish
sololonely / alone (masculine)

Describing a man or boy.

solalonely / alone (feminine)

Describing a woman or girl.

mi sento solo/aI feel lonely

Emotional loneliness.

da solo / da solaby myself

Doing something without company.

How to use solo/a in real life

  1. 1After moving cities

    I primi mesi mi sentivo solo.

    The first months I felt lonely.

    Mi sentivo solo for loneliness.

  2. 2Weekend alone

    Stasera resto sola a casa.

    Tonight I'm staying home alone.

    Sola matches feminine speaker.

  3. 3Checking on a friend

    Non stare solo tutto il giorno.

    Don't stay lonely all day.

    Solo as predicate.

Mistakes English speakers make with solo/a

Incorrect: Mi sento lonely.

Correct: Mi sento solo / mi sento sola.

Use solo/sola, not English lonely.

Incorrect: Sono sola (said by a man).

Correct: Sono solo.

Match gender ending.

Good to know

Solo covers alone and lonely, so tone matters. Mi sento solo signals emotion; vado da solo is practical independence, not sadness.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

A friend notices a quiet week

  1. ChatPal

    Ti senti solo in questi giorni?

    Do you feel lonely these days?

  2. You

    Un po'. La sera sono solo in appartamento.

    A bit. In the evening I'm alone in the apartment.

  3. ChatPal

    Allora esci con noi: non restare solo.

    Then go out with us: don't stay lonely.

  4. You

    Grazie. Da solo mi annoio troppo.

    Thanks. By myself I get too bored.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Lonely" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Lonely" in Italian

Solo or sola?

Solo masculine, sola feminine; match the person.

How do I say I feel lonely?

Mi sento solo or mi sento sola.

Does solo also mean only?

Yes—solo can mean only as an adverb: solo questo.

What about da solo?

By myself / on my own, not necessarily lonely.

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