Italian · People & Family
"Only child" in Italian: figlio unico / figlia unica
il figlio unico / la figlia unica
Only child in Italian is il figlio unico / la figlia unica. Sono figlio unico means I'm an only son; sono figlia unica for an only daughter. Either gender form counts.
Family intro
Marco è figlio unico e adora i cugini.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce figlio unico / figlia unica
Say it
eel FEEL-yoh OO-nee-koh / lah FEEL-yah OO-nee-kah
/il ˈfiʎ.ʎo ˈu.ni.ko/
Figlio: FEEL-yoh. Unico: OO-nee-koh. Figlia: FEEL-yah. Unica: OO-nee-kah. Stress FEEL and OO.
"Only child" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| il figlio unico | the only son / only child (m) Masculine form. | Masculine form. |
| la figlia unica | the only daughter / only child (f) Feminine form. | Feminine form. |
| sono figlio unico | I'm an only child (m) Self-description. | Self-description. |
| figli unici | only children (m pl.) General talk about the type. | General talk about the type. |
How to use figlio unico / figlia unica in real life
- 1Family intro
Marco è figlio unico e adora i cugini.
Marco is an only child and loves his cousins.
Figlio unico.
- 2School form
Ho una figlia unica in seconda elementare.
I have an only daughter in second grade.
Figlia unica.
- 3Self talk
Sono figlia unica: a casa c'era silenzio.
I'm an only child—there was quiet at home.
Sono figlia unica.
Mistakes English speakers make with figlio unico / figlia unica
Incorrect: Sono only child.
Correct: Sono figlio unico / sono figlia unica.
Use the Italian phrase with gender.
Incorrect: Lei è figlio unico.
Correct: Lei è figlia unica.
Feminine → figlia unica.
Good to know
Italians discuss figli unici without drama—cousins and friends often fill the sibling gap. Forms still ask about fratelli. Match gender carefully: figlio unico vs figlia unica.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Talking about siblings over coffee
ChatPal
Hai fratelli o sei figlio unico?
Do you have siblings or are you an only child?
You
Sono figlia unica—ma ho tanti cugini.
I'm an only child—but I have lots of cousins.
ChatPal
Anche mio cugino è figlio unico.
My cousin is an only child too.
You
Si capisce subito, eh?
You can tell right away, huh?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Only child" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Only child" in Italian
How do you say only child?
Il figlio unico / la figlia unica.
I'm an only child?
Sono figlio unico / sono figlia unica.
Which gender?
Match the person: figlio vs figlia, unico vs unica.
Plural idea?
Figli unici for only children in general.
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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