Italian · Emotions & Descriptions
"Polite" in Italian: educato/a
educato/a
Polite in Italian is educato (eh-doo-KAH-toh) for masculine and educata for feminine. It means well-mannered, not only school-educated.
About a child
Che bambino educato: ha detto sempre grazie.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce educato/a
Say it
eh-doo-KAH-toh
/eduˈka.to/
Educato stresses KAH: eh-doo-KAH-toh. Feminine educata is eh-doo-KAH-tah.
"Polite" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| educato | polite (m.) Masculine singular. | Masculine singular. |
| educata | polite (f.) Feminine singular. | Feminine singular. |
| essere educato | to be polite Character description. | Character description. |
| poco educato | rude / not polite Soft criticism. | Soft criticism. |
How to use educato/a in real life
- 1About a child
Che bambino educato: ha detto sempre grazie.
What a polite child: he always said thank you.
Educato masculine.
- 2Workplace
È stata molto educata nella mail di reclamo.
She was very polite in the complaint email.
Educata feminine.
- 3Advice
Sii educato con i vicini, anche se fai rumore.
Be polite with the neighbors, even if you're noisy.
Sii educato as guidance.
Mistakes English speakers make with educato/a
Incorrect: Lei è educato.
Correct: Lei è educata.
Agree gender: educata.
Incorrect: Sei molto polite.
Correct: Sei molto educato/a.
Use educato/a; polite English doesn't work.
Good to know
Educato is manners-first. If you mean formally schooled, Italians often say istruito or specify scuola. Please/thank-you still carry huge weight.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Praising how someone handled a waiter mix-up
ChatPal
Sei stato davvero educato con il cameriere.
You were really polite with the waiter.
You
Meglio essere educato: non era colpa sua.
Better to be polite: it wasn't his fault.
ChatPal
Esatto. Una risposta educata risolve di più.
Exactly. A polite reply solves more.
You
Poi il conto è arrivato giusto.
Then the bill came out right.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Polite" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Polite" in Italian
Does educato mean educated?
It can, but everyday praise usually means polite/well-mannered.
Gender forms?
Educato / educata / educati / educate.
How do I say don't be rude?
Non essere maleducato / sii educato.
Is cortese the same?
Cortese is courteous; educato is the broader manners word.
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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