Italian · Emotions & Descriptions
"Poor" in Italian: povero/a
povero/a
Poor in Italian is povero (POH-veh-roh) masculine and povera feminine. Una famiglia povera is a poor family. Povero te! is sympathetic poor you!
After bad news
Povero te, che giornata.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce povero/a
Say it
POH-veh-roh
/ˈpɔ.ve.ro/
Povero: POH-veh-roh. Soft v. Povera is POH-veh-rah.
"Poor" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| povero / povera | poor (m/f) Money or sympathy. | Money or sympathy. |
| povero te | poor you Empathy. | Empathy. |
| una zona povera | a poor area Place. | Place. |
| essere povero | to be poor Financial state. | Financial state. |
How to use povero/a in real life
- 1After bad news
Povero te, che giornata.
Poor you, what a day.
Sympathy povero.
- 2History class
Era una famiglia povera ma unita.
It was a poor but united family.
Feminine povera.
- 3Budget chat
Questo mese mi sento un po' povero.
This month I feel a bit poor.
Light money sense.
Mistakes English speakers make with povero/a
Incorrect: Lei è povero.
Correct: Lei è povera.
Agree gender: povera.
Incorrect: Povero la macchina (broken car)
Correct: Povera macchina!
Match the noun: povera macchina.
Good to know
Povero te / poverina is everyday empathy more often than a census label. Calling a stranger povero about money can sound harsh; soften or talk about hard times instead. Tone decides whether povero is kind or cutting.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Comforting a friend after a flat tire
ChatPal
Povero te—la gomma è a terra.
Poor you—the tire is flat.
You
Eh, povera giornata davvero.
Yeah, a poor day for sure.
ChatPal
Chiamo il carro attrezzi.
I'll call the tow truck.
You
Grazie—mi sentivo già povero di tempo.
Thanks—I already felt poor on time.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Poor" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Poor" in Italian
Feminine?
Povera.
Poor you?
Povero te / poverina.
Poor family?
Una famiglia povera.
Only about money?
No—also sympathy.
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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