Why Italians call Friends Fratello and Sorella?: Italian Slang

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Italian: "Fratello, hai bisogno di aiuto con i compiti?"
Italian: "Fratello, hai bisogno di aiuto con i compiti?"
Italian: "Fratello, hai bisogno di aiuto con i compiti?"
Published Oct 18, 2023
Updated Aug 22, 2024
Written by
Italian language tutor, course author. MEng, MBA. Member of the International Association of Hyperpolyglots (HYPIA). After learning 12 languages, I can tell you that we all master languages by listening and mimicking. I couldn’t find an app to recommend to my students, so I made my own one. With my method, you’ll be speaking Italian from Lesson 1.
Reviewed by
A linguist specializing in psycholinguistics and Italian language education. I hold a Research Master’s in Linguistics and teach Italian, passionately connecting research with practical teaching.

Key Takeaways

  • 'Fratello' means brother and symbolizes loyalty, making it a popular slang term for male friends in Italy.
  • 'Sorella' translates to sister, used affectionately to refer to close female friends.
  • Other terms like 'amico del cuore' and 'compagno di avventura' highlight emotional bonds and shared experiences in friendships.
  • Using these slang terms can enhance your connections and help you sound more like a local when speaking Italian.
  • Formal greetings like Ciao! or Salve! set a friendly tone before using more intimate terms.

Audio images

🔊
Italian: "Fratello, hai bisogno di aiuto con i compiti?"
🔊
Italian: La mia sorella del cuore vive lontano.
🔊
Italian: "Ciao, amico! Sei pronto per l'avventura?"

Main Article

Do you want to impress an Italian? Use the slang term “fratello” for friend! With this guide, you can learn how to sound like a local.

Slang terms for friendship in Italian

In Italian, there are several slang terms to express the concept of friendship. These colloquial phrases demonstrate the closeness between individuals. Here are three common slang terms for friendship in Italian:

  1. ‘Fratello’: Derived from the word ‘fratello’, meaning ‘brother’, this term symbolizes loyalty and support similar to a brotherly bond.
  2. ‘Amico del cuore’: Translating to ‘friend of the heart’, this phrase emphasizes the emotional connection and affection in a genuine friendship.
  3. ‘Compagno di avventura’: Meaning ‘adventure companion’, this expression portrays friendship as a shared journey of excitement and exploration.

These slang terms show the diverse ways Italians express their affinity for their friends. They emphasize emotional bonds, loyalty, and shared experiences in fostering true friendships.

To dive into Italian language and culture, it is essential to not only learn formal expressions but also understand how Italians refer to their friends with slang. By using these colloquial phrases, you can strengthen your connections with Italians.

Italian terms like ‘bro’ and ‘sis

  • Fratello: A casual, friendly way of addressing a male friend in Italian slang.
  • Sorella: A term for ‘sister’ used to refer to female friends or those close to you.

Let’s see some examples:

Italian: “Ciao, fratello! Come stai oggi?”

English: “Hey, bro! How are you today?”

Italian: “Sorella, sei la mia migliore amica.”

English: “Sis, you’re my best friend.”

Italian: “Io e mio fratello siamo molto uniti.”

English: “My brother and I are very close.”

Italian: “Sorella, non so cosa farei senza di te.”

English: “Sister, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Italian: “I ragazzi sono come fratelli per me.”

English: “Guys are like brothers to me.”

Italian: “Abbiamo attraversato così tante cose insieme, siamo come fratelli e sorelle.”

English: “We’ve been through so much together, we’re like brothers and sisters.”

Italian: “Ciao, sorellina! Ti presento il mio amico, Marco.”

English: “Hello, little sis! Let me introduce you to my friend, Marco.”

Italian: “Fratello, hai bisogno di aiuto con i compiti?”

English: “Bro, do you need help with your homework?”

Italian: “Sorella, mi manchi molto quando sei lontana.”

English: “Sis, I miss you a lot when you’re away.”

Italian: “Siamo come fratelli e sorelle, non c’è segreto che non possiamo condividere.”

English: “We’re like brothers and sisters, there’s no secret we can’t share.”

How to talk to your friends in Italian?

Choose the right formality for the relationship and remember slang terms can help convey familiarity and strengthen bonds.

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To express closeness, you can choose a couple of ways to greet your male friend.

1. Begin with a friendly greeting. “Ciao!” or “Salve!” are casual and common.
2. To refer to a friend neutrally, use “amico”, which means “friend”.
3. To show camaraderie, use “compagno”. This conveys a strong bond and means “buddy” or “mate”.
4. For an even deeper friendship, use “fratello”. This symbolizes loyalty and brotherhood.

 

Interested in learning Italian by repeating and mimicking. Try out Italian audio course for free.

Key Terms and Concepts

Words

fratellobrother
sorellasister
amicofriend
amicafriend (female)
compagnocompanion
cuoreheart
avventuraadventure
legamebond
condivisionesharing
esperienzaexperience

Phrases

fratellobrother
sorellasister
amico del cuorefriend of the heart
compagno di avventuraadventure companion
amicofriend
compagnobuddy
migliore amicobest friend
gemellotwin
fratellanzabrotherhood
sorellanzasisterhood

Sentences

Ciao, fratello! Come stai oggi?

Hey, bro! How are you today?

Sei come un fratello per me, amico mio.

You're like a brother to me, my friend.

Sorella, grazie per essere sempre al mio fianco.

Sis, thank you for always being by my side.

Tra amici veri, ci consideriamo fratelli e sorelle.

Among true friends, we consider each other brothers and sisters.

Quando ci vediamo, fratello? Mi manchi!

When are we meeting, bro? I miss you!

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