How to Talk About Your Nationality

Learn how to talk about your nationality

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Italian by ItalianPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to talk about your nationality in Italian.

For example, "I'm American" is

Sono americana.

Two passengers, Emily Erba and Paolo Parisi , are seated next to each other as passengers on a plane to Italy.

Before you hear their conversation, let’s preview some of its key components.

americana

"American"

americana

Listen to the conversation, and focus on Emily’s response.

Sei americana?

Sì, sono americana.

Once more with the English translation.

Sei americana?

"Are you American?"

Sì, sono americana.

"Yes, I'm American."

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.

Do you remember how Paolo Parisi asks,

"Are you American?"

Sei americana?

First is sei, "you are." Sei. Sei.

Note: sei is a shortened form of tu sei. In Italian, tu, "you," can be omitted when it is understood from context.

Sei is from the verb essere, meaning "to be." Essere.

After this is americana, "American." Americana. Americana.

Note: americana is feminine.

Paolo Parisi uses a feminine adjective, americana, to refer to Emily Erba.

If Paolo Parisi was referring to a male, he would use the masculine adjective, americano, to refer to him. As in Sei americano? "Are you American?" Sei americano?

All together, Sei americana?, "Are you American?"

Sei americana?

Let's take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Emily Erba says,

"Yes, I'm American."

Sì, sono americana.

This starts with the expression, sì, meaning "yes." Sì. Sì.

It answers Paolo's yes-or-no question, "Are you American?"

Sei americana?

Next is sono. "I am." Sono. Sono.

Note: in this sentence, sono is a shortened form of io sono, "I am." In Italian, io, "I," is usually omitted, as it's understood from context.

Sono is from the verb essere, meaning "to be." Essere.

After this is americana, "American." Americana.

All together, Sì, sono americana. "Yes, I'm American."

Sì, sono americana.

The pattern is

Sono NATIONALITY.

I'm NATIONALITY.

Sono NATIONALITY.

Simply replace the {nationality} placeholder with your nationality.

Note: This pattern requires an adjective, and its gender will depend on the gender of the speaker.

Imagine you're Paolo Parisi, and you're Italian. The word for an "Italian" man is italiano. Italiano. Italiano.

Say

"I'm Italian."

Ready?

Sono italiano.

"I'm Italian."

Sono italiano.

In the conversation, the response to the yes-no question was "yes."

In case the answer was "no," the corresponding Italian response would be no, meaning, "no." No. No.

For example, if Emily Erba was asked

Sei italiana?

"Are you Italian?"

She could have answered

No, sono americana.

"No, I'm American."

Remember this pattern. You’ll need it for the practice section.

Again, the key pattern is

Sono NATIONALITY.

I'm NATIONALITY.

Sono NATIONALITY.

Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Sono americana.

"I'm American."

Sono americana.

Sono italiano.

"I'm Italian."

Sono italiano.

Sono australiana.

"I'm Australian."

Sono australiana.

Sono inglese.

"I'm British."

Sono inglese.

Non sono giapponese, sono cinese.

"I'm not Japanese. I'm Chinese."

Non sono giapponese, sono cinese.

Did you notice how the last speaker uses a different pattern?

Non sono giapponese, sono cinese.

"I'm not Japanese. I'm Chinese."

First is non, "not." Non. Non.

Next is sono. "I am." Sono.

Together, it's non sono, literally "not I am," but it translates as "I'm not." Non sono.

Next is giapponese. "Japanese." Giapponese. Giapponese.

Note: giapponese ends in -e, and it can refer to either a female or a male.

All together, Non sono giapponese. "I'm not Japanese." Non sono giapponese.

Jing Liu then states her actual nationality. Sono cinese. "I'm Chinese." Sono cinese.

First, sono "I am." Sono.

Next is cinese, "Chinese." Cinese. Cinese.

Note: cinese ends in -e and can refer to either a female or a male.

Together, Sono cinese. "I'm Chinese." Sono cinese.

All together, Non sono giapponese, sono cinese. "I'm not Japanese. I'm Chinese."

Non sono giapponese, sono cinese.

The pattern is:

Non sono {NATIONALITY}, sono {ACTUAL NATIONALITY}.

"I'm not {NATIONALITY}. I'm {ACTUAL NATIONALITY}"

This can be shortened to

No, sono cinese. “No, I'm Chinese. No, sono cinese.

The pattern is:

No, sono {ACTUAL NATIONALITY}.

No, I'm {ACTUAL NATIONALITY}

Remember this shortened pattern. You’ll need it for the practice section.

Let’s review the key vocabulary.

In Italian, adjectives of nationality can change based on gender. In these cases, we provide the masculine word for the nationality followed by the feminine one.

"Italian."

Italiano. Italiano.

Italiana. Italiana.

"American."

Americano. Americano.

Americana. Americana.

"Australian."

Australiano. Australiano.

Australiana. Australiana.

Inglese. "British." Inglese. Inglese.

Note in Italian this word in a strict sense means "English," but it's widely used to mean "British," and it can be applied to either males and females.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after me, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember how to say "yes?"

Sì.

And the word for an "American" woman?

Americana.

Do you remember how Emily Erba says,

"Yes, I'm American?"

Sì, sono americana.

Do you remember how Paolo Parisi asks,

"Are you American?"

Sei americana?

Do you remember the word for a British man?

Inglese.

And the word for an Australian woman?

Australiana.

Do you remember the word for an American woman?

Americana.

And how to say "no?"

No.

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Isabella Russo , and you're American, or americana in Italian.

Respond to the question.

Ready?

Sei americana?

Sì, sono americana.

Listen again and repeat.

Sì, sono americana.

Let's try another.

Imagine you're Mia Martin , a student from Australia. "Australian" is australiana in Italian. Pay attention to the nationality in the question.

Ready?

Sei inglese?

No, sono australiana.

Listen again and repeat.

No, sono australiana.

Let's try one more.

Imagine you're Jack Jones , and you're British, or inglese in Italian.

Ready?

Sei inglese?

Sì, sono inglese.

Listen again and repeat.

Sì, sono inglese.

In Italian nationality adjectives are always written with a lowercase letter.

In this lesson, you learned how to talk about your nationality in Italian. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of introducing yourself. Let’s review.

Do you remember how Emily Erba says,

"I'm Emily Erba."

Sono Emily Erba.

And do you remember how Emily Erba says

"Nice to meet you. I’m Emily Erba."

Piacere, sono Emily Erba.

And how to say "from?"

Di.

Do you remember how Emily says,

"I am from Miami."

Sono di Miami.

Do you remember the formal way to say

"Where are you?"

Dov’è?

And do you remember how Paolo Parisi asks,

"Where are you from?"

Di dov'è?

Imagine you're Jack Jones , from London, and you're British.

Do you remember how to pronounce "Jack Jones" in Italian?

Jack Jones

Respond to Paolo Parisi 's self-introduction and follow-up question…

Ready?

Buongiorno. Sono Paolo Parisi. Piacere.

Piacere. Sono Jack Jones.

Listen again, and repeat.

Piacere. Sono Jack Jones.

Do you remember how to say "London" in Italian?

Londra

Now respond that you’re from London.

Di dov'è?

Sono di Londra.

Listen again and repeat.

Sono di Londra.

And do you remember how to say "British" in Italian?

inglese

Now respond that you’re British.

Ah! Sei inglese?

Sì, sono inglese.

Listen again and repeat.

Sì, sono inglese.

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