Italian Word of the Day: Genitore (parent)

Since becoming a genitore (parent), my life has been turned on its head. Tempo libero has become a distant dream, and every day is a whirlwind of activities and responsibilities. Yet, despite the challenges, the joy and fulfilment I find in watching my little boy grow and thrive make every moment worthwhile.

/ge·ni·tó·re/ – [dʒeniˈtore]
Italian word "genitore"

Genitore is a masculine noun that takes the following definite and indefinite articles. It remains masculine regardless of the gender of the parent in question.

  • il genitore = the parent
  • i genitori = the parents
  • un genitore = a parent
  • dei genitori = some parents

That being said, the feminine equivalent genitrice does exist, although it is often used in an ironic, joking or literary manner.

The word comes from the Latin genĭtor -oris, which is derived from gignĕre, meaning to beget. If you find it difficult to remember, think of the English word genital, which relates to the reproductive organs involved in becoming a parent, or the verb to generate.

Important!

Many beginners mistakenly assume that the Italian word for parent is parente, but this is actually a classic example of a false friend. In Italian, parente means relative or kin, not parent.


Couple playing with baby in park

If you want to say to be a parent, Italians also use the verb fare (to do) as an alternative to essere (to be) – fare il genitore.

An interesting quirk of Italian is that people often omit the word genitori when referring to their own parents or the parents of the person they are addressing or talking about. Instead, they simply say i miei (mine), i tuoi (yours) and i suoi (theirs). Of course, this shorthand only works when it’s clear whose parents are being discussed.

In bureaucratic language, genitore can also refer to a person who has parental responsibility for a minor, not necessarily just the biological mother or father.


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