{"id":69960,"date":"2018-07-25T18:58:25","date_gmt":"2018-07-25T22:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/italian-terms-of-endearment\/"},"modified":"2025-01-26T09:05:09","modified_gmt":"2025-01-26T14:05:09","slug":"italian-terms-of-endearment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/italian\/italian-terms-of-endearment\/","title":{"rendered":"Italian Nicknames: 118 Terms of Endearment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Italians have some <strong>sweet terms of endearment<\/strong> to go along with all that romance. And it&#8217;s not just for lovers\u2014<strong>there are Italian nicknames for everyone.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I polled my Italian in-laws for advice on some of <strong>the best and most common Italian terms of endearment,<\/strong> and have come up with a list of 118 terms that they assure me will have anyone sounding as though they were born in Sicily!\\.<\/p>\n<p>[fluentu-toc skip=4]<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>Cute Pet Names for Kids<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/culturalatlas.sbs.com.au\/italian-culture\/italian-culture-family\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Italian family bonds<\/a> are generally very close. As a result, <strong>children benefit from lots of love and terms of endearment<\/strong> are lavished onto them, too. A few can even be used by people outside the family if they don&#8217;t know the child&#8217;s actual name.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Amoruccio<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Darling<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Angioletto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Angioletta<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Angel<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Bimbo<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Bimba<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Baby, Kiddo (Can be used by anyone.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Cocca di mamma<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Cocca di pap\u00e0<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Apple of Mother&#8217;s\/Father&#8217;s eye (Literally: &#8220;Mother&#8217;s\/Father&#8217;s pet,&#8221; but without the negative connotation of &#8220;teacher&#8217;s pet.&#8221;)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Cucciolo<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Cucciola<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Puppy, Baby<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Cuoricino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Cuoricina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Heart<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Fatina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Fairy<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Fiorellino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Fiorellina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Flower<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Gioia<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Joy (Can be used by anyone.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Micio<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Micia<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Kitten, Kitty<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Nuvolina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Cloud<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Peluche<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Teddy-bear (Literally: Plush, Soft Toy.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Piccino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Piccina<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little One<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pippi<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 A \u201cPippi Longstocking\u201d (Used for children who resemble the fictional character created by Astrid Lindgren.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Principe<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Principessa<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Prince\/Princess<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pupo<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Pupa<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Baby, Kiddo, Doll (Different regions use this one differently.)<br \/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Pupetto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Pupetta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Baby Doll (Literally: Puppet.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Stella<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Star (Can be used by anyone.)<br \/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Stellina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Star (Can be used by anyone.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Topolino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Topolina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Mouse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Of course, <strong>sometimes your child (or sibling) won&#8217;t be a perfect <em>angioletto\/a<\/em><\/strong>. You might sigh and shake your head, but let them know you still love them with a teasing endearment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Bestiolino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Bestiolina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Beast<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Birichino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Birichina<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Rascal<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Brontolone<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Brontolona<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Grumpy (Most often used when referring to adults or elderly people.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Cattivello<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Cattivella<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Trouble-maker<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Diavolino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Diavolina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Devil<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Furbetto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Furbetta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Naughty<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Furfante<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Scoundrel<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Monello<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Monella<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Urchin, Street Rat<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Mostro<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Monster (Can be used for any gender.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pazzo<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Pazza<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Crazy<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pestifero<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Pestifera<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Troublemaker<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Puffo<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Puffetta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Smurf\/Smurfette<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pulciosetto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Pulciosetta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Mangy (Literally: Little Flea-ridden One.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Puzzone<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Puzzona<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Stinker<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Rompiscatole<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Pain in the neck (Most often used when someone is truly annoying you.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Terms of Endearment for Friends<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to giving each other nicknames, friends often address each other informally in other ways. While Italian doesn&#8217;t have exact equivalents to English \u201cBro,\u201d \u201cMy Dude\u201d or \u201cMate,\u201d there are <strong>some terms that come close<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Amico<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Amica<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Friend<br \/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Migliore amico<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Best friend (Use when speaking about someone rather than to them.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Capo<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Boss, Chief (Slang. If you like mafia movies, you know this one already!)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Compagno di avventure<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Adventure companion (Someone who&#8217;s been with you through thick and thin; a bit like \u201cpartner in crime.\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Compare<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Comare<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Old Friend (This one&#8217;s a bit old-fashioned. It may also mean \u201cgodfather\/mother\u201d or \u201cbest man\/bridesmaid.\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Fratello<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Sorella<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Brother\/Sister\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Fratellino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Sorellina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Brother\/Sister<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Fratello d\u2019anima<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Sorella d\u2019anima<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Brother from another mother\/Sister from another mister (Literally: \u201cBrother\/sister in spirit.\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Gnocco<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Gnocca<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Handsome, Good-looking (A slang term you can use to compliment your close friends. If it reminds you of <em>gnocchi<\/em> [dumplings], you&#8217;re not wrong! It&#8217;s not uncommon for food words to be used as endearments.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Socio<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Socia<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Partner, Fellow<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Vecchio<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Vecchia<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Old Friend (Slang. Literally: Old Man\/Woman.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Zio<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Zia<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Dude\/Dudette (Slang. Literally: Uncle\/Aunt.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Terms of Endearment for Partners<\/h2>\n<p><strong>English speakers often say \u201cHoney,\u201d \u201cBabe\u201d or \u201cDear\u201d<\/strong> (to name just a few!) instead of calling their significant other by name, right?<\/p>\n<p>Well, Italians do that, too!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Amore mio<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 My love (The most classic Italian term of endearment. Used between couples, it&#8217;s a sign that they\u2019ve made a love match that they intend to keep.)<br \/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Amorino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Amorina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little love (As above, but cuter.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Anima gemella<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Soulmate (Literally: Twin soul. As a point of interest, there&#8217;s<strong> no male form<\/strong> of the noun<em> anima<\/em> [soul], so use <em>Anima gemella<\/em> to refer to either a male or a female.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Anima mia<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 My soul (A serious, from-the-heart, love-you-forever endearment.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Bellezza<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Beauty (Your girlfriend or wife will appreciate this one.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Bello<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Bella<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Handsome\/Beautiful (Can actually be used casually by anyone, but casual can become intimate depending on the players and setting.)\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Bellissimo<\/strong>  <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Bellissima<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 Most handsome\/Most beautiful (Use superlatives to make your special someone feel special!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Caro<\/strong>  <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Cara<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 Dear (Another one that can be used with friends or lovers.)\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Carino<\/strong>  <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Carina<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 Cutie, Pretty One (Even more casual than <em>Caro\/Cara<\/em>. May carry a slightly condescending tone.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Carissimo<\/strong>  <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Carissima<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 Dearest<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Cuore mio<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 My heart (Wildly romantic. If <em>il tuo ragazzo<\/em> [your boyfriend] has just become <em>il tuo fidanzato<\/em>\u00a0[<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/italian\/italian-wedding-phrases\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">your fianc\u00e9<\/a>], this might be a good choice for you to pull into the day-to-day!)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Dolce met\u00e0<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 Better half (Literally: Sweet half. You can say <em>la mia dolce met\u00e0<\/em> [my better half] when you speak about your wife, husband, partner, etc.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Dolcezza<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 Sweetheart, Honey (Literally: Sweetness. This one is a little old-fashioned, but still cute.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Fiore mio<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 My flower (Note: Although <em>fiore<\/em> is always masculine, a female partner will likely appreciate this endearment most.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>La mia perla<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 My pearl<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Luce dei miei occhi<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Light of my life<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Mio amato<\/strong>  <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Mia amata<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 My beloved<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Mio re<\/strong>  <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Mia regina<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 My king\/My queen (If your children are princes or princesses, naturally your partner is a king or queen!)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Polpetta<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 Meatball (An especially fun one that can be used for any gender\u2014yes, really! <em>Polpetto<\/em> can also be used, but it&#8217;s uncommon.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Raggio di sole<\/strong>\u00a0<\/em> \u2013 Ray of sunshine<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Splendore mio<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 My splendor<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Tesoro<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 Darling (Literally: Treasure. A classic that can be used for any family member.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Vita mia<\/strong> <\/em> \u2013 My life (Your significant other may melt if you lean in close and say, <em>\u201cSei la vita mia.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0It&#8217;s best saved for those important moments!)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Creative Nicknames for All<\/h2>\n<p>Many of the Italian endearments listed above can be used for anyone you know well, including friends, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/italian\/italian-family-words\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">family members<\/a> and partners. If none of them are perfect for your loved one, don&#8217;t worry: there are lots more where those came from!<\/p>\n<p><strong>It&#8217;s quite common for Italians to nickname someone after an animal or a food<\/strong>, even ones that might be rude in the wrong context, like <em>pulce <\/em> (flea) or <em>patata <\/em> (potato). <strong>You can also call someone after a trait<\/strong> of theirs that particularly stands out, for better or worse. What is a friend if not someone you can tease with no hard feelings, right?<\/p>\n<p>Here are some example Italian nicknames based on animals, foods and personal attributes.<\/p>\n<h3>Animal-based nicknames<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Anatroccolo<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Anatroccola<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Duckling<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Cerbiatto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Cerbiatta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Fawn<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Coccinella<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Ladybug<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Coniglietto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Coniglietta<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Bunny<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Farfallina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Butterfly<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Gattino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Gattina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Kitten, Kitty<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Leoncino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Leoncina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Lion<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Leprotto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Leprotta<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Young Buck, Young Hare (Note: Male hares and rabbits are called bucks. The more you know!)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Lumacone<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Slowpoke (Literally: Big Slug.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Lupacchiotto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Lupacchiotta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Wolf<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Maialino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Maialina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Pig, Piglet<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Orsacchiotto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Orsacchiotta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Big Bear<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Papera<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Duck (Only used for girls.)\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Paperotto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Paperotta<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Duck, Ducky<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Passerotto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Passerotta<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Sparrow<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pesciolino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Pesciolina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Fish<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pulcetta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Flea<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pulcino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Pulcina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Chick<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Scimmietto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Scimmietta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Monkey<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Scricciolino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Scricciolina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Wren<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Tartaruga<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Turtle (To refer to someone who\u2019s slow in doing something.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Tigre<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Tiger<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Food-based nicknames<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Biscottino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Biscottina<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Cookie<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Caramellina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Butterscotch<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Ciliegina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Cherry<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Cioccolatino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Cioccolatina<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Chocolate<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Cipollino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Cipollina<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Onion<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Fagiolino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Fagiolina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Bean<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Formaggino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Formaggina<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Cheese<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Fragolino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Fragolina<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Strawberry<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Gnocchetto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Gnocchetta<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Dumpling<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Pasticcino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Pasticcina<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Pastry<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Patatino<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Potato<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Salsicciotto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Salsicciotta<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Sausage<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Zucchetto<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Zucchetta<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Little Pumpkin<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Zucchina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Little Zucchini<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Attribute-based nicknames<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>Chiacchierone<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Chiacchierona<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Chatterbox<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Coccolone<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Coccolona<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Cuddlebug<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Dormiglione<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Dormigliona<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Sleepyhead<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Fortunello<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Fortunella<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Lucky<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Furbacchione<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Furbacchiona<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Sly person, Smart-aleck<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Giramondo<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Globetrotter<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Golosone<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Golosona<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Glutton (To refer to someone who loves eating sweets.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Mammone<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Mamma&#8217;s Boy (Unlike in English, this is not an insult in Italian. Remember, family relationships are very important.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Mangione<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Mangiona<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Big Eater (To refer to someone who simply loves eating.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Mattacchione<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Mattacchiona<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0\u2013 Joker<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Mitraglietta<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Machine-gun (To refer to someone who speaks very fast.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Sciocco<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Sciocca<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Fool, Silly (For example, you can say <em>\u201cnon fare lo sciocco\u201d<\/em> and it means \u201cdon\u2019t be silly.\u201d)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Tenerone<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Tenerona<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Big Softie (You can say to someone, <em>\u201csei un tenerone\u201d<\/em> when you want to tease them in a friendly way.)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Tontolino<\/strong> <strong>\/<\/strong> <strong>Tontolina<\/strong><\/em> \u2013 Dummy (As <em>sciocco<\/em> above.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>How to make an Italian nickname<\/h3>\n<p>There&#8217;s really no limit to the words you can use to make a nickname in Italian. It just takes a bit of creativity and the right tools!<\/p>\n<h4>Diminutives<\/h4>\n<p>A diminutive is a base word made \u201clittle.\u201d <strong>Does smaller equal cuter or more precious? Yes, sometimes it does!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Adding a diminutive suffix such as <em>-ina<\/em>\/<em>o<\/em> or <em>-etto\/a<\/em> is like waving a magic wand over whatever word it\u2019s attached to. Poof! An ordinary word becomes an endearment!<\/p>\n<h4>Augmentatives<\/h4>\n<p>An augmentative is the opposite of a diminutive: a base word made \u201cbig\u201d with a suffix such as <em>-one\/a<\/em> or <em>-acchione\/a<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Be careful, though:<\/strong> bigger in this case is not always better. Sometimes an augmentative word can become \u201cfat\u201d or change in meaning entirely.<\/p>\n<p>Use your imagination, follow your heart and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/italian\/italian-suffixes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">add a suffix to common nouns<\/a> to turn them into your own words of love! If you want to find more examples of the ways Italians add suffixes to words, you can look for Italian content to watch, like TV shows or movies. You can also find Italian videos on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/italian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the FluentU program<\/a> and hear these terms of endearment used in context.<\/p>\n<p><strong>FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n<p><\/p>\r\n<p>You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/fluentu-learn-language-videos\/id917892175\">the iOS app<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.fluentflix.fluentu&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=US\">Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p><i><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a><\/i>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/italian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n  <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/try-fluentu-for-free.jpg\" alt=\"FluentU Ad\" \/>\r\n  <p style=\"text-align: center\">\r\n    <button class=\"btn-blue\" style=\"border: none;font-size: 18px;text-align: center;padding: 0.75rem 1.5rem;cursor: pointer\">\r\n      Try FluentU for FREE!\r\n    <\/button>\r\n  <\/p>\r\n<\/a>\r\n\r\n\n<p>Remember to stay true to the word\u2019s gender when adding a suffix.<\/p>\n<h4>Attributes<\/h4>\n<p>Sometimes you don&#8217;t need a suffix to make a word into a nickname. You can just <strong>call someone after a stand-out trait or favorite hobby!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Is your brother always breaking lucky? Has your friend been around the world twice? Is your aunt a fast talker? Go ahead and give them a nickname based on that attribute.<\/p>\n<p>Just make sure you say it with love.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Because, really, <strong>love does make the world go around,<\/strong> doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n<p>Especially in the lover\u2019s paradise, Italy, where it\u2019s super easy to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/italian\/romantic-italian-phrases\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">make friends and find lovers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Take your new, loving vocabulary and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/italian\/italian-travel-phrases\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">explore The Boot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Go for the pizza and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mangiabenepasta.com\/cannoli.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the cannoli<\/a>. Enjoy the\u00a0history, art and music. <strong>Then, stay for the love!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>And One More Thing...<\/h2>\r\n<p>\r\nIf you're as busy as most of us, you don't always have time for lengthy language lessons. <strong><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> The solution? FluentU<\/a><\/strong>!\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nLearn Italian with funny commericals, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2554\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Italian-5.jpg\" alt=\"learn-italian-with-videos\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nFluentU helps you get comfortable with everyday Italian by combining all the benefits of complete immersion and native-level conversations with <strong>interactive subtitles<\/strong>. Tap on any word to instantly see an image, in-context definition, example sentences and other videos in which the word is used.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2755\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Italian-2.jpg\" alt=\"learn-italian-with-captioned-videos\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nAccess a complete interactive transcript of every video under the <strong>Dialogue<\/strong> tab, and review words and phrases with convenient audio clips under <strong>Vocab<\/strong>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2555\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Italian-6.jpg\" alt=\"learn-conversational-italian-with-subtitled-dialogue\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nOnce you've watched a video, you can use FluentU's <strong>quizzes<\/strong> to actively practice all the vocabulary in that video. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you\u2019re on.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2556\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Italian-7.jpg\" alt=\"practice-italian-with-adaptive-quizzes\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nFluentU will even keep track of all the Italian words you\u2019re learning, and give you extra practice with difficult words. Plus, it'll tell you exactly when it's time for review. Now that's a <strong>100% personalized experience<\/strong>!\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nThe best part? You can try FluentU for free with a trial.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Italians have some sweet terms of endearment to go along with all that romance. And it&#8217;s not just for lovers\u2014there are Italian nicknames for everyone. I polled my Italian in-laws&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":784,"featured_media":248445,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"Italian Nicknames: 118 Terms of Endearment | FluentU Italian Blog","description":"Use Italian nicknames or terms of endearment to show your love to all the special people in your life. Whether it's a child, family member, friend or lover, Italian has lots of nicknames, pet names, and endearments you can call them. Here are 118 of the best. Read to the end to learn how to make your own!"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[420,431],"tags":[],"coauthors":[294],"class_list":["post-69960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-italian","category-italian-vocab-and-grammar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/784"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69960"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69960\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":242295,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69960\/revisions\/242295"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/248445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69960"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=69960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}