Mia madre lavora a Roma, mio padre è a casa e i miei fratelli studiano.My mother works in Rome, my father is at home and my brothers study.
With most possessives, Italian keeps the article (il mio libro, la mia casa). With a singular family noun, the article usually drops: mia madre, tuo fratello, nostra zia. In the plural and in a few other cases, the article comes back.
Quick shortcut: singular family noun + mio / tuo / suo / nostro / vostro → no article (mio padre, sua sorella). Keep the article for the plural (i miei fratelli), for loro (il loro padre) and when the noun is changed or described (il mio fratellino, il mio cugino americano).
The usual case: no article
With a singular family noun, the article is left out:
| Family noun | Example |
|---|---|
| madre (mother) | mia madre |
| padre (father) | tuo padre |
| fratello (brother) | suo fratello |
| sorella (sister) | nostra sorella |
| figlio / figlia (son / daughter) | vostro figlio, mia figlia |
| marito / moglie (husband / wife) | mio marito, mia moglie |
| nonno / nonna (grandfather / grandmother) | mio nonno, tua nonna |
| zio / zia (uncle / aunt) | nostro zio, vostra zia |
| cugino / cugina (cousin) | suo cugino, mia cugina |
| nipote (nephew, niece, grandchild) | mio nipote |
- Mia madre è insegnante. (My mother is a teacher.)
- Tuo fratello abita qui? (Does your brother live here?)
- Mio nonno ha ottant'anni. (My grandfather is eighty.)
When the article comes back
- Plural: i miei fratelli, le tue sorelle, i suoi cugini, i nostri genitori.
- With loro: il loro padre, la loro madre, il loro figlio, even in the singular.
- With a diminutive or a pet form: il mio fratellino (my little brother), la mia sorellina. For mamma and papà, both forms are heard: mia mamma and la mia mamma, mio papà and il mio papà.
- With an adjective or other description: il mio cugino americano, la mia cara nonna. A name after the noun doesn't bring it back: mia sorella Anna.
- Comparative-type adjectives: mia sorella maggiore (my older sister) and mio fratello minore (my younger brother) normally stay without the article.
Who does suo belong to?
Suo / sua works as in Possessive adjectives: it agrees with the family member, not with the owner. Suo fratello can be "his brother", "her brother" or, in formal address to someone you call Lei, "your brother", and context says which.
Common mistakes
- ❌ miei fratelli → ✅ i miei fratelli (the plural needs the article)
- ❌ loro madre → ✅ la loro madre (loro keeps the article)
- ❌ mio fratellino → ✅ il mio fratellino (a diminutive needs the article)
- ❌ mio cugino americano → ✅ il mio cugino americano (an adjective brings the article back)
Quick check
Does the gap need an article? Write the article, or – if none is needed.
- ____ mio fratello
- ____ mie sorelle
- ____ nostra zia
- ____ loro padre
- ____ tuo fratellino
- ____ suo cugino americano
- ____ miei genitori
- ____ suo marito
Show answers
- – 2. le 3. – 4. il 5. il 6. il 7. i 8. –
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Key takeaways
- A singular family noun with mio, tuo, suo, nostro, vostro normally has no article: mia madre, tuo padre, nostra zia.
- The article stays in the plural (i miei fratelli) and with loro (il loro padre).
- It also comes back with a diminutive (il mio fratellino) or an adjective (il mio cugino americano).
- For mamma and papà, both mia mamma and la mia mamma are heard.
- Suo agrees with the family member, not with the owner.
