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Italian Phrase

Sono il/la più giovane della famiglia.

/ˈso.no il ˈpju ˈdʒo.ve.ne ˈdel.la faˈmi.ʎa/ (masc.) /ˈso.no la ˈpju ˈdʒo.ve.ne ˈdel.la faˈmi.ʎa/ (fem.)
Meaning"I am the youngest in the family."
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Meaning

I am the youngest member of the family. The sentence uses the relative superlative ‘più giovane’ to compare the speaker’s age with that of other relatives, and the article ‘il’ or ‘la’ must match the speaker’s gender.

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When to use

Use this phrase when introducing yourself in a family context, answering questions about age hierarchy, or describing your position among siblings and cousins.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Sonoil/lapiùgiovanedellafamiglia

1

Verb essere (present)

‘Sono’ is the first‑person singular present of ‘essere’, used for identity statements.

2

Definite article agreement

Use ‘il’ for masculine speakers and ‘la’ for feminine speakers; the article must agree with the speaker’s gender.

3

Superlative with ‘più’

Italian forms the relative superlative by placing ‘più’ before the adjective (e.g., ‘più giovane’ = ‘youngest’).

4

Preposition ‘di’ + article → ‘della’

‘della’ is the contraction of ‘di’ + ‘la’, meaning ‘of the’. It links the adjective phrase to the noun ‘famiglia’.

🗨In Conversation

A

Chi è il più giovane della tua famiglia?

Who is the youngest in your family?

Sono io, sono il più giovane della famiglia.

It’s me, I’m the youngest in the family.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Sono il più più giovane della famiglia.

    Do not double the comparative ‘più’; one ‘più’ is enough for the superlative.

  • Sono il più giovane di famiglia.

    The article is required; ‘di famiglia’ is incomplete.

  • Sono il più giovane della famiglia. (said by a woman)

    If the speaker is female, the article must be ‘la’.

↔Alternatives

  • Sono il più piccolo della famiglia.

    I am the smallest/youngest in the family.

  • Sono la più giovane della famiglia.

    I am the youngest (female) in the family.

  • Sono il più giovane dei miei fratelli.

    I am the youngest of my siblings.

it

Cultural Tip

In many Italian families, age determines respect and roles, so stating that you are ‘il più giovane’ can affect how you’re addressed. The superlative is often used in casual conversation, but in formal settings you might hear ‘il più giovane dei miei parenti’ for added politeness.