Meaning & use
nonna
Last updated
UK/ˈnɒn.ə/
US/ˈnɑː.nə/
Meaning
nouncountable
A grandmother, especially an Italian one, used as an affectionate name.
Grammar: Can be used as a title without article: Nonna is cooking.
Patterns
- my nonna
- Nonna's recipe
My nonna makes fresh pasta every Sunday.
We visit Nonna in the village every summer.
The restaurant serves dishes from Nonna's old cookbook.
Word forms
| plural | nonnas |
|---|
Common combinations
- my nonna
- My nonna taught me how to cook.
- Nonna's recipe
- The sauce is made from Nonna's recipe.
- visit nonna
- We visit nonna every holiday.
- nonna's kitchen
- The smell of nonna's kitchen filled the house.
Synonyms and how they differ
- grandma
- Grandma is the general English word, while nonna suggests an Italian family background.
- granny
- Granny is a warm informal word, but it does not carry the Italian flavor of nonna.
- grandmother
- Grandmother is the neutral, formal word for the same relation.
Opposites
nonno
Word family
- nonno noun
- Italian word for grandfather
- nonne noun
- Italian plural for grandmothers
Commonly confused: nonna or nana?
nonna vs nana
Nana is another English word for grandmother, but it is not Italian.
Practice
What does 'nonna' mean?
Choose one answer.
Nonna is Italian for grandmother. An aunt is a different relative, and a cook is a job.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nonna”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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