Megumi@Ibaraki
"Ms." in italiano? How do you address a woman in writing when you don't know whether she is married or not. For example, if you write a business letter in Italian to a female employee of another company. Which do you use signora or signorina?
Mar 13, 2016 11:41 AM
Answers · 5
2
Signora. The short form is Sig.ra. In Italian there is no difference between married and not married. It is always signora. Although signorina refers to an unmarried woman, it is considered somehow informal no matter what.
March 13, 2016
Keep in mind that if she has a degree, and you'll know by the business card or her letterhead, you'll have to go with the 'Dr.ssa (dottoressa)", or whatever specific title she might have.
March 13, 2016
The word "signorina" is still in use: even though if you don't know the woman you'll probably address her as "signora" some people nowdays will still call a very young woman "signorina", since they assume that a girl of 18 o 20 years is not married yet. On the contrary, even though a woman of 50 or more may still be unmarried, we find somewhat ridiculus to address an old woman this way unless of course we know her very well. Sometimes I hear people ask, when they are about to address a woman "signora o signorina?" if they want to be sure to avoid any blunder. Of course, there may be women who don't like this kind of distinguish, but definitely the word is still used, although less than in the past. Here's what say the "Treccani dictonary" signorina s. f. [dim. di signora]. – 1. Titolo di cortesia e di rispetto con cui ci si rivolge o ci si riferisce a donna giovane non sposata, premesso al cognome (la s. Rossi) o con più familiarità, al nome (la s. Claudia). Anche assol.: buon giorno, signorina; si accomodi, signorina; spesso scherz., parlando a bambine: vogliamo smettere, signorina, di fare i capricci? Ha in genere usi analoghi a quelli di signora, come, per es., in indirizzi di lettere o di altre missive (in tal caso per lo più nell’abbreviazione sig.na): Alla sig.na Claudia Bianchi. Scherz. s. buonasera, annunciatrice televisiva.
March 13, 2016
the term "signorina" was abolisched 20 years ago with law... femminist reason...
March 13, 2016
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!