nostri
Wordform Details
Translation: ourours
Part of Speech: possessive adjective
Inflection Type:
masculinepluralIs Dictionary Form: No
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: nostro
Translation: our; ours (possessive adjective)
Etymology: From Latin 'noster' (our), derived from the first-person plural pronoun 'nos' (we). It shares the same Indo-European root as English 'us' and is cognate with Spanish 'nuestro', French 'notre', and Portuguese 'nosso'. The Latin 'noster' was used in similar possessive contexts as modern Italian 'nostro'.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'nos' as related to English 'us' - 'nostro' means 'belonging to us'
- Remember the phrase 'Cosa Nostra' (literally 'our thing'), which became famous as a term for the Sicilian Mafia
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Italian culture, the concept of 'nostro' often extends beyond simple possession to convey a sense of shared identity, especially in phrases like 'la nostra cultura' (our culture) or 'il nostro paese' (our country). It can carry emotional weight when referring to family ('la nostra famiglia') or traditions.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Nostro' means 'our/ours' (belonging to us), while 'vostro' means 'your/yours' (belonging to you, plural). They are both possessive adjectives but refer to different persons.
This word:
Questo è il nostro libro.
This is our book.
Confused word:
Questo è il vostro libro.
This is your book.
Notes: Both 'nostro' and 'vostro' change form to agree with the gender and number of the noun they modify: nostro/nostra/nostri/nostre and vostro/vostra/vostri/vostre.
Mnemonic: 'Nostro' starts with 'n' like 'noi' (we), while 'vostro' starts with 'v' like 'voi' (you plural).
Explanation: 'Nostro' indicates possession by a group ('our'), while 'mio' indicates possession by just one person ('my').
Confused word:
Questa è la mia opinione.
This is my opinion.
Notes: Both are possessive adjectives that must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
Mnemonic: 'Nostro' contains more letters than 'mio', representing more people involved in the possession.