School and University Vocabulary in Italian
Italian words for the school system, subjects, exams and university life, with phrases for students.
Whether you study in Italy or follow an Italian course, school vocabulary is essential.
The school system
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| nursery | l'asilo nido |
| primary school | la scuola elementare (also primaria) |
| lower secondary school | la scuola media |
| upper secondary school | la scuola superiore, il liceo |
| university | l'università |
| school | la scuola |
| class | la classe |
A liceo is an academic upper secondary school, with different specialisations such as liceo classico (classics) and liceo scientifico (science).
People
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| teacher | l'insegnante, il professore / la professoressa |
| student | lo studente / la studentessa |
| pupil | l'alunno / l'alunna |
| classmate | il compagno di classe |
| head teacher | il preside |
Subjects
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| Italian | italiano |
| mathematics | matematica |
| history | storia |
| geography | geografia |
| science | scienze |
| English | inglese |
| art | arte |
| physical education | educazione fisica |
| Latin | latino |
Study words
| English | Italian |
|---|---|
| lesson | la lezione |
| homework | i compiti |
| exam | l'esame |
| test | il compito in classe, la verifica |
| grade | il voto |
| degree | la laurea |
| course | il corso |
| textbook | il libro di testo |
Grades
Italian schools grade out of 10, with 6 as a pass. At university, exams are graded out of 30, with 18 as a pass and 30 e lode (30 with honours) as the top mark.
Useful phrases
- Ho un esame domani. — I have an exam tomorrow.
- Ho studiato tutta la notte. — I studied all night.
- Ho preso un bel voto. — I got a good grade.
- Mi sono laureato / laureata. — I graduated.
- Non ho capito la lezione. — I didn't understand the lesson.
Tips
- Learn subjects first.
- Learn the grading scale.
- Use the dictionary to check academic terms.
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Offline English–Italian dictionary with noun gender and accents handled properly
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