Meaning
commander, commandant
- captain (of a boat or plane)
In a sentence
Il comandante della nave ha parlato con noi.
The captain of the ship spoke with us.
Chi è il comandante di questo aereo?
Who is the captain of this plane?
Il comandante non è ancora arrivato in ufficio.
The commander hasn't arrived at the office yet.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| comandante | masculine · singular |
| comandanti | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use comandante for military, police, firefighters, or a vessel/aircraft leader; capo is broader and more informal for a boss or chief.
- For ships and planes, Italian often prefers comandante over capitano when referring to the person in charge.
- As a title, it is often capitalized before a name in formal contexts: il Comandante Rossi.