Meaning
lieutenant
In a sentence
Il tenente arriva tra dieci minuti.
The lieutenant arrives in ten minutes.
Hai visto il tenente oggi in ufficio?
Did you see the lieutenant today at the office?
Il tenente non ha risposto al messaggio.
The lieutenant didn't reply to the message.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| tenente | masculine · singular |
| tenenti | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Used mainly for military or police ranks. For a ship’s officer, context matters; Italian rank names are more specific than English “lieutenant.”
- Capitalize only in formal titles before a name: il tenente Rossi. Otherwise lowercase: un tenente dell’esercito.
- Feminine is tenente for a woman too; the article changes: il tenente, la tenente.