A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "This is my husband" in Italian
Learn how to introduce your spouse in Italian with this simple, standard phrase used in social and professional settings across Italy.
Questo è mio marito.
KWES-toh eh MEE-oh mah-REE-tohneutral
Italian TTS · 0:01
Use this when introducing your husband to friends, hotel staff, or new acquaintances. It is the perfect way to establish your relationship status during dinner conversations or check-ins.
Alternatives
- Lui è mio marito.Use this if you are pointing him out from a distance.
- Ti presento mio marito.Use this when formally introducing him to a friend.
- Le presento mio marito.Use this for formal introductions with someone you address as Lei.
Ways to get it wrong
Forgetting the possessive article
In Italian, you must include 'mio' (my) before 'marito'; saying 'questo è marito' sounds like broken, incomplete speech.
Mispronouncing the 'r' in marito
Ensure you use a light, tapped 'r' sound rather than the heavy, retroflex English 'r' to avoid sounding like a caricature.
A small cultural note
Italians often use 'mio marito' even in casual settings, but younger generations in cities might occasionally use the loanword 'partner' if they prefer a more modern, neutral term.
When you'd actually say this
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Checking into a hotel together
You are standing at the front desk of a small hotel in Bologna, and the receptionist has handed you a form asking for the names of all guests in the room. You slide the form toward your husband and say 'Questo è mio marito' so the receptionist understands why two surnames appear on the booking. The receptionist nods and asks for his passport without missing a beat.
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Meeting your colleague's family at dinner
Your Italian work colleague has invited you both to Sunday lunch at her parents' apartment in Naples, and her mother opens the door looking expectantly at the man standing beside you. You gesture toward him and say 'Questo è mio marito' before anyone has a chance to wonder who he is. The mother immediately pulls him into the hallway and starts asking whether he eats meat.
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Explaining a photo to a new friend
You are sitting in a bar in Florence and a new acquaintance picks up your phone to admire a photo you just showed her, then points at the man in the picture with a questioning look. You tap the screen and say 'Questo è mio marito,' and she immediately smiles and says he looks simpatico.
Related ways to say it in Italian
- Ecco mio marito. — Here is my husband.
- Use this when physically presenting him in the moment, such as when he walks through a door to join you — it feels more immediate and gestural than 'Questo è mio marito.'
- Mio marito si chiama Marco. — My husband's name is Marco.
- Use this when you want to introduce him by name in the same breath, common in slightly more formal or information-heavy introductions.
- È il mio ragazzo — anzi, mio marito. — He's my boyfriend — well, my husband.
- A self-correcting, informal phrase Italians use humorously when they habitually say 'ragazzo' out of old habit; signals a relaxed, casual register.
- Vi presento mio marito. — I'd like to introduce my husband to you all.
- Use this when addressing a group of two or more people at once, such as at a dinner table or small gathering, rather than a single individual.
Notes for English speakers
- English speakers often want to say 'il mio marito' by analogy with other Italian nouns, but Italian drops the definite article before singular, unmodified family member nouns — 'mio marito' is correct, while 'il mio marito' sounds clumsy and is a very common giveaway of a non-native speaker.
- The word 'questo' here functions as a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this one' or 'this person,' not just 'this thing' — English speakers sometimes feel it sounds rude or objectifying, but in Italian it is completely neutral and natural when introducing someone standing right beside you.
- In southern Italian accents you may hear the final vowel of 'marito' slightly lengthened or the stress pattern feel different from standard Tuscan Italian, so if you practice with audio from a single regional source and then travel elsewhere in Italy, the word may sound unfamiliar at first even though it is the same word.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
Do I need to change the word for husband if I am talking to a stranger?
No, 'marito' is the standard word for husband regardless of who you are speaking to. The structure of the sentence remains the same in all social contexts.
Why do I hear some people say 'il mio marito'?
While you might hear this in some dialects or casual speech, it is grammatically incorrect in standard Italian. Stick to 'mio marito' to sound natural and correct.
How do I introduce my wife instead?
Simply swap the word 'marito' for 'moglie'. You would say 'Questa è mia moglie' because 'moglie' is feminine.
