lei
she, her; You (formal)
Intermediate Pronoun Feminine
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Pronunciation
/ˈlɛi/
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Cultural Note
Lei (capitalized) is the formal 'you' in Italian, used with strangers, elders, and in professional contexts. It takes third-person singular verb forms. This formality system is deeply rooted in Italian social etiquette and is important to observe.
📝 Example Sentences
Lei è molto gentile.
She is very kind. / You are very kind (formal).
Come sta, Lei?
How are you? (formal)