How to Say ‘Was born’ in Italian
È nato
eh NAH-toh
[eh NAH-toh]
💬 Usage Tip: Italian often uses [essere nato/a] — literally "to be born" — where English says "was born." Change the ending with the person: [nato] for a man, [nata] for a woman.
Phrase Breakdown
È
[eh]
is
Third person singular of "essere" in the past-passive-style expression "è nato," meaning "was born."
È nato a Roma nel 1950.
He was born in Rome in 1950.
nato
[NAH-toh]
born
Past participle of "nascere," used to say someone was born.
È nato a dicembre, quindi il suo compleanno è in inverno.
He was born in December, so his birthday is in winter.
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