🏠📜

How to Say ‘The residence permit’ in Italian

Il permesso di soggiorno

eel pehr-MEHS-soh dee sohj-JOR-noh

[eel pehr-MEHS-soh dee sohj-JOR-noh]

💬 Usage Tip: Italian links two nouns with di "of": literally "the permit of stay". You can reuse it, as in il permesso di lavoro "the work permit".

🇮🇹 In Italy: Everyone calls it il permesso for short. Applying for it or renewing it is the main reason most foreigners end up at the Questura.

Phrase Breakdown

Il permesso

eel pehr-MEHS-soh

the permit

Stress falls on 'MES'. Hold the double 'ss' as a long, clear 's'.

Example

Il permesso è scaduto.

The permit has expired.

Words in this phrase

[eel]

the

Masculine singular definite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Nella frase Il tempo personale, Il introduce il concetto di tempo privato.

In the phrase 'Il tempo personale,' 'Il' introduces the concept of private time.

permesso

[pehr-MEHS-soh]

permit

Official permission document; also means 'allowed' or 'excuse me'.

Example

Ho bisogno di un permesso di lavoro.

I need a work permit.

di soggiorno

dee sohj-JOR-noh

of stay (residence)

Say 'soggiorno' as 'sod-JOR-no'. The 'gi' sounds like English 'j', and the double 'gg' is held a little.

Example

Ho un visto di soggiorno.

I have a residence visa.

Words in this phrase

[dee]

Preposition linking nouns, often translated as of.

Example

Che tipo di ruolo è disponibile?

What kind of role is available?

soggiorno

[sohj-JOR-noh]

stay / residence

A stay in a place; here, legal residence. Also means 'living room'.

Example

Il mio soggiorno in Italia è lungo.

My stay in Italy is long.

Guides for Italian learners

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