Usage Note
Colonnello is the military rank between tenente colonnello (lieutenant colonel) and brigadiere generale. The feminine colonnella exists but is rare; in modern usage la colonnella or il colonnello (referring to a woman) are both used. The title precedes the surname in address: Colonnello Rossi.
Examples
"Il colonnello ha dato l'ordine di avanzare."
Natural Translation
The colonel gave the order to advance.

Free starter pack
Building your Italian vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore Italian by topic