gentile
kind
adjective jen-TEE-leh Rare
Origin: From Latin gentilis ('of the same clan').
Also means
gentle
Usage Note
Gentile is the standard polite adjective for 'kind' and is ubiquitous in formal written correspondence: Gentile Signora Rossi opens a formal letter ('Dear Ms Rossi'). Do not confuse with the English 'gentile' (non-Jewish) — Italian uses non ebreo for that sense. The adverb is gentilmente, and the noun is gentilezza ('kindness').
Examples
"È stata molto gentile ad aiutarmi con i bagagli."
Natural Translation
She was very kind to help me with my luggage.
Literal Translation
She has-been very kind to help-me with the luggage.
Related Words
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