False friends: baby

Today’s false friend is baby. Babies are “bambini” but not all “bambini” are babies, only the very little ones that can’t walk yet. The slightly bigger ones that are starting to walk are called toddlers, because to “toddle” is to walk with short uncertain steps as little children do who are learning to walk. So if we want to talk about “bambini” in general we use the word children, or more colloquially kids. However, not all children are “bambini”, because if you talk about your “figli” they continue to be your children even after they’ve grown up and become adults. This applies only to the plural form though - a child is always a minor and if you want to talk about your offspring in the singular you refer to your son or your daughter. If you say “my sons” people will understand that you have only male children and no daughters. By the way, the original meaning of kids is “capretti”, probably because baby goats are playful and mischievous just as children are.

Foto di Filip Mroz su Unsplash