So confused about "Lei". Do Italians still use"Lei" (with a capital)? when they want to be formal? I was told by an Italian that that was outdated and not to capitalize it. So if I want to be polite,

Terry Tyson

So confused about "Lei". Do Italians still use"Lei" (with a capital)? when they want to be formal? I was told by an Italian that that was outdated and not to capitalize it. So if I want to be polite, how can I ask for help without a capital "L" ? Doesn't the word "Lei" (you, polite) become "her" if I don't use the capital and spell it "lei"? I can't say "Tuo" because that's informal. I'm confused. Terry PS Do Italians still use "egli/ella/esso"? or has that been replaced with lui/lei/loro?

Aug 23, 2016 4:41 PM

Answers · 11

Use "Voi" instead. I'd bet they'd get a kick out of that haha

August 23, 2016

If you write a letter and you want to be formal with the recipient (especially in the business related field), you must capitalize the L in Lei. Moreover, one can also capitalize the enclitic pronouns (the ones that attach to the endings of the verbs). Egli/ella are not widely used in the spoken language nowadays, but esso/essa/essi/esse are (especially when referring to an inanimate subject/object).

August 23, 2016

Lei it's formal for both male and female. Lei with capital L is correct and still used but you don't see it so much. Same for egli/ella/esso. Egli and ella have been replaced by lui/lei in spoken and written Italian. Esso is for animals and things but no one use it especially in the spoken language.

August 23, 2016

Hi Terry, you are right, don't get confused! But pay attention to the adjective: "tuo" (informal) "suo"(di lei) "Suo" (formal) "Lei" is just for the subject, every other pronoun or adjective will be capitalized as "Lei": "La ringrazio per la Sua disponibilità, La ricontatterò il più presto possibile, arrivederLa"

August 23, 2016

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