giovani

Giovani is the Italian word for young people. As a noun, i giovani means the youth or young people, and le giovani refers to young women or girls when used with a feminine noun. As an adjective, giovane describes someone or something as young, with the plural form giovani used for both masculine and feminine subjects (un gruppo di giovani; le persone giovani). The singular form is giovane.

Etymology: The term derives from Latin iuvenis or iuvenilis through the Italian forms giovane/giovani, sharing a common root with other Romance languages such as Spanish joven and French jeune, all meaning young.

Usage: In Italian, the word is a common reference in media, education, demography, and policy to describe the younger segment of society. It frequently appears in discussions of youth culture, employment, and social programs. The expression i giovani has a broad, neutral connotation, suitable for descriptive and analytical contexts without implying a specific attitude toward age.

Organizations: In Italy and Italian-speaking communities, many political and cultural organizations include Giovani in their name to designate youth branches, for example Giovani Democratici, the youth wing of the Partito Democratico, and Lega Giovani, the youth wing of the Lega party. Similar organizations exist across other sectors, such as arts, sports, and non-profits.

Names: Giovani is also encountered as a given name in some contexts, especially in Portuguese-speaking countries where it is a variant of Giovanni. It is distinct from the Italian plural term but can appear in cross-linguistic references and naming.