italianas

Italianas is the feminine plural form used in Spanish and Portuguese to refer to women of Italian origin, nationality, or cultural affiliation. The corresponding singular forms are italiana (feminine) and italiano (masculine). The term functions as both a noun and an adjective in these languages, allowing phrases such as “las italianas” or “as italianas” to denote a group of women from Italy or with Italian heritage.

Etymologically, italiano/italiana derives from Italia, the name of the country, with typical Romance-language inflectional endings. In contrast to English, where “Italian women” is standard, italianas in Spanish and Portuguese carry nuances of ethnicity, nationality, or cultural identity that can depend on context.

Usage and context vary. In demographic writing, journalism, and everyday speech, italianas commonly describe women within Italian diaspora communities—across Europe, the Americas, and beyond—who maintain Italian cultural practices, language, or ancestry. The term can refer to citizenship, ethnicity, or a cultural affinity, and its precise meaning is shaped by surrounding words and the speaker’s intent. It is typically not capitalized in Spanish or Portuguese unless at the beginning of a sentence or in a title where capitalization is required.

Related concepts include the demonym italiano/italiana, which covers Italians more broadly, and terms for Otherness or multicultural identity within multilingual societies. In translation, italianas is rendered as “Italian women” in English and should be chosen with attention to the intended emphasis on nationality, ethnicity, or cultural ties.