My cousins are my best friends.
'Cugini' = koo-JEE-nee — three syllables, stress on the second. 'Migliori' = meel-YO-ree — three syllables.
Use when describing the social importance of your extended family. In Italy, especially in the south, cousins often grow up together and maintain friendships into adulthood.
'Cugino/a' = cousin. 'Migliore' (adjective) = better; 'i migliori amici' = 'my best friends' (plural). The possessive 'i miei cugini' takes the definite article in the plural, unlike singular family terms.
Ci vediamo tutti le estati in Sicilia.
We all see each other every summer in Sicily.
Summer family gatherings in southern Italy are a beloved and recurring tradition.
Siamo cresciuti insieme come fratelli.
We grew up together like brothers.
'Come fratelli' (like brothers) — describes intensity of the cousin bond.
Le riunioni di famiglia sono sempre una festa.
Family reunions are always a party.
'Riunione di famiglia' — formal and informal family gatherings.
Italian Christmas gatherings with 14+ cousins are not unusual. Extended family holidays and celebrations involve enormous groups. The noise and chaos of a large Italian family Christmas is a cultural experience all its own.