Nursery Rhymes›Ninna Nanna Ninna Oh
Ninna Nanna Ninna Oh lyricsNinna Nanna Ninna Oh lyrics
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Ninna Nanna Ninna Oh

Key: A60 BPMGuitar & Piano chords
⬇ Download the chord sheet (PDF)

Ninna Nanna Ninna Oh Lyrics. One of the most popular Italian lullabies, recognizable by its sweet refrain “ninna oh” used to rock children to sleep. It has become a classic of Italian bedtime traditions. The word ninna itself comes from ninnare, an old Italian verb meaning to rock or cradle, and ninna nanna songs like this one were historically passed down and often improvised by mothers, varying from region to region and household to household rather than existing as a single fixed, authored song. Here you will find the full lyrics, translation, meaning, and chords.

Verse 1

    A      D   A
Ninna nanna ninna oh,
    D    E    A
Questo bimbo a chi lo do?
    A      D   A
Ninna nanna ninna oh,
    D    E    A
Questo bimbo a chi lo do?

Verse 2

    A      D  A
Se lo do alla Befana
    D    E     A
me lo tiene una settimana
    A      D   A
Se lo do al Bove Nero
    D    E     A
me lo tiene un anno intero
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Chords — guitar & piano

A
×
Guitar
EA
Piano
D
××
Guitar
DA
Piano
E
Guitar
EB
Piano
Good to know

What “Ninna Nanna Ninna Oh” Means

One of Italy’s oldest and most famous lullabies, passed down through generations. The mother playfully asks “who shall I give this baby to?” — naming figures from folklore — only to keep the little one close and safe. Beneath the playful words lies pure tenderness and a mother’s protective love.

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Sources & rights

  • Words and melody: see the credits in the text of this page. Older songs are traditional or in the public domain; songs by known authors keep their authors' credit.
  • Recording and arrangement: real instruments played by hand, no AI music, by Relax In No Time.
  • Chords: written by us for guitar and piano.
  • Translation: our own meaning-for-meaning translation, written for understanding. The sung words stay in the original language.

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