C1 · 49 words
Look, expression, posture in Italian
Forty-nine verbs for what happens without words.
Practise this list
From these 49 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Twelfth on this list stands corrugare la fronte, and the verb inside it is one an English reader recognises and then misplaces. « Corrugated » is alive and well in English, but it has left the body: it belongs to roofing sheets, to packaging, to the ridged cardboard a parcel is made of, and to anything with parallel furrows pressed into it. Nobody corrugates a forehead in ordinary speech, and « he corrugated his brow » reads either as a joke or as a nineteenth-century novel. Italian kept the verb where the face is. Corrugare la fronte is the plain daily way to say that somebody has pulled the skin above the eyes into folds; the same verb serves elsewhere on the body, as in corrugare il naso, and the fold itself is la ruga, the line a face keeps. So the trap runs one way only. Reading Italian, take corrugare as ordinary and unremarkable; writing English, reach for « to furrow », « to knit » or simply « to frown », and leave « corrugated » to the shed roof.
The words
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Verb (18)
scrutareto scan intentlyVerbC1
Scruta il tabellone per trovare il binario.She scans the board to find the platform.
contemplareto gaze at lengthVerbC1
Contempla il quadro da parecchi minuti.He has been gazing at the painting for several minutes.
sbirciareto peekVerbC1
Sbircia la risposta del compagno di banco.He peeks at the answer of the boy next to him.
intravedereto glimpseVerbC1
Si intravede il campanile dietro la nebbia.The bell tower can just be made out behind the fog.
sogghignareto smirkVerbC1
Sogghigna quando sente la scusa.He smirks when he hears the excuse.
arrossireto blushVerbC1
Arrossisce ogni volta che lo nominano.He blushes every time somebody mentions him.
trasalireto start with surpriseVerbC1
Trasalisce al rumore della porta.She starts at the noise of the door.
rabbrividireto shudderVerbC1
Rabbrividisce al pensiero di tornare là.He shudders at the thought of going back there.
tremolareto quaverVerbC1
La sua voce tremola quando parla in pubblico.His voice quavers when he speaks in public.
sussultareto jump at a soundVerbC1
Sussulta ogni volta che squilla il telefono.He jumps every time the telephone rings.
boccheggiareto gasp for airVerbC1
Boccheggia dopo la corsa in salita.He is gasping for air after the run uphill.
gemereto groanVerbC1
Geme piano mentre si alza dalla sedia.He groans quietly as he gets up from the chair.
grugnireto gruntVerbC1
Grugnisce qualcosa e torna al lavoro.He grunts something and goes back to work.
sbadigliareto yawnVerbC1
Sbadiglia senza coprirsi la bocca.She yawns without covering her mouth.
avvinghiareto clutchVerbC1
Avvinghia la borsa al petto.She clutches the bag to her chest.
afferrareto seizeVerbC1
Afferra il bicchiere prima che cada.He seizes the glass before it falls.
stravaccarsito sprawlVerbC1
Si stravacca sul divano appena entra.He sprawls on the sofa as soon as he comes in.
dimenarsito fidgetVerbC1
Si dimena sulla sedia durante l’attesa.He fidgets on the chair while he waits.
Phrase (31)
dare un’occhiatato take a quick lookPhraseC1
Ha dato un’occhiata all’orologio senza fermarsi.He glanced at his watch without stopping.
guardare fissoto starePhraseC1
Il bambino guarda fisso lo schermo.The child is staring at the screen.
scorrere una paginato skim a pagePhraseC1
Scorre la pagina con lo sguardo prima di rispondere.She skims the page before answering.
strizzare gli occhito screw up one’s eyesPhraseC1
Strizza gli occhi per leggere il cartello lontano.He screws up his eyes to read the distant sign.
sbattere le palpebreto blinkPhraseC1
Sbatte le palpebre più spesso quando è stanco.He blinks more often when he is tired.
fare l’occhiolinoto winkPhraseC1
Le ha fatto l’occhiolino dall’altra parte del tavolo.He winked at her from the other end of the table.
inarcare un sopracciglioto raise an eyebrowPhraseC1
Inarca un sopracciglio senza dire nulla.She raises an eyebrow without saying a word.
corrugare la fronteto furrow one’s browPhraseC1
Corruga la fronte davanti alla domanda.He furrows his brow at the question.
guardare stortoto give a dirty lookPhraseC1
Il vicino ci guarda storto ogni mattina.The neighbour gives us a dirty look every morning.
sorridere con sufficienzato smile condescendinglyPhraseC1
Sorride con sufficienza alla proposta.She smiles condescendingly at the proposal.
essere raggianteto be beamingPhraseC1
È raggiante da quando ha ricevuto la notizia.She has been beaming ever since she got the news.
evitare lo sguardoto avoid eye contactPhraseC1
Evita lo sguardo del capo durante la riunione.He avoids the boss’s eye during the meeting.
fare una smorfiato pull a facePhraseC1
Fa una smorfia appena assaggia la salsa.He pulls a face as soon as he tastes the sauce.
tremare dal freddoto shiver with coldPhraseC1
Trema dal freddo alla fermata.She is shivering with cold at the stop.
sospirare profondamenteto sigh deeplyPhraseC1
Sospira profondamente prima di firmare.She sighs deeply before signing.
scuotere la testato shake one’s headPhraseC1
Scuote la testa e chiude il quaderno.He shakes his head and closes the exercise book.
alzare le spalleto shrug one’s shouldersPhraseC1
Alza le spalle come se non lo riguardasse.She shrugs her shoulders as if it were no concern of hers.
incrociare le bracciato fold one’s armsPhraseC1
Incrocia le braccia e aspetta.He folds his arms and waits.
stringere il pugnoto clench one’s fistPhraseC1
Stringe il pugno sotto il tavolo.She clenches her fist under the table.
stringere con forzato grip hardPhraseC1
Stringe con forza la ringhiera.He grips the handrail hard.
allentare la presato loosen one’s gripPhraseC1
Allenta la presa solo alla fine.She loosens her grip only at the end.
indicare con il ditoto point with a fingerPhraseC1
Indica con il dito la fermata giusta.He points a finger at the right stop.
fare cenno con la manoto beckon with the handPhraseC1
Fa cenno con la mano di avvicinarsi.She beckons with her hand for him to come closer.
chiamare qualcuno con un gestoto beckon somebody overPhraseC1
Chiama il collega con un gesto.He beckons his colleague over.
sporgersi in avantito lean forwardPhraseC1
Si sporge in avanti per sentire meglio.She leans forward to hear better.
appoggiarsi allo schienaleto lean back in the seatPhraseC1
Si appoggia allo schienale e ascolta.He leans back in his seat and listens.
stare seduto drittoto sit up straightPhraseC1
Sta seduto dritto per tutta la lezione.He sits up straight for the whole lesson.
camminare avanti e indietroto pace up and downPhraseC1
Cammina avanti e indietro nel corridoio.She paces up and down the corridor.
battere il piedeto tap one’s footPhraseC1
Batte il piede a ritmo mentre aspetta.She taps her foot in time while she waits.
tamburellare con le ditato drum one’s fingersPhraseC1
Tamburella con le dita sul tavolo.He drums his fingers on the table.
mordersi il labbroto bite one’s lipPhraseC1
Si morde il labbro per non ridere.She bites her lip so as not to laugh.
Missing a word? Look it up in the dictionary
This list belongs to People and personality — 13 lists and 467 words that can also be practised as a whole.