Who says something in what way — and what the verb itself asserts along with it.
Practise this list
From these 51 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
Intimare is the entry on this page that an English reader will translate confidently and get backwards. Both verbs come from the same Latin intimare, to make known, built on intimus, the innermost part: to carry something into somebody’s inner keeping. English took that gently. To « intimate » a thing is to let it be understood without saying it outright, and « an intimation » is a hint — a shade of meaning that belongs on this page to sottintendere and accennare, and never to intimare. Italian took the same verb into the courtroom and hardened it. Intimare is to demand, to serve notice, to order with authority behind it: il giudice ha intimato il silenzio, gli hanno intimato di uscire, and the noun l’intimazione is a formal demand on paper. So the softest verb of suggestion in one language is the most peremptory verb of command in the other, and the sentence stays perfectly grammatical after the mistake, which is what makes it expensive. The adjective, meanwhile, is honest: intimo really does mean « intimate ». It is only the verb that changed sides.
The words
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Verb (37)
enunciareto state formallyVerbB2
Il relatore enuncia la regola prima di spiegarla.The speaker states the rule before explaining it.
osservareto remarkVerbC1
Ha osservato che la sala era mezza vuota.He remarked that the hall was half empty.
enfatizzareto emphasiseVerbC1
Il direttore enfatizza sempre le scadenze.The director always emphasises the deadlines.
rimarcareto underline (a point)VerbC1
Ha rimarcato il punto una volta ancora.He underlined the point once more.
evidenziareto highlightVerbC1
La relazione evidenzia due problemi.The report highlights two problems.
ribadireto reaffirmVerbC1
Il sindaco ha ribadito la sua posizione.The mayor has reaffirmed his position.
puntualizzareto set straightVerbC1
Vorrei puntualizzare un dettaglio.I should like to set one detail straight.
ostinarsito persist in sayingVerbC1
Si ostina a dire che non era presente.He persists in saying that he was not there.
dissentireto dissentVerbB2
Ha dissentito apertamente in riunione.He dissented openly in the meeting.
ribattereto retortVerbC1
Ribatte sempre con una battuta.He always retorts with a quip.
interloquireto chime inVerbC1
Ha interloquito solo alla fine.He chimed in only at the end.
replicareto reply (to criticism)VerbC1
Non ha replicato alla critica.He did not reply to the criticism.
precisareto clarifyVerbC1
Ha precisato che la data non è fissata.He clarified that the date is not fixed.
approfondireto go into more detailVerbC1
Può approfondire questo punto?Could you go into more detail on this point?
sintetizzareto summariseVerbC1
Sintetizza il testo in poche righe.Summarise the text in a few lines.
sottintendereto implyVerbC1
Con quella frase sottintendeva un rimprovero.With that sentence he was implying a reproach.
accennareto hintVerbC1
Ha accennato al problema senza nominarlo.He hinted at the problem without naming it.
palesareto discloseVerbC1
Non ha palesato il vero motivo.He did not disclose the real reason.
argomentareto argue a caseVerbC1
Argomenta bene, ma parte da un dato sbagliato.He argues his case well, but starts from a wrong figure.
