assorbire
/as.sorˈbi.re/
To absorb in Italian is assorbire. Wiktionary also lists assorbere.
Meaning: to suck up or drink in (verb)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| assorbire | /as.sorˈbi.re/ |
| assorbere |
The verb is used to describe the action of sucking up or drinking in a substance. You can also use the idiomatic phrase assorbire come una spugna to mean "to absorb like a sponge", or the phrase assimilare alla perfezione to mean "to absorb perfectly".
Which one should you use?
The pack provides two forms: assorbire and assorbere.
How does it change in a sentence?
assorbire is a regular second-conjugation verb ending in -ire. The past participle is assorbito.
How do you pronounce it?
/as.sorˈbi.re/. The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word sorbire is the root of assorbire and is still used in the form of sorseggiare, which means to sip a drink slowly.
- In Italian art history, assorbimento is sometimes used to describe how a figure blends into a background through a technique called sfumato.
- In Italian, if someone is completely 'absorbed' by a task or a thought, they are described as assorbito, but the more common colloquial term is immerso, meaning 'immersed'.
Examples in context
- La carta può assorbire l'acqua.Paper can absorb water.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how paper interacts with water using assorbire.Tatoeba #13078038 by Guybrush88, translation #9044823 by Amastan
- Il riso dovrebbe assorbire tutto il liquido.The rice should absorb all the liquid.This sentence shows how rice interacts with liquid using assorbire.Tatoeba #13455157 by Guybrush88, translation #8819650 by sundown
- La radice della pianta assorbe acqua e nutrienti dal terreno.The plant's roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil.
- Gli studenti devono assimilare le informazioni per superare l'esame.Students must absorb the information to pass the exam.
- Questa spugna può assorbire molto olio.This sponge can absorb a lot of oil.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Matteo are cleaning up a spill in the kitchen.
- ChiaraMatteo, cerca di assorbire il vino con questo panno.Matteo, try to absorb the wine with this cloth.
- MatteoSì, lo sto facendo subito.Yes, I am doing it right now.
- ChiaraFai attenzione a non macchiare il tavolo.Be careful not to stain the table.
- MatteoNon preoccuparti, sto usando la spugna.Don't worry, I am using the sponge.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “absorb” translations and entries assorbire, assorbere, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
