rimbalzare
/rim.balˈt͡sa.re/
To bounce in Italian is rimbalzare.
The verb rimbalzare is used to describe the physical action of a ball or object bouncing off a surface, changing direction of motion after hitting an obstacle.
Meaning: to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle (verb)
Which one should you use?
The verb rimbalzare describes the action of bouncing, while the related noun rimbalzo can refer to the change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle or the movement up and down.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of rimbalzare is rimbalzato, and the third-person plural present indicative form is rimbalzano (they bounce).
How do you pronounce it?
/rim.balˈtsa.re/. The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian business or social contexts, rimbalzare is used figuratively to mean passing a problem or a task to someone else to avoid dealing with it. This is similar to the English expression 'passing the buck'.
- The noun rimbalzo is also used in Italian economics to describe a 'rebound' or a sudden recovery in market prices after a period of decline.
- In a figurative sense, if a person is 'rimbalzato' from a job or a position, it means they were rejected or sent back, much like a ball being deflected from a surface.
Examples in context
- La palla rimbalza sul pavimentoThe ball bounces on the floor
- La nostra richiesta è ritornata indietroOur request bounced back
- Il cane saltella felicementeThe dog is happily bouncing
- Il bambino corre allegro e scoppietta di energiaThe child runs happily, bursting with energy
- La pallina può rimbalzare sul muro.The little ball can bounce off the wall.
- Il sasso deve rimbalzare sulla superficie del lago.The stone must bounce on the surface of the lake.
Example conversation
Francesco and Sofia are playing with a ball in the park.
- FrancescoVedi se la palla può rimbalzare sul muretto?Do you see if the ball can bounce off the low wall?
- SofiaSì, Francesco, rimbalza molto bene!Yes, Francesco, it bounces very well!
- FrancescoÈ troppo veloce per essere controllata.It is too fast to be controlled.
- SofiaHai ragione, è un rimbalzo troppo forte.You are right, it is too strong a bounce.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bounce” translations and entries rimbalzare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
