gracchiare
To caw in Italian is to say gracchiare.
The verb gracchiare is used to describe the cry of a crow, rook or raven. Beyond birds, it can also be used to describe the harsh, raspy sounds made by other animals or even a person's voice.
Meaning: to make the cry of a crow, rook, or raven (verb)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present indicative form is gracchia (he/she/it caws), and the gerund form is gracchiando (cawing).
Did you know?
- In Italian, gracchiare is the standard term used to describe the sound of a broken speaker or a distorted telephone line.
- While English uses 'caw' for many corvids, the Italian root comes from gracchio, which specifically refers to the 'chough', a bird known for its bright yellow or red legs.
- In a figurative sense, describing a person's speech as gracchiante can be a way to suggest their voice is unpleasant or lacks musicality.
Examples in context
- Ho sentito il grido gracchiante di un corvo mentre camminavo nel bosco.I heard the screeching cry of a crow while walking in the woods.
- I corvi in lontananza emettevano un verso che sembrava 'cra cra'.The crows in the distance were making a sound that seemed like 'caw caw'.
- Il corvo comincia a gracchiare nel bosco.The crow begins to caw in the woods.
- Sento un corvo gracchiare sopra il tetto.I hear a crow cawing above the roof.
- I corvi continuano a gracchiare tutta la notte.The crows keep cawing all night.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “caw” translations and entries gracchiare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
