battere le mani
To clap hands in Italian is battere le mani.
The phrase is used to describe the action of striking the palms of the hands together to make a sound, often to show approval.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb battere (to beat/strike) and the noun phrase le mani (the hands).
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb battere is used in its infinitive form here, but in a sentence, it must be conjugated to match the subject (e.g., batterò le mani for I will clap hands).
Did you know?
- The word mani for 'hands' shares a surprising linguistic ancestor with the Latin word manes, which refers to the 'spirits of the dead'.
- In Italian, the verb battere is used for both clapping and hitting a nail with a hammer.
- The Italian word battere is a linguistic relative of the English word 'batter', as both come from the Latin 'battuere'.
Examples in context
- Luca applaudì entusiasticamente alla fine dello spettacolo.Luca clapped his hands enthusiastically at the end of the show.
- Il pubblico ha iniziato a battere le mani.The audience began to clap.
- Battere le mani è un modo per applaudire.Clapping hands is a way to applaud.
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are watching a street performer.
- FrancescoGuarda che bravo! Dobbiamo battere le mani.Look how good he is! We should clap our hands.
- ChiaraSì, merita un grande applauso.Yes, he deserves a great applause.
- FrancescoSenti come tutti iniziano a battere le mani!Listen to how everyone is starting to clap!
- ChiaraÈ davvero uno spettacolo fantastico.It is truly a fantastic show.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries battere, battere le mani, le, mani, CC BY-SA 4.0.
