Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| compatire | /kom.paˈti.re/ |
| commiserare |
Both forms of the word describe the act of feeling or expressing compassion or sympathy for someone else's misfortunes.
Which one should you use?
While both words involve feeling sympathy, compatire is the common verb used to express feeling pity or compassion for someone's misfortune. In contrast, commiserare is a more formal and literary term often used in the sense of lamenting or expressing sorrow over a specific situation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb compatire is transitive and is followed directly by the person being pitied without a preposition, as in compatire qualcuno. In the present indicative, the first-person singular is compatisco and the first-person plural is compatiamo.
How do you pronounce it?
The word compatire has four syllables, with the stress on the third syllable: /kom.paˈti.re/.
Did you know?
- While compatire means 'to commiserate', using it toward someone can sometimes sound condescending, as it implies you are looking down on them with pity.
- The root of compatire is a distant relative of the English word 'patient', as both stem from the idea of enduring or suffering through something.
- While commiserare and 'commiserate' look identical, a speaker might find the Italian version feels much more heavy and dramatic, as it carries a strong sense of formal lamentation.
Examples in context
- Mi dispiace molto per la tua perdita.I'm very sorry for your loss.
- Le porgo le mie condoglianze per la scomparsa di suo padre.I offer you my condolences for the loss of your father.
- Mi dispiace un sacco che il tuo team abbia perso la partita.I'm really sorry that your team lost the game.
- Che peccato che tu non abbia potuto partecipare alla festa.What a pity you couldn't attend the party.
- È difficile non compatire la sua sofferenza.It is hard not to sympathize with his suffering.
- Posso solo compatire la tua situazione.I can only sympathize with your situation.
Example conversation
Sofia and Alessandro are talking about a friend who failed an exam.
- SofiaPovero Marco, ha studiato così tanto!Poor Marco, he studied so hard!
- AlessandroSì, lo posso compatire davvero.Yes, I can really commiserate with him.
- SofiaDovremmo chiamarlo per consolarlo.We should call him to comfort him.
- AlessandroHai ragione, facciamolo subito.You're right, let's do it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “commiserate” translations and entries compatire, commiserare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
