destinato
The English word 'destined' is translated into Italian as destinato.
destinato is an adjective used to describe someone or something that is confined to a predetermined fate. To say someone is destined to perform an action, use destinato a followed by an infinitive verb. If you are saying someone is destined for a specific noun, such as greatness, use destinato followed by the preposition a combined with the appropriate definite article, such as destinato a/alla/al. For a more poetic or figurative way to express that something is destined, you can use the phrase scritto nelle stelle, which means 'written in the stars'.
Meaning: confined to a predetermined fate (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, destinato must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Use destinata for the feminine singular, destinati for the masculine plural and destinate for the feminine plural.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word destinato can be used in a technical sense to mean 'addressed' or 'intended for' a specific recipient, such as a letter destinato to a friend.
- Italian has a specific distinction between fato and destino, where fato often carries a more heavy, inescapable, and sometimes tragic connotation than destino.
- If you want to say someone is 'destined to fail', Italians might use the more visceral expression nato per fallire, which literally translates to 'born to fail'.
Examples in context
- L'uomo è destinato a soffrire.Man is destined to suffer.This sentence shows the use of destinato to describe a person's fate.Tatoeba #702458 by Guybrush88, translation #701787 by Eldad
- Sono venuto al mondo destinato alla grandezza.I came into this world destined for greatness.This sentence demonstrates how to use destinato with a noun for greatness.Tatoeba #13017984 by Nuel, translation #13017983 by Nuel
- Il loro legame era destinato a diventare importante.Their bond was destined to become important.This sentence illustrates how destinato describes the destined nature of a bond.Tatoeba #11618096 by Nuel, translation #11618095 by Nuel
- Il suo successo era predestinato.His success was destined.
- Siamo destinati a incontrarci ancora.We are destined to meet again.
- È il nostro fato incontrarci qui.It's our fate to meet here.
- Il loro amore era scritto nelle stelle.Their love was destined.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a difficult business situation at a cafe.
- MartinaFrancesco, credi che questo affare sia destinato a finire male?Francesco, do you think this deal is destined to end badly?
- FrancescoPurtroppo sì, Martina, sembra un disastro inevitabile.Unfortunately yes, Martina, it looks like an inevitable disaster.
- MartinaÈ un peccato, perché ci abbiamo lavorato tanto.It's a shame, because we worked so hard on it.
- FrancescoNon abbatterti, troveremo un'altra strada.Don't be discouraged, we will find another way.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
