al rovescio
/al roˈvɛʃ.ʃo/word by word
The English phrase "inside out" is translated into Italian as al rovescio.
The phrase al rovescio is an adverb used to describe something that has the inside turned to the outside.
Meaning: with the inside turned to be on the outside (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition al (to the) and the noun rovescio (the reverse or opposite side).
Which one should you use?
While al rovescio means inside out, the antonym used to mean right side out is al diritto.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adverbial phrase, al rovescio is fixed and does not change its form to agree with the gender or number of the clothing item it describes.
How do you pronounce it?
/al roˈvɛʃ.ʃo/. The phrase has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- In tennis, a rovescio is the word for a 'backhand' shot, as the player is hitting the ball with the reverse side of their hand facing the direction of the stroke.
- While al rovescio refers to the reverse side, the antonym al diritto comes from the word for 'right' or 'law', suggesting that the correct side of a fabric is its 'lawful' state.
- The term al rovescio is used to describe things that are 'upside down' or 'backwards' in addition to being 'inside out'.
Examples in context
- Mi sembra brutto fargli notare che ha la maglietta al rovescio.I feel bad pointing out that his shirt is inside out.This sentence is useful for describing a shirt that is al rovescio.Tatoeba #13921095 by Nuel, translation #13921094 by Nuel
- Per errore mi sono messo i guanti al rovescio.I put my gloves on inside out by mistake.This sentence is useful for describing gloves that are al rovescio.Tatoeba #1310059 by Bibi81, translation #20852 by CK
- La giacca è stata messa a rovescioThe jacket was inside out
- La camicia era messa all'incontrarioThe shirt was inside out
- Mi sono fatto una risata quando ho visto che il cuscino era all'incontrario.I had a laugh when I saw the pillow was inside out.
- Hai messo il cappotto al rovescio.You put your coat on inside out.
Example conversation
Sofia notices Matteo is wearing his shirt incorrectly while getting ready.
- SofiaMatteo, hai la camicia al rovescio!Matteo, your shirt is inside out!
- MatteoDavvero? Non me ne sono accorto.Really? I didn't notice.
- SofiaCambiala subito, prima di uscire.Change it immediately, before we go out.
- MatteoHai ragione, grazie per avermelo detto.You're right, thanks for telling me.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (al, rovescio) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
