rovinare
/ro.viˈna.re/
To mar something, meaning to spoil or damage it, use the Italian verb rovinare.
rovinare covers physical damage and is also used for ruining a mood, a surprise or a reputation.
Meaning: to spoil, to damage (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
I spoil is rovino and he or she spoils is rovina. The past participle rovinato (spoiled, ruined) forms compound tenses and also works as an adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
The IPA is /ro.viˈna.re/, four syllables with the stress on the third.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse the English verb mar with the Italian word mare, which means sea.
Did you know?
- The word rovinato can describe a person who is financially bankrupt. If someone is completamente rovinato, they have lost all their money.
- The adjective rovinato can be used to describe an object that is not just damaged, but 'worn out' or 'decrepit' from long use.
- While rovinare is the standard translation for 'mar', Italians might use rovinare il gioco to describe someone who spoils the fun by revealing a secret or cheating.
Examples in context
- Odio quando i miei vestiti si inzuppano nel mare.I hate it when my clothes get soaked in the sea.
- Non voglio rovinare la sorpresa.I don't want to ruin the surprise.
Example conversation
Lorenzo is cooking in the kitchen and makes a mistake.
- LorenzoHo messo troppo sale, vado a rovinare la cena!I put in too much salt, I'm going to ruin dinner!
- SofiaNon ti preoccupare, Lorenzo.Don't worry, Lorenzo.
- LorenzoMa ora voglio rovinare l'intero piatto.But now I'm going to spoil the whole dish.
- SofiaPossiamo ancora aggiustare tutto.We can still fix everything.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry rovinare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
