dipingere
/diˈpin.d͡ʒe.re/
The Italian verb for 'to paint' is dipingere. Wiktionary also lists verniciare.
Meaning: to apply paint to (verb)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| dipingere | /diˈpin.d͡ʒe.re/ |
| verniciare | /ver.niˈt͡ʃa.re/ |
In Italian, the choice of verb depends on the type of painting you are doing. Use dipingere when you are referring to artistic painting, such as creating a work of art or the act of decorating a surface, like a wall, with colors. Related nouns for the substances used include vernice, colore and pittura.
Which one should you use?
Use dipingere for artistic or decorative painting. Use verniciare when you are referring to applying a protective coating or varnish, such as when you are painting a fence or a piece of furniture.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of dipingere is dipinto.
How do you pronounce it?
The word dipingere is pronounced /diˈpin.dʒe.re/. It has four syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- If you want to say you are 'painting' a room with a brush, you might say tinteggiare instead of dipingere to sound more like a local and less like an artist.
- The English word 'depict' is a direct linguistic relative of the Italian dipingere, as both trace back to the Latin 'depingere'.
- The noun dipinto refers specifically to a finished painting, often used in museums to describe a masterpiece.
Examples in context
- Tom non poteva dipingere.Tom couldn't paint.This sentence uses dipingere to express an inability to paint.Tatoeba #5478321 by Guybrush88, translation #3728659 by CM
- Vuoi imparare a dipingere?Do you want to learn to paint?This sentence uses dipingere to ask about learning the skill of painting.Tatoeba #5156116 by Guybrush88, translation #5155429 by CarpeLanam
- Vorrei poter dipingere così.I wish I could paint like that.This sentence uses dipingere to express a wish to paint in a certain style.Tatoeba #5655074 by Guybrush88, translation #2125143 by Hybrid
- Ho bisogno di verniciare la parete del mio ufficio.I need to paint the wall of my office.
- Il pittore ha dipinto un bellissimo quadro per la mostra.The painter painted a beautiful artwork for the exhibition.
- Devi pitturare la tua camera da letto.You need to paint your bedroom.
- I bambini stanno colorando disegni divertenti.The kids are coloring fun drawings.
- 34 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are discussing a home renovation project.
- MatteoMartina, vuoi dipingere questa parete di blu?Martina, do you want to paint this wall blue?
- MartinaSì, ma preferisco dipingere prima il soffitto.Yes, but I prefer to paint the ceiling first.
- MatteoHai ragione, è meglio fare così.You're right, it's better to do it that way.
- MartinaAllora iniziamo a dipingere adesso!Then let's start painting now!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “paint” translations and entries dipingere, verniciare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dipingere, verniciare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
