cogliere
/ˈkɔʎ.ʎe.re/
The English verb 'to pluck' is translated into Italian as cogliere.
The verb cogliere is used for the act of plucking or picking things like flowers or fruit. Beyond this literal meaning, it is also used idiomatically to mean 'to seize' an opportunity or 'to catch' a specific moment.
Meaning: to pull something sharply, to pull something out (verb)
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between cogliere and strappare. Use cogliere for the act of picking or harvesting something (like fruit or flowers), but use strappare if the action implies a more violent or damaging pulling, such as plucking hair or tearing something out.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of cogliere is colto, which means 'plucked' or 'caught'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word cogliere has 3 syllables and the stress is on the first syllable. The IPA is /ˈkɔʎ.ʎe.re/.
Did you know?
- The expression cogliere in castagna literally means 'to pick a chestnut' but is used to say someone was caught red-handed.
- The past participle colto is also the Italian word for 'cultured' or 'educated'. This creates a linguistic link between the act of picking the best fruit and the act of refining one's mind.
- The English word 'collect' and the Italian verb cogliere are linguistic cousins, both descending from the Latin 'colligere'.
Examples in context
- È necessario estirpare le erbacce dal giardino.You need to pluck the weeds from the garden.
- Devo estirpare i capelli bianchi.I have to pluck the gray hairs.
- Mi devo strappare un pelo incarnito.I need to pluck an ingrown hair.
- Non voglio strappare i fiori dal giardino.I don't want to pluck the flowers from the garden.
- Il bambino ha tirato via tutti i petali dal fiore.The child plucked off all the petals from the flower.
- Cogliere un fioreTo pluck a flower
- Devi cogliere i fiori con cura.You must pluck the flowers carefully.
- Non cogliere i petali della rosa.Don't pluck the rose petals.
Example conversation
Sofia and Matteo are in a garden.
- SofiaMatteo, puoi cogliere quelle margherite per me?Matteo, can you pluck those daisies for me?
- MatteoSì, Sofia, le coglierò subito.Yes, Sofia, I will pluck them immediately.
- SofiaGrazie, sono bellissime.Thank you, they are beautiful.
- MatteoPrego, spero che ti piacciano.You're welcome, I hope you like them.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cogliere, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cogliere, CC BY-SA 4.0.
