predicare
/pre.diˈka.re/
The English verb 'preach' is translated into Italian as predicare.
predicare means to give a sermon. It can also be used metaphorically to mean lecturing someone or constantly talking about a specific topic, much like the English 'to preach' in a non-religious context.
Meaning: give a sermon (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The third-person singular present indicative form of predicare is predica. The past participle is predicato.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of predicare is /pre.diˈka.re/. It has 4 syllables and the stress is on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- There is a specific Italian expression predicare l'acqua e bere il vino, which describes a hypocrite who preaches one thing and does the opposite.
- In the Middle Ages, the 'predicatori' or preachers of the Dominican order were known as the 'Hounds of the Lord' because of their aggressive style of predicare.
- In Italian grammar, the past participle predicato is also the technical term for 'predicate' in a sentence. This creates a linguistic link between the act of preaching and the core action of a grammatical statement.
Examples in context
- Intanto c'è chi continua a predicare in modo fraudolento che siamo sulla buona via.Meanwhile, there are those who continue to preach in a fraudulent manner that we are on the right track.This sentence shows how predicare can be used when describing people who continue to preach in a fraudulent manner.Tatoeba #1467722 by Guybrush88, translation #2483511 by Opiejay888
- Il prete deve predicare ogni domenica.The priest must preach every Sunday.
- Lui ama predicare la pace e l'amore.He loves to preach peace and love.
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are discussing a church service.
- MatteoHai sentito il prete predicare oggi?Did you hear the priest preach today?
- MartinaSì, Martina ha trovato il discorso molto toccante.Yes, Martina found the sermon very touching.
- MatteoÈ vero, sa davvero come predicare al pubblico.It's true, he really knows how to preach to the public.
- MartinaConcordo, è stato un momento speciale.I agree, it was a special moment.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “preach” translations and entries predicare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
