Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| mettere | /ˈmet.te.re/ /ˈmɛt.te.re/ (regional) |
| porre | /ˈpor.re/ |
The primary way to express the action of placing something somewhere is with mettere. In specific contexts, such as when talking about clothing, you use the reflexive form mettersi to mean 'to put on' (for example, mi metto la giacca for 'I put on my jacket').
Which one should you use?
While mettere is the standard word for 'to put', porre is a more formal or literary alternative. Porre is often used in specific contexts like porre fine (to put an end to) or porre una domanda (to pose a question).
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of mettere is messo, which is used with the auxiliary verb avere to form compound tenses. To express the act of putting on clothing, use the reflexive form mettersi.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of mettere is /ˈmet.te.re/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The English word 'mission' is a distant relative of the Italian verb mettere, both tracing back to the same root meaning 'to send' or 'to release'.
- The verb mettere is used in the common idiom mettere i bastoni tra le ruote, which means 'to put sticks between the wheels' to describe sabotaging someone.
- To say someone is 'putting on an act' or pretending, Italians might use mettere in scena, which literally means 'to put on a stage'.
Examples in context
- Non mettere troppo sale.Don't put too much salt.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of mettere with quantities like salt.Tatoeba #3288200 by Guybrush88, translation #13903467 by mervert1
- Quali scarpe vi metterete?Which shoes are you going to put on?This sentence shows how to use mettere when talking about putting on shoes.Tatoeba #3040194 by Guybrush88, translation #37524 by sundown
- Dimmi dove mettere questo.Tell me where to put this.This sentence demonstrates using mettere to indicate a destination or location.Tatoeba #4847761 by Guybrush88, translation #3200338 by CK
- Inserisci il documento nella cartella.Put the document in the folder.
- Metti il quaderno nello zaino.Put the notebook in the backpack.
- Metti il libro sulla sedia.Put the book on the chair.
- Piazza il vaso sul tavolo.Put the vase on the table.
- Metti la tazza sul tavolo.Put the mug on the table.
- Puoi mettere le chiavi nel cassetto?Can you put the keys in the drawer?
- Ha messo il panino nella borsa.He put the sandwich in his bag.
- Ha messo i vestiti nell'armadio.She put the clothes in the closet.
- Per favore, metti la penna sulla mia scrivania.Please put the pen on my desk.
- Hanno piazzato la libreria contro il muro.They put the bookshelf against the wall.
- 173 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Giulia are organizing their living room.
- MatteoDove posso mettere questo cuscino?Where can I put this cushion?
- GiuliaPuoi mettere il cuscino sul divano.You can put the cushion on the sofa.
- MatteoVa bene, lo metto subito.Alright, I'll put it there right away.
- GiuliaGrazie, Matteo.Thanks, Matteo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “put” translations and entries mettere, porre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mettere, porre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
