leggere
/ˈlɛd.d͡ʒe.re/
To read in Italian is leggere.
The verb leggere is used to describe the act of looking at and interpreting letters or other information. If you are in a formal context and referring to reading or consulting a specific document, book or reference material, you might use consultare instead. For an even more detailed or in-depth reading, such as studying or examining a text closely, the verb esaminare is more appropriate.
Meaning: to look at and interpret letters or other information (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of leggere is letto. The first-person singular future tense ('I will read') is leggerò. If you wish to use the noun form for 'reading' or 'the act of reading', use lettura.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and the stress is on the first syllable. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɛd.dʒe.re/.
Did you know?
- The past participle letto is also the word for 'bed', which comes from the same root of 'that which is gathered or spread out'.
- A lettore is a reader, but in a historical context, it refers to a person who read newspapers aloud to fellow workers in early 20th century factories.
- The Latin ancestor of leggere, legere, actually meant 'to gather' or 'to collect' rather than just 'to read'.
Examples in context
- Io non so leggere.I can't read.This sentence is useful for expressing an inability to use the verb leggere.Tatoeba #4861946 by Guybrush88, translation #1954729 by CK
- Non sa più leggere?You can't read anymore?This sentence is useful for asking a question about an inability to use the verb leggere.Tatoeba #1969884 by Guybrush88, translation #1482089 by AlanF_US
- A me piace leggere.I like to read.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference regarding the verb leggere.Tatoeba #2795473 by Guybrush88, translation #2164515 by CM
- Devo leggere questo libroI have to read this book
- Leggerò il tuo rapporto attentamenteI will read your report carefully
- Mi piace sfogliare i giornali al mattinoI like to skim through newspapers in the morning
- Stavo solo sfogliando rapidamente il libro, non l'ho letto completamenteI was just quickly flipping through the book, I didn't read it entirely
- Mi piace leggere romanziI enjoy reading novels
- Ho letto il giornale stamattina e ho trovato un articolo interessanteI read the newspaper this morning and found an interesting article
- 1001 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Alessandro are sitting in a quiet cafe.
- SofiaCosa stai facendo, Alessandro?What are you doing, Alessandro?
- AlessandroSto cercando di leggere questo libro.I am trying to read this book.
- SofiaÈ un libro difficile da leggere?Is it a difficult book to read?
- AlessandroNo, Sofia, è molto semplice.No, Sofia, it is very simple.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “read” translations and entries leggere, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries leggere, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
