pentimento
/pen.tiˈmen.to/masculine
The English word repentance can be translated into Italian as pentimento or rimorso.
Meaning: condition of being repentant, penitent, feeling remorse (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pentimento | /pen.tiˈmen.to/ | masculine |
| rimorso | /riˈmɔr.so/ | masculine |
The term for repentance in Italian depends on whether you are discussing a moral change of heart or the emotional pain of guilt. Furthermore, in the specific field of art history, pentimento is used to describe a visible trace where an artist has changed a brushstroke or a detail in a painting.
Which one should you use?
pentimento is used to describe the act of repenting or a change of heart, often within a religious or moral context. In contrast, rimorso refers specifically to the emotional state of feeling guilt or regret, which is better translated as remorse.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both pentimento and rimorso are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word pentimento has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /pen.tiˈmen.to/.
Did you know?
- While rimorso translates to 'remorse', it literally means 'to be bitten back' from the verb rimordere, suggesting that guilt is like a physical bite that does not let go.
- The verb used for repentance, pentirsi, is reflexive, meaning that in Italian, you do not just repent, you 'repent yourself'.
- The suffix in pentimento is the same '-mento' used in many English words like 'argument' or 'movement', which turns a verb into a noun representing the result or the state of an action.
Examples in context
- Mi pento dell'errore commesso. Farò tutto il possibile per correggerlo.I repent for the mistake I made. I will do everything I can to correct it.
- Il suo pentimento è arrivato troppo tardi.His repentance arrived too late.
- Dimostra il tuo pentimento con le azioni.Show your repentance through your actions.
- Non c'è traccia di pentimento nel suo sguardo.There is no trace of repentance in his gaze.
Example conversation
Giulia and Matteo are discussing a friend's apology.
- GiuliaHai parlato con lui ieri?Did you talk to him yesterday?
- MatteoSì, ha mostrato molto pentimento per ciò che ha fatto.Yes, he showed a lot of repentance for what he did.
- GiuliaCredi che sia davvero dispiaciuto?Do you believe he is truly sorry?
- MatteoSì, Matteo, penso che sia sincero.Yes, Matteo, I think he is sincere.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “repentance” translations and entries pentimento, rimorso, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pentimento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
