salutare
/sa.luˈta.re/
The English phrase 'send off' in Italian is salutare.
In sports such as soccer, the term 'send off' refers to the act of giving a player a red card. The correct verb for expelling a player from a match is espellere.
Meaning: sports, soccer: to give someone a red card (verb)
Which one should you use?
In a sports context, you should use espellere for the verb 'to send off'. If you are referring to the act of a player being sent off (the noun), use espulsione.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions of Italy, particularly in the North, the English phrase 'Bye-bye' is used as an informal way to say farewell.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /sa.luˈta.re/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use salutare to mean 'send off' in a sports context. In standard Italian, salutare primarily means 'to say goodbye' or 'to greet'.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word salute means both 'health' and 'cheers' when drinking. This links the act of greeting someone to wishing them good health.
- The verb salutare comes from the Latin word 'salus', which means 'health' or 'safety'.
- In Italian, the act of greeting someone with a kiss on both cheeks is a cultural gesture that often accompanies the verb salutare.
Examples in context
- Abbiamo salutato amichevolmente i nostri ospiti prima della loro partenza.We said goodbye in a friendly manner to our guests before their departure.
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are watching a soccer match on TV.
- MartinaGuarda! L'arbitro sta per salutare il capitano!Look! The referee is about to send off the captain!
- AlessandroNon è possibile, era solo un fallo leggero.It's not possible, it was only a light foul.
- MartinaInvece l'ha salutato davvero, ecco il cartellino rosso.Actually, he really sent him off, here is the red card.
- AlessandroOra la partita sarà molto più difficile.Now the match will be much harder.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry salutare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salutare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
