cucire
/kuˈt͡ʃi.re/
To sew in Italian is cucire.
The verb cucire means to use a needle to sew. While it specifically refers to the act of sewing, it can also be used more broadly to mean to tailor or to stitch together. Related terms include sarto for a tailor, ago for a needle, filo for thread and stoffa for fabric.
Meaning: (transitive) use a needle (verb)
Which one should you use?
The noun cucitura refers to a seam or a stitch.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of cucire is cucito, which means sewn.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable: /kuˈtʃi.re/.
Did you know?
- The phrase cucire is used in the idiom cucire addosso, which means to falsely attribute a crime or a mistake to someone, like 'stitching' a lie onto them.
- The English word 'suture' shares the same distant ancestor as the Italian cucire, tracing back to the Latin 'consuere'.
- While cucire is the general verb, Italians use the specific term rammendare when they are sewing to repair a hole, known as darning.
Examples in context
- Sai cucire un bottone?Can you sew a button on?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has the ability to use cucire to attach a button.Tatoeba #10966265 by Bethanielle, translation #8910423 by sundown
- Potrebbe gentilmente cucire questo bottone?Could you kindly sew this button?
- Mia nonna era una sarta professionista, sapeva cucire abiti meravigliosi!My grandmother was a professional dressmaker, she knew how to sew marvelous clothes!
- Sai cucire? Ho una camicia da sistemare.Do you know how to sew? I have a shirt that needs fixing.
- Devo cucire questa gonna nuova.I have to sew this new skirt.
- Mia nonna sa cucire molto bene.My grandmother knows how to sew very well.
Example conversation
Giulia is asking Lorenzo for help with a damaged piece of clothing.
- GiuliaLorenzo, sai cucire un buco nel tessuto?Lorenzo, do you know how to sew a hole in the fabric?
- LorenzoNon sono bravo a cucire, ma ci posso provare.I am not good at sewing, but I can try.
- GiuliaGrazie, è un problema urgente.Thank you, it is an urgent problem.
- LorenzoNessun problema, dammi l'ago e il filo.No problem, give me the needle and the thread.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sew” translations and entries cucire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cucire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
