Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| radere | /ˈra.de.re/ |
| rasare | /raˈza.re/ /raˈsa.re/ |
The verb describes the action of removing hair. When talking about shaving-related items, you might use rasoio for razor, crema da barba for shaving cream, dopo barba for aftershave or pennello da barba for shaving brush. To describe someone who is clean-shaven, you can use the adjective rasato. While radere and rasare are the verbs for the action, the most common way to say one is shaving their beard is the idiomatic expression farsi la barba.
Which one should you use?
radere is a more formal or technical term, often used when describing shaving a surface or in medical and technical contexts. rasare is also used for the action of shaving.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both radere and rasare are transitive verbs, which means they require a direct object (the thing being shaved) or a reflexive construction (shaving oneself).
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈra.de.re/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- The verb rasare is used not only for hair but also to describe leveling a building to the ground, as in rasare al suolo.
- The word rasare is a 'frequentative' form of the Latin verb, meaning it was historically used to emphasize the repetition or intensity of the scraping action.
- The term dopo barba literally translates to 'after beard', which is the standard way to refer to aftershave.
Examples in context
- Mi sono fatto rasare e tagliare i capelli.I got a shave and a haircut.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use rasare when describing getting a shave and a haircut.Tatoeba #2821998 by Guybrush88, translation #318212 by CK
- Devo radere la barba ogni mattina.I have to shave my beard every morning.
- Usa questo rasoio per radere i peli del viso.Use this razor to shave the facial hair.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Martina are discussing their morning routines.
- MatteoQuanto tempo ci metti a radere il viso?How long does it take you to shave your face?
- MartinaDi solito ci metto solo cinque minuti.Usually it only takes me five minutes.
- MatteoIo invece non uso il rasoio.I, on the other hand, don't use a razor.
- MartinaAllora usi la ceretta?So do you use wax?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shave” translations and entries radere, rasare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries radere, rasare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
