profumare
/pro.fuˈma.re/
To smell good in Italian is profumare.
The verb profumare is used to describe having a pleasant or sweet scent. Unlike the English verb 'to smell', which can be used for neutral or unpleasant odors, profumare inherently carries a positive connotation. To specify what something smells like, use the preposition di after the verb, such as profuma di rose (it smells of roses).
How does it change in a sentence?
You can use different conjugations of profumare depending on the subject: the third-person singular profuma is used to say 'it smells good' or 'he/she smells good', and the third-person plural profumano is used to say 'they smell good'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /pro.fuˈma.re/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The verb profumare can be used figuratively to describe a situation that looks promising. For example, a deal that profuma di successo literally 'smells of success'.
- If someone is smelling particularly good, an Italian might say profumi di pulito, which literally means 'you smell of clean'. This is a common cultural compliment that equates a good scent with hygiene.
- The verb profumare can also be used figuratively to mean 'to flavor' or 'to spice' something, such as a dish with herbs.
Examples in context
- Mi piace quando la casa profuma di fiori freschi.I love it when the house smells of fresh flowers.
- Il prato è profumato dopo la pioggia.The meadow is scented after the rain.
- Quel nuovo profumo ha davvero un buon profumo.That new perfume really has a good fragrance.
- Questo pane appena sfornato odorava di paradiso!This freshly baked bread smelled like heaven!
- Mi piace come questa torta dolce profuma di vaniglia.I love how this sweet cake smells of vanilla.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry profumare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
