soffocare
/sof.foˈka.re/
The English phrase 'suffocate' is soffocare in Italian.
soffocare means to suffer from severely reduced oxygen intake to the body. Like in English, it can be used both literally for a lack of oxygen and figuratively to describe being overwhelmed by emotions or a stifling atmosphere. When expressing the cause of suffocation, such as heat or smoke, the preposition da is commonly used, for example, soffocare dal caldo (to suffocate from the heat).
Meaning: (intransitive) to suffer from severely reduced oxygen intake to the body (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
soffocare is a regular -are verb. The past participle of soffocare is soffocato.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /sof.foˈka.re/.
Did you know?
- In culinary contexts, if a chef says they are soffocando an ingredient, they are not killing it, but rather cooking it gently under a lid to retain moisture.
- The word soffocare shares the same Latin root as the English word 'suffocate', specifically from 'focus', meaning 'fireplace' or 'hearth'.
- The Italian expression soffocare di noia means 'to be bored to death', treating boredom as a physical lack of air.
Examples in context
- Credevo di soffocare sul treno affollato.I thought I was going to suffocate on the crowded train.Tatoeba #350499 by martin, translation #322633 by CK
- Ho paura di soffocare in quel piccolo ambiente chiuso.I'm scared of suffocating in that small, enclosed space.
- La maschera che indossavo mi faceva soffocare.The mask I was wearing was suffocating me.
- Questa stanza non ha finestre, mi sento senza aria.This room has no windows. I feel suffocated.
- L'aria è così densa che rischio di soffocare.The air is so thick that I risk suffocating.
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Martina are in a very small, hot room.
- LorenzoApri la finestra, per favore.Open the window, please.
- MartinaPerché, Lorenzo? Non fa freddo.Why, Lorenzo? It's not cold.
- LorenzoSento che sto per soffocare qui dentro.I feel like I'm about to suffocate in here.
- MartinaHai ragione, Martina lo apre subito.You're right, Martina will open it right away.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry soffocare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries soffocare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
