indossare
/in.dosˈsa.re/
To wear in Italian is indossare.
Indossare means to have clothing or accessories on one's body. A common way to use this verb is in the phrase indossare una camicia, which means to wear a shirt.
Which one should you use?
While indossare specifically refers to having clothing on your body, the verb portare is a very common synonym used in everyday Italian to mean to wear. Additionally, portare is often used when referring to wearing or carrying accessories.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /in.dosˈsa.re/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The verb indossare is built from the word dosso, which means 'back'. Historically, it literally meant to place something upon one's back.
- While indossare is for clothing, the synonym portare also means 'to carry' or 'to bring'. This means the same verb is used for wearing a hat and carrying a suitcase.
- In Italian, you do not 'wear' a perfume or a scent using indossare. Instead, you portare a fragrance, as if you are carrying the scent with you.
Examples in context
- Vuoi indossare un kimono?Do you want to wear a kimono?This sentence is useful for asking if someone wants to wear a kimono using indossare.Tatoeba #4651202 by Guybrush88, translation #2013494 by CK
- Non ho nulla da indossare.I don't have anything to wear.This sentence is useful for expressing that you have nothing to wear using indossare.Tatoeba #3151778 by Guybrush88, translation #1976118 by CK
- Devo indossare una cravatta?Do I need to wear a tie?This sentence is useful for asking if you need to wear a tie using indossare.Tatoeba #13071623 by Guybrush88, translation #2145887 by Maralula
- Indossi sempre abiti eleganti.You always wear elegant clothes.
- Il signore indossa un completo grigio.The gentleman is wearing a gray suit.
- Indossiamo cravatte per l'occasione.We are wearing ties for the occasion.
- Oggi metti una maglietta colorata.Today you are wearing a colorful T-shirt.
- Sì, porto sempre le tue scarpe preferite.Yes, I always wear your favorite shoes.
- Mi sono messa addosso una giaccaI put a jacket on.
- 142 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lorenzo and Chiara are deciding what to wear to a party.
- LorenzoCosa vuoi indossare stasera, Chiara?What do you want to wear tonight, Chiara?
- ChiaraVorrei indossare il mio vestito rosso.I would like to wear my red dress.
- LorenzoÈ perfetto per l'occasione.It is perfect for the occasion.
- ChiaraE tu cosa indosserai?And what will you wear?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry indossare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries indossare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
