capire
/kaˈpi.re/
To understand in Italian is expressed by the verb capire. Wiktionary also lists comprendere and intendere.
Meaning: to grasp the meaning of (verb)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| capire | /kaˈpi.re/ |
| comprendere | /komˈprɛn.de.re/ |
| intendere | /inˈtɛn.de.re/ |
The phrase is used to describe the act of grasping the meaning of something.
Which one should you use?
capire is the most common, everyday way to say 'to understand' or 'to get' something. comprendere is more formal and often implies a deeper, more intellectual comprehension or the act of 'including' something. intendere is a formal term often used in the sense of 'to mean' or 'to intend'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The first-person singular present indicative of capire is capisco (I understand). The past participle is capito, which is frequently used alone as an interjection to mean 'Understood?' or 'Got it?'
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of capire is /kaˈpi.re/. It has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- The word capito is often used as a sharp, one-word question in cinema and literature to demand submission or obedience.
- The verb capire is a distant relative of the English word 'grab'. It originally meant to 'seize' or 'grab' something, suggesting that understanding is a mental act of seizing an idea.
- In Catalan, the word capir is used for 'to understand', mirroring the Italian capire more closely than its Spanish neighbor.
Examples in context
- Che c'è da capire?What is there to understand?This sentence shows how to ask what there is to understand using capire.Tatoeba #1437900 by Guybrush88, translation #1437906 by caspian
- Tom ci può capire.Tom can understand us.This sentence illustrates a person being able to understand someone using capire.Tatoeba #3784135 by valealb, translation #2646464 by CK
- Mi aiuti a capire!Help me understand!This sentence is an example of asking for help to understand using capire.Tatoeba #6158169 by Guybrush88, translation #6157153 by amoeba
- Capisco completamente ciò che hai dettoI completely understand what you said
- Sappiamo quanto sia importanteWe understand how important it is
- Non capisco il problemaI don't understand the problem
- Ho capito tuttoI understood everything
- Ho capito ciò che intendi con quella fraseI understand what you mean with that sentence
- Intenderci senza parlareUnderstand each other without speaking
- 570 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo is explaining a complex math problem to Martina.
- MartinaMatteo, non riesco a capire questo esercizio.Matteo, I can't understand this exercise.
- MatteoTi spiego tutto, non preoccuparti.I will explain everything to you, don't worry.
- MartinaGrazie, spero di capire presto.Thanks, I hope to understand soon.
- MatteoVedrai che capirai facilmente.You'll see that you will understand easily.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “understand” translations and entries capire, comprendere, intendere, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries capire, comprendere, intendere, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
