Verb
prèndere (first-person singular present prèndo, first-person singular past historic prési, past participle préso, auxiliary avére or (also in the meaning "to happen unexpectedly") èssere)
- (transitive) to take, hold, pick up, get
gli studenti prendono appunti- the students take notes
prese la fidanzata e la avvicinò a sé- he took his girlfriend and brought her closer to him
- prendere la paga ― to take the paycheck
- Synonyms: tenere, agguantare, stringere, afferrare, impugnare, brandire, ghermire, pigliare
- (transitive) to conquer (of a political territory or entity)
- Synonyms: conquistare, occupare, espugnare
- (transitive) to take (a means of transport)
- prendere il treno ― to take the train
- (transitive, by extension) to choose (a certain route or path)
- prendere la scorciatoia ― to take the shortcut
- Synonyms: immettersi, incanalarsi, infilare, avviarsi, affacciarsi
- (transitive) to catch (a criminal, animal, etc.)
- prendere un latitante ― to catch a fugitive
- prendere una lepre ― to catch a hare
- Synonyms: catturare, arrestare, acchiappare, acciuffare
- (transitive, by extension) to catch (an illness)
- prendere un raffreddore ― to catch a cold
- Synonym: contrarre
- (informal, transitive) to be beat up or defeated
- Synonym: prenderle
- (transitive) to get, buy
- Synonyms: acquistare, comprare, comperare, procurarsi
- (transitive, informal) to steal
gli hanno preso il telefono- they stole his phone (from him)
- Synonyms: sgraffignare, derubare, fregare
- (transitive) to assume (a task, responsibility, etc.)
- prendere un compito ― to take up a task
- Synonym: assumere
- (transitive) to hit or strike
- prendere il bersaglio ― to hit the target
- prendergli una gamba ― to hit his leg
- Synonyms: colpire, battere, percuotere, ferire, danneggiare, ledere
- (of a target) Synonyms: colpire, azzeccare, imbroccare
- (transitive) to hit or strike [with a ‘with/using’]
- prendere a calci ― to kick (literally, “to hit with kicks”)
- prendere a pugni ― to punch (literally, “to hit with punches”)
- (transitive) to eat, drink, ingest (of food, drink, medicine, etc.)
- Synonyms: ingerire, assumere, bere, mangiare, servirsi
- (transitive, informal) to romantically attract
i suoi occhi mi presero- I fell in love with his eyes
- (literally, “his eyes attracted me”)
- Synonyms: attirare, attrarre, conquistare, stregare, innamorare, abbagliare, incantare, sedurre, allettare, ammaliare, rapire, estasiare
- (transitive) to acquire (a characteristic)
il latte ha preso un sapore acido- the milk acquired an acidic taste
- Synonyms: ereditare, derivare, acquisire
- (transitive) to pursue (a vocation)
- prendere ingegneria ― to pursue engineering
- (transitive) to measure
la mamma gli ha preso la temperatura- the mother took his temperature
dobbiamo prendere la lunghezza del percorso- we have to measure the length of the course
- (transitive) to pick up, receive (a radio, TV, telegraphic, etc. transmission)
- prendere il segnale ― to pick up the signal
- Synonyms: captare, ricevere
- (transitive) to feel (an emotion)
- prendere corraggio ― to hearten (literally, “feel courage”)
- prendere fiducia ― to trust (literally, “feel trust”)
lo prendo in simpatia- I look kindly on him
- (literally, “I feel him in pleasantness”)
- (transitive) to take hold of, seize, or strike (someone) (of a sensation, feeling, etc.)
una terribile paura gli ha preso- a terrible fear struck him
- (transitive, informal) to occupy or take up (space or time)
quel dipinto prende tutto il muro- that painting takes up the entire wall
- Synonym: occupare
- (transitive, informal, by extension) to occupy someone's mind
- è preso dalla matematica ― he is obsessed with math
- (transitive) to require (energy, effort, etc.)
un'impresa che prende tutte le vostre energie- an undertaking that requires all of your energy
- (transitive) (sometimes with per) to take for or confuse
- Synonyms: scambiare, confondere, credere, ritenere
- (transitive) to interpret
- prendere la legge alla lettera ― to interpret the law to the letter
- Synonyms: interpretare, intendere, scegliere, adottare
- (transitive) to choose (someone for a role, job, etc.); to hire
- l'hanno preso per bidello ― they hired him as a janitor
- (transitive) to treat (someone) (in a certain way)
mi hanno preso a male parole- they insulted me
- (literally, “treated me with bad words”)
- (transitive) to accept
ora si deve prendere la vita come viene- now we have to take life for what it is
- (intransitive) (with a or per) to move (towards); to head (for) [auxiliary avere]
- prendere a destra ― to turn right
- (intransitive) (with a + inf.) to begin [auxiliary avere]
da quel giorno prese ad amarla- from that day, he began to love her
- (intransitive) to begin to burn [auxiliary avere] (of a fire)
- Synonym: appiccare
- (construction, intransitive) to adhere to the building materials by hardening; to take hold [auxiliary avere] (of a binder)
- Synonyms: attaccare, indurire, fare presa, solidificarsi
- (intransitive) to take root [auxiliary avere] (of a plant)
- (intransitive) to happen unexpectedly [auxiliary essere or avere]
- Synonyms: capitare, accadere, sopraggiungere
- (vulgar, slang) in the form "prenderlo", literally "to take it": to be penetrated sexually
Conjugation
More information infinitive, auxiliary verb ...
Close
1Also in the meaning "to happen unexpectedly".
Further reading
- prendere in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana