prendere

See also: prenderé

Italian

Etymology

Inherited from Latin prēndere, from earlier prehendere, from prae- (“before”) + *hendere (“take, seize”) (not attested without a prefix), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰed-.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈprɛn.de.re/
Audio: (file)
Rhymes: -ɛndere
Hyphenation: prèn‧de‧re

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

Conjugation of prèndere (root-stressed -ere; irregular) (See Appendix:Italian verbs)

person	singular			plural
infinitive	prèndere
auxiliary verb		avére, èssere¹	gerund		prendèndo
present participle		prendènte	past participle		préso
person	first	second	third	first	second	third
indicative	io	tu	lui/lei, esso/essa	noi	voi	loro, essi/esse
present	prèndo	prèndi	prènde	prendiàmo	prendéte	prèndono
imperfect	prendévo	prendévi	prendéva	prendevàmo	prendevàte	prendévano
past historic	prési	prendésti	prése	prendémmo	prendéste	présero
future	prenderò	prenderài	prenderà	prenderémo	prenderéte	prenderànno
conditional	io	tu	lui/lei, esso/essa	noi	voi	loro, essi/esse
present	prenderèi	prenderésti	prenderèbbe, prenderébbe	prenderémmo	prenderéste	prenderèbbero, prenderébbero
subjunctive	che io	che tu	che lui/che lei, che esso/che essa	che noi	che voi	che loro, che essi/che esse
present	prènda	prènda	prènda	prendiàmo	prendiàte	prèndano
imperfect	prendéssi	prendéssi	prendésse	prendéssimo	prendéste	prendéssero
imperative	—	tu	Lei	noi	voi	Loro
imperative		prèndi	prènda	prendiàmo	prendéte	prèndano
negative imperative		non prèndere	non prènda	non prendiàmo	non prendéte	non prèndano

¹Also in the meaning "to happen unexpectedly".

Derived terms

Related terms

Anagrams

perderne

Latin

Pronunciation 1

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /preːnˈdeː.re/, [preːn̪ˈd̪eːrɛ]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /prenˈde.re/, [pren̪ˈd̪ɛːre]

Verb

prēndēre

inflection of prēndō:
1. third-person plural perfect active indicative
2. second-person singular future passive indicative

Pronunciation 2

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈpreːn.de.re/, [ˈpreːn̪d̪ɛrɛ]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpren.de.re/, [ˈprɛn̪d̪ere]

Verb

prēndere

inflection of prēndō:
1. present active infinitive
2. second-person singular present passive imperative/indicative

Italian

Etymology

Pronunciation

Verb

Conjugation

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

Anagrams

Latin

Pronunciation 1

Verb

Pronunciation 2

Verb