imparare Italian · revision 37938

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1313–1319, Dante|origins=la parō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /im.paˈra.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''imparare''' (first-person singular present impàro, first-person singular past historic imparài, past participle imparàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ An old variant is [[roa-oit|emparare]].^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-vul|*imparō|alt=*imparāre|t=to acquire, take possession of]], a verb of spoken Latin formed with [[m|la|in-]] on [[la|parō|t=to prepare; to procure]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The sense “to learn” grew out of “to acquire” (knowledge), as it did in [[apprendere]].^(DELI 1999)^(DEI|1954) Outside Italian the verb lives on in [[sc|imparare]], which means “to teach”, and in the Romansh of the Surselva, [[rm|ampra]] “to learn”, while [[ca|emprar]] took the senses “to borrow; to use”.^(REW 1935)^(DEI|1954)

+

+ The older language also had [[roa-oit|apparare]] “to learn”, from [[la|apparō]], the classical verb with the same base.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(DEI|1954) De Vaan explains the Latin verb as a denominative of a noun [[ine-pro|*prh₃-o-|t=providing]], related to [[grc|ἔπορον|tr=époron|t=provided, gave]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record is an absolute use in Dante (1313–1319), who uses the verb with certainty only once in his works.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) The sense “to gain knowledge by study, practice or observation” follows in Domenico Cavalca (before 1342), and “to learn by experience” in Petrarch (1374).^(DELI 1999) Zingarelli dates the word earlier, to before 1257.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 16th century the verb was also used for “to teach”, by Gelli, Luigi Alamanni and Cecchi among others.^(Prati 1951|549) That sense survives in central and southern Italian and in popular speech, as in Pasolini's “mbè te lo imparo”, but Treccani calls it widespread and wrong.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) In the centre and south the verb can also mean “to come to know, find out”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ The noun ''imparaticcio'', knowledge picked up in a hurried and shallow way, is recorded in the Crusca dictionary of 1691, and Magalotti (before 1712) used it for a piece of work done for practice.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) ''Disimparare'' “to unlearn” goes back to the 16th century.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Prati 1951|549) Two proverbs are common: ''sbagliando s'impara'' (one learns by making mistakes) and ''impara l'arte e mettila da parte'' (learn a skill and put it aside, as it may be useful one day).^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Before 1257 – Zingarelli's date for the first record.^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses ''imparare'' without an object.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+ * Before 1342 – Domenico Cavalca uses it for learning by study.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1374 – Petrarch uses it for learning by experience.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 16th century – ''Disimparare'' is recorded, and writers such as Gelli use ''imparare'' for “to teach”.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Prati 1951|549)

+ * 1691 – ''Imparaticcio'' appears in the third Crusca dictionary.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|learn]] by study or practice, to get by heart: ''Sto imparando il tedesco da due anni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(transitive, with'' a ''and an infinitive)'' To learn how to do something: ''Mio figlio ha imparato a nuotare quest'estate.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(transitive or absolute)'' To learn from [[m|en|experience]]: ''imparare a proprie spese'', to learn the hard way, and ''così impari!'', that will teach you.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(regional, central and southern Italy)'' To come to know, find out.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(regional, popular)'' To [[m|en|teach]].^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[imparaticcio]]

+ * [[disimparare]]

+ * [[imparacchiare]]

+ * [[reimparare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[apprendere]]

+ * [[parare]]

+ * [[la|paro]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Imparare a memoria'' or ''a mente'' means “to learn by heart”.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011) The use for “to teach” is regional and is treated as an error in the standard language.^(Treccani 2011)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}