perdonare Italian · revision 38768

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=before 1250, Giacomo da Lentini|origins=la dōnum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /per.doˈna.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''perdonare''' (first-person singular present perdóno, first-person singular past historic perdonài, past participle perdonàto, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|perdōnō|alt=perdōnāre|t=to grant; to forgive]], a verb recorded in Medieval Latin from the 10th century.^(Nocentini 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(DEI|2848)^(Devoto 1968) It was formed from [[m|la|dōnō|t=to give as a gift]] with the prefix [[m|la|per-]];^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI) DELI, GRADIT, Devoto–Oli and GDLI describe it as the classical [[m|la|condōnō|t=to give up, remit]] with a change of prefix, spread by the Church in its place.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(GDLI) Devoto read the prefix as intensive, “to make a gift above all”.^(Devoto 1968)^(Gabrielli 2020) DEI and GDLI note that the verb belongs to Italy and the western Romance languages: it is [[fr|pardonner]] (recorded in 980), [[oc|perdonar]], [[ca|perdonar]], [[es|perdonar]] and [[pt|perdoar]], and also Sardinian and Engadine.^(DEI|2848)^(GDLI)^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

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+ The Latin verb is derived from [[m|la|dōnum|t=gift]], from [[ine-pro|*deh₃-no-]] or [[ine-pro|*doh₃-no-]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ GRADIT dates the verb to before 1226.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT) DELI's first record is Giacomo da Lentini, before 1250, for absolving someone of a fault, and the sense “to excuse” follows at the end of the 13th century in the ''Novellino''.^(DELI 1999) A poem of the Sicilian school ends “per che s'io fallo, il mio perdoni Amore”, “so if I fail, may Love forgive me”.^(GDLI)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ DEI records an old use for making a gift of interest already paid.^(DEI|2848) The noun ''perdono'' (13th century) took on the Church's sense, the remission of sins granted to those who visit certain shrines, and the shrine where it is granted (1300); the sense “excuse, apology” is in Tasso, before 1595.^(DELI 1999) ''Perdonanza'' is in Jacopone.^(DEI|2848) ''Perdonabile'' appears before 1729, but ''imperdonabile'' is older, from 1620.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

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+ In Dante's line “Amor, ch'a nullo amato amar perdona” the verb means “to spare, to exempt”: love excuses no one who is loved from loving in return.^(Gabrielli 2020) The intransitive ''non perdona'' is said of a hard person or of a fatal illness.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) Politeness formulas use the verb for “excuse me”: ''mi perdoni''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011) A proverb runs ''alla prima si perdona, alla seconda si bastona'', “the first time you forgive, the second you beat”.^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 980 – French ''pardonner'' is recorded.^(GDLI)

+ * Before 1226 – Italian ''perdonare'' is recorded.^(GRADIT 2003)^(DIFIT)

+ * Before 1250 – Giacomo da Lentini uses it for absolving a fault.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 13th century – The noun ''perdono'' is recorded.^(DELI 1999)

+ * End of the 13th century – The ''Novellino'' uses it for “to excuse”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1300 – ''Perdono'' is used for a Church indulgence.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1620 – ''Imperdonabile'' is recorded.^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|forgive]] (an offence, or a person for it), giving up resentment: ''Le ha perdonato la bugia.'' ''Non perdonarla a qualcuno'' is to bear a grudge.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # To [[m|en|pardon]], to give up punishing someone: ''Lo perdonarono per quello che aveva fatto.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # ''(religion)'' To remit sins.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To be indulgent towards, to overlook: ''Gli perdonano tutto perché è il più piccolo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(in polite formulas)'' To [[m|en|excuse]]: ''Perdoni, sa dov'è la stazione?''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(intransitive, usually negative)'' To spare, to show mercy: ''Il tempo non perdona.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[perdono]]

+ * [[perdonabile]]

+ * [[imperdonabile]]

+ * [[perdonanza]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[donare]]

+ * [[condonare]]

+ * [[dono]]

+ * [[la|dōnō]]

+ * [[fr|pardonner]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The verb takes a direct object for the person (''perdonare qualcuno'') or for the offence with ''a'' for the person (''perdonare qualcosa a qualcuno''); the intransitive use takes ''avere''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}