diventare
Wordform Details
Translation: to becometo turn intoto get
Part of Speech: verb
Inflection Type:
infinitiveIs Dictionary Form: Yes
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma: diventare
Translation: to become; to turn into; to get; to grow (verb)
Etymology: From Latin 'deventare', a frequentative form of 'devenire' (to arrive at, to reach), which combines 'de' (down, from) and 'venire' (to come). The evolution shows how the concept of 'arriving at a state' transformed into 'becoming'. English words like 'venture' and 'advent' share the Latin root 'venire', though with different semantic developments.
Example Usage
Voglio diventare medico.
I want to become a doctor.
L'acqua diventa ghiaccio a zero gradi.
Water becomes ice at zero degrees.
Con l'età è diventato più saggio.
With age, he has become wiser.
Sta diventando buio.
It's getting dark.
Il cielo è diventato scuro.
The sky has turned dark.
Con l'età, diventiamo più saggi.
With age, we become wiser.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'invent' with a 'd' - when you invent something, you're making it 'become' something new.
- Di-vent-are: imagine air (vent) causing something to change or 'become' different.
- The 'vent' in diventare can remind you of 'event' - events often cause things to become different.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Cultural Context
A fundamental verb in Italian that's used extensively in everyday conversation. It's one of the first verbs Italian learners encounter when discussing changes in state, personal development, or transformations.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'diventare' is the common everyday verb for 'to become', 'divenire' is its more literary and formal equivalent. They have the same meaning but different registers.
Confused word:
Il suo divenire artista fu un processo lungo.
His becoming an artist was a long process.
Notes: 'Diventare' is much more common in everyday speech and writing.
Mnemonic: 'Diventare' ends with '-are' like many common Italian verbs, while 'divenire' ends with '-ire' which often marks more formal verbs.
Explanation: 'Diventare' means 'to become' or 'to turn into' (a change of state or condition), while 'cambiare' means 'to change' (which can refer to replacing something or modifying it).
Notes: 'Diventare' requires a complement that describes what something becomes, while 'cambiare' can stand alone or take a direct object.
Mnemonic: Think of 'diventare' as transformation (becoming something else) and 'cambiare' as substitution or modification.