Meaning
to caress, stroke
- to stroke, to caress, to pet
- to toy with, to entertain (an idea, dream)
In a sentence
Accarezzo il gatto mentre guardo la tv.
I stroke the cat while I watch TV.
Non accarezzare troppo l'idea di lasciare tutto.
Don't dwell too much on the idea of leaving everything.
Da anni accarezza il sogno di aprire un ristorante.
For years he has entertained the dream of opening a restaurant.
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| accarezzare | infinitive |
| accarezziamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| accarezzo | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| accarezzate | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| accarezzi | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| accarezzano | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| accarezza | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| accarezzavamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| accarezzavo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| accarezzavate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| accarezzavi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| accarezzavano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| accarezzava | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| accarezzammo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| accarezzai | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| accarezzaste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| accarezzasti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| accarezzarono | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| accarezzò | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| accarezzeremo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| accarezzerò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| accarezzerete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| accarezzerai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| accarezzeranno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| accarezzerà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| accarezziamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| accarezzi | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| accarezziate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| accarezzi | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| accarezzino | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| accarezzi | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| accarezzassimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| accarezzassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| accarezzaste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| accarezzassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| accarezzassero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| accarezzasse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| accarezzeremmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| accarezzerei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| accarezzereste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| accarezzeresti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| accarezzerebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| accarezzerebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| accarezziamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| accarezzate | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| accarezza | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| accarezzando | gerund |
| accarezzato | past · participle |
Usage notes
- Use with a direct object: accarezzare il gatto, accarezzarsi i capelli. For romantic kissing or hugging, use baciare or abbracciare instead.
- Figurative use is common in writing and journalism: accarezzare un'idea, accarezzare un sogno. In casual speech, pensare a is often more natural.
- It can also mean flattering someone for advantage: accarezzare l'ego, accarezzare qualcuno. This use is more literary than everyday adulare.