Meaning
to approach
- to approach, to bring near
- to pull over (a vehicle)
- to set ajar (a door, window)
- to match
In a sentence
Mi sono accostato alla finestra per guardare fuori.
I moved closer to the window to look outside.
Possiamo accostare il blu con questo grigio?
Can we match blue with this gray?
Non accostare troppo la macchina al muro.
Don't pull the car too close to the wall.
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| accostare | infinitive |
| accostiamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| accosto | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| accostate | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| accosti | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| accostano | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| accosta | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| accostavamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| accostavo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| accostavate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| accostavi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| accostavano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| accostava | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| accostammo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| accostai | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| accostaste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| accostasti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| accostarono | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| accostò | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| accosteremo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| accosterò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| accosterete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| accosterai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| accosteranno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| accosterà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| accostiamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| accosti | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| accostiate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| accosti | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| accostino | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| accosti | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| accostassimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| accostassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| accostaste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| accostassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| accostassero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| accostasse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| accosteremmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| accosterei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| accostereste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| accosteresti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| accosterebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| accosterebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| accostiamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| accostate | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| accosta | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| accostando | gerund |
| accostato | past · participle |
Usage notes
- For physical movement toward someone, avvicinarsi is more common in everyday speech; accostare can sound more formal or literary.
- With people, accostare qualcuno often implies stopping or addressing them unexpectedly, sometimes intrusively, not just casually going near.
- For comparing or pairing things, accostare is common in art, fashion, and writing: accostare colori, stili, autori.