Meaning
to flatter
- to praise someone insincerely, especially to gain an advantage
In a sentence
Cerca sempre di adulare i suoi superiori per ottenere favori.
He always tries to flatter his superiors to get favours.
Non serve a niente adularmi: la mia decisione è già presa.
Flattering me won't help: my decision is already made.
Perché lo aduli così tanto se sai che sbaglia?
Why do you flatter him so much if you know he is wrong?
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| adulare | infinitive |
| adulo | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| aduli | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| adula | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| aduliamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| adulate | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| adulano | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| adulavo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| adulavi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| adulava | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| adulavamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| adulavate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| adulavano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| adulai | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| adulasti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| adulò | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| adulammo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| adulaste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| adularono | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| adulerò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| adulerai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| adulerà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| aduleremo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| adulerete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| aduleranno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| aduli | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| aduli | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| aduli | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| aduliamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| aduliate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| adulino | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| adulassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| adulassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| adulasse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| adulassimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| adulaste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| adulassero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| adulerei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| aduleresti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| adulerebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| aduleremmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| adulereste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| adulerebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| adula | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| aduliamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| adulate | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| adulando | gerund |
| adulato | past · participle |
Usage notes
- Carries a negative connotation of false or servile praise, stronger than 'fare complimenti'.