Meaning
caress
- pat, pet (on an animal)
In a sentence
Il bambino vuole una carezza prima di dormire.
The child wants a caress before sleeping.
Hai fatto una carezza al gatto?
Did you pet the cat?
Non mi basta una carezza, voglio parlare.
A caress isn't enough for me, I want to talk.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| carezza | feminine · singular |
| carezze | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use dare una carezza for a gentle touch; accarezzare is the verb. Learners often overuse fare una carezza.
- Often followed by a + body part: una carezza ai capelli, al viso. Use article + noun, not a possessive in many contexts.
- For animals, carezza is fine, but coccola suggests affectionate cuddling or pampering, not just the hand movement.