Meaning
dark, gloomy
- deep (of sound or voice)
- morose, sullen
In a sentence
Oggi il cielo è cupo e fa freddo.
Today the sky is dark and it's cold.
Perché hai una voce così cupa stamattina?
Why is your voice so deep this morning?
Da ieri Marco è rimasto cupo e parla poco.
Since yesterday Marco has stayed taciturn and speaks little.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| cupo | masculine · singular |
| cupa | feminine · singular |
| cupi | masculine · plural |
| cupe | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- For colors, skies, or mood, cupo sounds stronger and more literary than scuro. Scuro is the everyday choice for simple visual darkness.
- With sounds, cupo is very common: voce cupa, suono cupo, rombo cupo. Basso means low-pitched, not necessarily ominous or muffled.
- For people, cupo suggests gloomy or closed-off. Taciturno is more neutral: quiet by character, without the negative emotional weight.