Meaning
to dictate, to set
- to dictate (words to be written)
- to set, to impose (rules, conditions)
- to inspire, to prompt
In a sentence
La prof detta le risposte, io scrivo veloce.
The teacher dictates the answers, I write quickly.
Chi detta le regole in questa casa?
Who sets the rules in this house?
Non dettare tu il finale del mio messaggio.
Don't dictate the ending of my message.
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| dettare | infinitive |
| dettiamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| detto | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| dettate | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| detti | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| dettano | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| detta | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| dettavamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| dettavo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| dettavate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| dettavi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| dettavano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| dettava | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| dettammo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| dettai | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| dettaste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| dettasti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| dettarono | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| dettò | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| detteremo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| detterò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| detterete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| detterai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| detteranno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| detterà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| dettiamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| detti | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| dettiate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| detti | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| dettino | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| detti | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| dettassimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| dettassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| dettaste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| dettassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| dettassero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| dettasse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| detteremmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| detterei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| dettereste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| detteresti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| detterebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| detterebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| dettiamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| dettate | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| detta | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| dettando | gerund |
| dettato | past · participle |
Usage notes
- For school-style dictation, use dettare; dire or leggere are broader and usually not interchangeable.
- For imposing rules or terms, dettare sounds more formal and stronger than imporre or stabilire.
- Dettare takes avere in compound tenses: ha dettato, not è dettato.