Meaning
to separate, divide, split
- to distinguish, dissociate
In a sentence
Puoi separare i vestiti bianchi da quelli scuri?
Can you separate the white clothes from the dark ones?
Non riesco a separare lavoro e vita privata.
I can't separate work and private life.
Abbiamo separato la plastica dal resto dei rifiuti.
We separated the plastic from the rest of the trash.
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| separare | infinitive |
| separiamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| separo | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| separate | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| separi | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| separano | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| separa | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| separavamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| separavo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| separavate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| separavi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| separavano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| separava | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| separammo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| separai | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| separaste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| separasti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| separarono | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| separò | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| separeremo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| separerò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| separerete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| separerai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| separeranno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| separerà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| separiamo | subjunctive · present · plural · 1st person |
| separi | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| separiate | subjunctive · present · plural · 2nd person |
| separi | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
| separino | subjunctive · present · plural · 3rd person |
| separi | subjunctive · present · singular · 3rd person |
| separassimo | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| separassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| separaste | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| separassi | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| separassero | subjunctive · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| separasse | subjunctive · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| separeremmo | conditional · present · plural · 1st person |
| separerei | conditional · present · singular · 1st person |
| separereste | conditional · present · plural · 2nd person |
| separeresti | conditional · present · singular · 2nd person |
| separerebbero | conditional · present · plural · 3rd person |
| separerebbe | conditional · present · singular · 3rd person |
| separiamo | imperative · plural · 1st person |
| separate | imperative · plural · 2nd person |
| separa | imperative · singular · 2nd person |
| separando | gerund |
| separato | past · participle |
Usage notes
- Use separare for physically or conceptually keeping things apart; dividere is more common for splitting into parts or sharing.
- For relationships, Italians often say separarsi: Si sono separati. It takes essere in compound tenses.
- Distinguish from distinguere: separare means keep apart; distinguere means tell apart or recognize differences.