Meaning
to sink, to collapse
- to sink deeply into a soft surface, liquid, or hollow
- to collapse inward or cave in (ground, structures)
- figuratively, to become immersed or fall into an intense state (e.g. despair, sleep)
In a sentence
Dopo una lunga giornata di lavoro, è sprofondato subito nel divano.
After a long day of work, he sank straight into the sofa.
Il vecchio ponteggio è sprofondato nel fango durante la notte.
The old scaffolding collapsed into the mud during the night.
Temi che la strada possa sprofondare a causa delle piogge?
Do you fear the road might cave in because of the rain?
Word forms (48)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| sprofondare | infinitive |
| sprofondo | indicative · present · singular · 1st person |
| sprofondi | indicative · present · singular · 2nd person |
| sprofonda | indicative · present · singular · 3rd person |
| sprofondiamo | indicative · present · plural · 1st person |
| sprofondate | indicative · present · plural · 2nd person |
| sprofondano | indicative · present · plural · 3rd person |
| sprofondavo | indicative · imperfect · singular · 1st person |
| sprofondavi | indicative · imperfect · singular · 2nd person |
| sprofondava | indicative · imperfect · singular · 3rd person |
| sprofondavamo | indicative · imperfect · plural · 1st person |
| sprofondavate | indicative · imperfect · plural · 2nd person |
| sprofondavano | indicative · imperfect · plural · 3rd person |
| sprofondai | indicative · past · singular · 1st person |
| sprofondasti | indicative · past · singular · 2nd person |
| sprofondò | indicative · past · singular · 3rd person |
| sprofondammo | indicative · past · plural · 1st person |
| sprofondaste | indicative · past · plural · 2nd person |
| sprofondarono | indicative · past · plural · 3rd person |
| sprofonderò | indicative · future · singular · 1st person |
| sprofonderai | indicative · future · singular · 2nd person |
| sprofonderà | indicative · future · singular · 3rd person |
| sprofonderemo | indicative · future · plural · 1st person |
| sprofonderete | indicative · future · plural · 2nd person |
| sprofonderanno | indicative · future · plural · 3rd person |
| sprofondi | subjunctive · present · singular · 1st person |
| sprofondi | subjunctive · present · singular · 2nd person |
Usage notes
- Takes 'essere' when intransitive ('il terreno è sprofondato').
- Can also be used transitively with 'avere' meaning to plunge or thrust something deep.