Meaning · preposition
toward
- at about (a time)
- close to (an age)
In a sentence
Andiamo verso casa dopo il lavoro.
We're heading home after work.
Arrivo verso le otto.
I'll arrive at about eight.
Mio padre ha iniziato a correre verso i cinquant'anni.
My father started running when he was around fifty.
Usage notes
- Use 'verso' for direction (toward a place), not 'a' or 'in'. 'Vado verso Roma' (I’m going toward Rome).
- For time, 'verso' means 'around' (approximate). Avoid 'circa' unless formal. 'Verso le 3' (around 3 o’clock).
- Don’t confuse with 'contro' (against). 'Verso' is neutral/positive; 'contro' implies opposition.
Meaning · noun
verse
- verse, line (of poetry or a song)
- call, cry (of an animal, e.g. a hen's cackle, a bird's song)
- direction, way
In a sentence
Questo verso della canzone mi piace molto.
I really like this line of the song.
Hai sentito il verso dell'oca stamattina?
Did you hear the goose's cackle this morning?
Non ricordo il primo verso della poesia.
I don't remember the first verse of the poem.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|
| verso | masculine · singular |
| versi | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use 'verso' for 'verse' in poetry or songs, but 'strofa' for a stanza or section of a poem.
- For 'song,' 'verso' is less common than 'canzone'—use it for animal sounds or poetic contexts.
- Avoid confusing 'verso' (noun) with 'verso' (preposition, meaning 'toward'). Context clarifies meaning.
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