Six Italian words with opposite meanings

How proficient are you in Italian?

Did you know that there are some Italian words with opposite meanings?

Nope?

Well, today you’ll learn six Italian words with opposite meanings.

1. TIRARE

Tirare is a very common Italian verb that carries two opposite meanings. Indeed, tirare can mean both to exert force to move something toward yourself, and to exert force to move something away from yourself.

Examples:

Se continui a tirare la maniglia, si staccherà
If you keep pulling the door handle, it will come off

Lucia ha tirato un sasso alla finestra
Lucia threw a stone at the window

2. SPOLVERARE

Spolverare is another common Italian verb with opposite meanings. Indeed, spolverare can mean both to remove the dust from a surface and to sprinkle a powdered substance on to something.

Examples:

Stavo spolverando la libreria, quando qualcuno suonò il campanello
I was dusting the bookshelf when someone rang the bell

Spolverate la torta con lo zucchero a velo
Dust the cake with powdered sugar

3. AFFITTARE

Affittare is one of those Italian words with opposite meanings. Affittare is an Italian verb that can mean both to pay someone for the use of something and to allow someone to use something in return for payment.

Examples:

Quest’estate abbiamo affittato un appartamento a Roma
This summer we rented an apartment in Rome

Ho affittato una stanza a Luca
I rented out a room to Luca

4. STORIA

Storia is an Italian noun that can mean both account of real stories and account of invented stories.

Examples:

Questa è la vera storia di Nelson Mandela
This is the true story of Nelson Mandela

Sto scrivendo una storia fantasy
I’m writing a fantasy story

5. SBARRARE

Sbarrare in Italian can have two opposite meanings. It can mean both to shut a door or a window using a piece of wood so that people can’t get in or out, and to open your eyes wide.

Examples:

Rimanete in casa e sbarrate porte e finestre
Stay at home and bar doors and windows

Daniela sbarrò gli occhi, sbalordita
Astonished, Daniela opened her eyes wide

6. FERIALE

Feriale is the last of the Italian words with double meanings in today’s list. The adjective feriale can refer both to working days and to holidays and non-working days.

Examples:

Questa tariffa si applica nei giorni feriali
This fee applies on weekdays

Il 25 aprile è un giorno feriale
The 25th of April is a public holiday

Which one of these meanings did you already know?

---

Credits

Original image by Comfreak