Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to cry" in Italian: piangere
piangere
To cry in Italian is piangere (PYAHN-jeh-reh). Io piango, tu piangi, lui/lei piange. Ho pianto means I cried. La pianta (the plant) does not count.
Sad film
Alla fine del film ho pianto.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce piangere
Say it
PYAHN-jeh-reh
/ˈpjan.dʒe.re/
Piangere stresses PYAHN: PYAHN-jeh-reh. Soft g before e. Piango is PYAHN-goh.
"to cry" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| piangere | to cry Tears, emotion. | Tears, emotion. |
| piango / piangi / piange | I / you / he-she cry/cries Present singular. | Present singular. |
| ho pianto | I cried Past. | Past. |
| non piangere | don't cry Comfort. | Comfort. |
How to use piangere in real life
- 1Sad film
Alla fine del film ho pianto.
At the end of the film I cried.
Ho pianto.
- 2Comforting a friend
Non piangere: siamo qui con te.
Don't cry: we're here with you.
Non piangere.
- 3Onion chopping
Con le cipolle piango sempre.
With onions I always cry.
Piango conjugation.
Mistakes English speakers make with piangere
Incorrect: Io piangere tanto.
Correct: Piango tanto.
Conjugate: io piango.
Incorrect: Innaffio la pianta (for this verb)
Correct: Ho pianto.
La pianta (plant) does not count for piangere.
Good to know
Italians comfort with non piangere and a hand on the shoulder more than long speeches. Films and weddings earn a proud ho pianto. Keep plants as piante off this page—use piango, piange, ho pianto.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
After a moving concert
ChatPal
Hai pianto durante la canzone lenta?
Did you cry during the slow song?
You
Sì, ho pianto un po', senza vergogna.
Yes, I cried a little, without shame.
ChatPal
Anche io: quando piango per la musica sto bene.
Me too: when I cry for music I feel fine.
You
Usciamo a prendere aria un minuto.
Let's step out for air a minute.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to cry" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to cry" in Italian
How do I say I cry?
Piango.
I cried?
Ho pianto.
Don't cry?
Non piangere.
Does pianta count?
No—that's the plant noun.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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