rincrescere

to be sorry, to regret

verb reen-KREH-sheh-reh Rare

Origin: Latin recrescere, shifted in meaning

Usage Note

Rincrescere is an impersonal or quasi-impersonal verb used like dispiacere: mi rincresce — I am sorry / I regret. It takes essere in compound tenses and the indirect object pronoun to indicate who feels the regret: mi è rincresciuto dirtelo — I was sorry to tell you. It is more formal and literary than dispiacere. Not reflexive.

Examples

"Mi rincresce non poter venire."

Natural Translation

I am sorry I cannot come.

Literal Translation

To-me is-sorry not to-be-able to-come.

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