sabotare

to sabotage

verb sah-boh-TAH-reh Rare

Origin: From French saboter, originally 'to clatter in wooden shoes (sabots)', later 'to wreck machinery deliberately'.

Usage Note

Sabotare is a regular -are verb borrowed from French in the industrial era. It can be used both literally (sabotaging machinery or infrastructure) and figuratively (sabotaging someone's plans or efforts). The noun sabotaggio and the agent sabotatore follow the same root.

Examples

"Qualcuno ha sabotato i freni della macchina."

Natural Translation

Someone sabotaged the car's brakes.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Articles: Il, Lo, La, I, Gli, Le Explained

Italian has seven words for 'the' — il, lo, la, i, gli, le — but it's two questions, not seven cases. Master gender, sound, and the lo/gli rule fast.

June 5, 2026 7 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Hand Gestures: Meanings & When to Use

Italian hand gestures decoded: what the pinched fingers, cheek screw, and chin flick mean, which ones are safe to use, and the one gesture to never make.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Days & Months in Italian: A Beginner's Guide

Days of the week in Italian are lowercase, all masculine except la domenica, and il lunedì means every Monday. Learn the days, months, dates, and seasons.

June 5, 2026 4 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Diminutives: -ino, -etto, -one Explained

Italian diminutives like -ino, -etto, and -one signal size, affection, or contempt. Learn to read the feeling, dodge gender flips, and spot false diminutives.

June 9, 2026 6 min read