soffiare

to blow

verb sof-FYAH-reh Rare

Origin: From Latin sufflare (to blow up, to puff).

Also means

to whisper, to tip off

Usage Note

Soffiare is used for wind blowing, blowing out a candle (soffiare le candeline), and blowing one's nose (soffiarsi il naso). Colloquially, soffiare also means to snitch or tip someone off, and soffiare un lavoro means to snatch a job from under someone's nose. Conjugates with avere in transitive uses.

Examples

"Il vento soffia forte questa mattina."

Natural Translation

The wind is blowing hard this morning.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Essere vs Avere: Italian Past Tense Made Simple

In the passato prossimo, use avere for most verbs and essere for movement, change, and reflexives — plus the agreement trap English speakers always miss.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

You're Welcome in Italian: 8 Ways Beyond Prego

You're welcome in Italian is more than prego: say figurati to friends, si figuri to strangers, di niente, non c'è di che, or grazie a te. Pick the right one.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

C'è vs Ci Sono: There Is/Are in Italian

C'è for one thing, ci sono for many — that's the rule. Master Italian's there is/there are with c'era, ci sarà, è vs c'è, and non c'è nessuno.

June 9, 2026 5 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