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sospettare

to suspect

verb sohs-peht-TAH-reh Rare
Mind & Emotions Attitudes

Origin: Latin suspectare (to watch closely)

Also means

to have suspicions

Usage Note

Sospettare takes avere as auxiliary (ho sospettato = I suspected). It is followed by di + infinitive when the subject does the suspected action (sospetto di averlo visto = I suspect I saw him) or che + subjunctive for suspicions about someone else (sospetto che mentano = I suspect they are lying). The noun is il sospetto (suspicion; also 'suspect' as a noun).

Examples

"La polizia sospetta di lui da settimane."

Natural Translation

The police have suspected him for weeks.

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