Adorare

Adorare is an Italian verb of the first conjugation meaning to adore, to worship, or to hold something or someone in very high esteem. It can express intense affection toward a person, a deity, an object, or an idea, and is used in both secular and religious contexts. In everyday language it can also convey strong liking, as in adoring a favorite song or activity.

Grammar and usage: Adorare is a regular -are verb. In the present indicative, the forms are io adoro, tu adori, lui/lei adora, noi adoriamo, voi adorate, loro adorano. The passato prossimo is formed with avere: ho adorato. Other tenses include imperfect adoravo, future adorerò, and conditional adorerei. The present subjunctive forms include che io adori, che tu adori, che lui adori, che noi adoriamo, che voi adoriate, che loro adorino. The imperative forms are tu adora, Lei adori, noi adoriamo, voi adorate, loro adorino. Adorare typically takes a direct object (adoro Dio, adoro questa canzone) and may be used with figurative constructions (adorare la bellezza).

Related terms and nuance: The noun form is adorazione (adoration, worship). An adherent or practitioner can be called adoratore (masc.) or adoratrice (fem.). Etymology traces the word to Latin adōrāre, from ad- “toward” and ōrāre “to pray” or “to speak,” reflecting its religious origin. In Italian, adorare contrasts with amare; amare is general love, while adorare often implies reverence, exaltation, or a stronger sense of devotion, though it can be used playfully in informal speech. Cognates exist in other Romance languages, such as Portuguese adorar and Spanish adorar.