Complicare

Complicare is an Italian transitive verb meaning to make something more complex or difficult to understand or perform; to introduce complications into a situation. It is used to describe actions that add layers of difficulty or confusion to plans, processes, explanations, or procedures. The word derives from Latin complicare, formed from com- “together” and plicare “to fold,” literally “to fold together.”

Grammatical notes: Complicare is a regular -are verb. In the present indicative it forms as io complico, tu complichi, lui/lei complica, noi compliciamo, voi complicate, loro complicano. The past participle is complicato, used with avere to form compound tenses (ho complicato, hai complicato, ha complicato, abbiamo complicato, avete complicato, hanno complicato). The gerund is complicando, and the past gerund is avendo complicato. The verb can also be used reflexively as complicarsi, meaning to become more complicated or to get one’s self into trouble, though this reflexive use is less common for the base sense.

Usage: Complicare takes a direct object to denote what is being made more complex, as in complicare una situazione or complicare le cose. It can be followed by prepositional phrases or subordinate clauses that specify what aspect is being complicated, for example describing bureaucratic processes or plans. The nuance is typically the introduction of extra difficulty or confusion rather than deception.

Related terms: complicazione (complication), complicarsi (reflexive form), and phrases such as rendere più complesso or rendere più difficile as synonyms.