Indicare

Indicare is an Italian verb meaning to indicate, point out, or designate. It is used to point out a direction, identify a feature, or convey information. In more formal or technical language it can specify instructions or designate an object, a person, or a role. The word can also describe designating someone for a task or pointing to a reference.

Etymology and related forms: Indicare derives from Latin indicare, meaning “to point out” or “to designate.” The root indic- is related to signaling or signaling devices; in Italian it yields related nouns such as indicazione (indication), indice (index), and indicatore (indicator). As a regular -are verb, indicare follows the standard conjugation pattern for this class.

Conjugation and usage: Indicare is transitive and takes a direct object to specify what is being indicated. The participle passato is indicato, used with avere to form passato prossimo (e.g., ho indicato). Present tense forms include: io indico, tu indichi, lui/lei indica, noi indichiamo, voi indicate, loro indicano. Other common tenses follow regular patterns: imperfect indicavo, indicavi, indicava, indicavamo, indicavate, indicavano; future indicherò, indicherai, indicherà, indicheremo, indicherete, indicheranno. The present subjunctive is indichi, indichi, indichi, indichiamo, indichiate, indichino; the imperative is indica (tu), indichi (Lei), indichiamo (noi), indicate (voi), indichino (essi).

Examples: This sign indicates the direction. Ho indicato il punto di ritrovo nel documento. Indicava chiaramente le istruzioni durante la riunione.

See also: indicazione, indice, indicatore. Indicare contrasts with synonyms like segnalare (to signal or report) and mostrare (to show), which carry slight nuance differences in emphasis or formality.