LAvare

Lavare is a verb with meanings primarily related to cleansing, and it exists in both Italian and Latin, reflecting its Latin origin and its continued use in Romance languages. In Latin, lavāre is the present active infinitive of a first-conjugation verb, used in classical texts to denote the action of washing. The infinitive appears in constructions such as lavāre manūs (to wash hands). Latin verbs of this group form standard paradigms, including forms like lavō (I wash), lavās (you wash), and lavat (he washes), among others.

In Italian, lavare is a regular -are verb belonging to the first conjugation. It is used to express the act of washing in everyday language. The present indicative forms are lavo, lavi, lava, laviamo, lavate, lavano. Other common forms include the passato prossimo with avere (ho lavato), the gerund lavando, and the past participle lavato. The reflexive form lavarsi means to wash oneself, as in lavarsi i denti (to brush one’s teeth) or lavarsi le mani (to wash one’s hands).

Etymology and cognates: lavare derives from Latin lavāre, and has cognates in several Romance languages, including French laver, Spanish lavar, and Portuguese lavar, all sharing the same core meaning. The word is tied to domestic and hygienic practices across cultures, from household chores to public bathing traditions in antiquity.

See also: laundry, washing.