Ripassato

Ripassato is an Italian term derived from the verb ripassare, which means “to review, to go over again, or to repeat.” Its literal translation is “re‑passed” or “reviewed.” The word is used both as a past participle of ripassare and as an adjective to describe something that has been examined or repeated, especially in a formal or academic context. For example, a text that has been repeatedly checked might be described as un documento ripassato, indicating that it has undergone several rounds of scrutiny. In legal language, a statute that has been revised or re‑passed by a new legislature may also carry the same label.

Ripassato is most commonly employed in written Italian and in formal speech, but it can appear informally when someone refers to a subject as “bastante ripassato” to suggest that the idea has become familiar through repetition. The adjective is gendered and singular: ripassata for feminine, ripassati for masculine plural, etc. As a verb form, ripassato aligns with Italian past participle usage, appearing in compound tenses like il passato prossimo: ho ripassato il comportamento.

The word sits within a family of Italian verbs that express repetition such as rievocare (to recall) and ripetere (to repeat). While synonymous at first glance with ‘rivisto’ (revised), ripassato carries a nuance of a process repeated for reinforcement rather than a single modification. Use of ripassato reflects a cultural emphasis on thoroughness through repeated examination.