Separare

Separare is an Italian verb meaning to cause elements to become separated, detached, or divided; it can also mean to distinguish or sort items. It is a regular verb of the first conjugation in Italian.

Etymology and related forms: Separare derives from Latin separare and has cognates in other Romance languages, such as Spanish separar, Portuguese separar, and French séparer. The reflexive form separarsi is used to express parting or getting separated in a relationship or situation.

Usage: Separare is used transitively with a direct object, as in separare due pezzi, separare i componenti, or separare i colori da quelli bianchi. In science and industry, it appears in phrases like separare miscele or separare sostanze. It is also common in daily life for activities such as separare i rifiuti (sorting recycling) or separare le uova (separating yolk from white). The reflexive separarsi expresses parting from someone or something, e.g., due persone si separano, or una coppia si è separata.

Conjugation: Separare is a regular -are verb. Present indicative: io separo, tu separi, lui/lei separa, noi separiamo, voi separate, loro separano. Imperfect: separavo, separavi, separava, separavamo, separavate, separavano. Passato prossimo: ho separato, hai separato, ha separato, abbiamo separato, avete separato, hanno separato. Subjunctive present: separi, separi, separi, separiamo, separiate, separino. Imperative: separa (tu), separi (Lei), separiamo, separate (voi).

See also: separazione (separation), separarsi (to part, to divorce), e divisioni linguistiche come distinguere versus dividere.