Sparare

Sparare is an Italian verb meaning to shoot or to discharge a projectile, typically from a firearm. It covers firing a gun, launching a projectile, or discharging something. The meaning can be extended figuratively in informal speech, such as sparare cifre (to throw out figures) or sparare balle (to tell lies or nonsense).

It is a regular -are verb. In the present tense: io sparo, tu spari, lui/lei spara, noi spariamo, voi sparate, loro sparano. Other tenses include imperfect sparavo, sparavi, sparava, sparavamo, sparavate, sparavano; future sparerò, sparerai, sparerà, spareremo, sparerete, sparanno. The past participle is sparato, used with avere in transitive constructions (ho sparato tre colpi). The reflexive form spararsi exists (si è sparato/si è sparata) for shooting oneself.

Common constructions include sparare a qualcuno (to shoot at someone), sparare contro qualcosa/qualcuno (to fire at), sparare un colpo (to fire a shot), sparare in aria (to shoot into the air). There is also sparare cifre or sparare balle as informal expressions.

The term derives from the noun sparo, meaning shot; the verb is primarily used in reference to the act of firing weapons or other devices that discharge projectiles.

Related terms include sparatoria (shooting, gunfight), spara (imperative or third-person singular), and proiettile.