capì

Capì is a form of the Italian verb capire, meaning "to understand." It specifically refers to the passato remoto, the simple past tense used in literary and formal writing, and appears as the third-person singular form in standard conjugation.

In the passato remoto of capire, the full set of typical endings is: io capii, tu capisti, lui capì, noi capimmo, voi capiste, loro capirono. The form capì is distinguished by an accent on the final syllable to indicate the stress, which helps distinguish it from other forms in written Italian.

Usage and context: Capì is largely found in historical narratives, literature, and other contexts where the passato remoto is preferred. In modern, everyday Italian, most speakers use the passato prossimo instead, with the auxiliary avere and the past participle: ho capito (I understood). The passato remoto remains common in certain regions and in classical or formal texts, where capì may appear alongside other remote-tense forms to convey a past event that is viewed as completed and distant.

Etymology and relation: Capì derives from the same root as capire, which in turn comes from the Latin capere, meaning “to take” or “to seize.” The rapporto between capì and other forms of capire reflects the standard Romance verb conjugation patterns for -ire verbs in the passato remoto.

See also: capire, passato remoto, Italian grammar.