confessano

Confessano is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Italian verb confessare, meaning to confess or to admit. It is used when referring to a group of people (they) performing the action in the present tense.

Etymology and grammar: The verb confessare comes from Latin confessāre, meaning to acknowledge or admit. In Italian, confessare follows a regular first-conjugation pattern (-are) and forms the present indicative with endings such as confesso, confessi, confessa, confessiamo, confessate, confessano. Therefore, confessano is used with plural subjects in the present tense.

Usage: Confessano is commonly followed by a direct object or by a subordinate clause introduced by che. Examples include: "Loro confessano la verità" (They confess the truth); "I testimoni confessano di non aver visto nulla" (The witnesses confess that they did not see anything). In religious or moral contexts, it can appear as "confessano i loro peccati" (they confess their sins). The form is also found in journalistic or reported speech when describing statements made by a group.

Related forms: The related noun confessione refers to the act of confessing, while confessare is the infinitive; other related verbs include ammettere and dichiarare, which convey similar ideas of admission or acknowledgment.

See also: Confessione, confessore, and the broader topic of confession across religious, legal, and literary contexts.