descrivano

Descrivano is a form of the Italian verb descrivere, meaning "to describe." It is the present subjunctive (congiuntivo presente) for the third-person plural: che loro descrivano. It is distinct from descrivono, the third-person plural present indicative form.

Usage and context: The present subjunctive is used in subordinate clauses after verbs and expressions that express doubt, desire, emotion, possibility, necessity, or opinion, and in certain formal or literary styles. Therefore descrivano appears in sentences such as: È necessario che descrivano i fatti in modo accurato, o Spero che descrivano l’accaduto senza omissioni. The form also appears in indirect speech and in hypothetical contexts.

Grammatical notes: Descrivere is a regular -ere verb in many conjugations, and the present subjunctive endings include -ano for loro: descrivano. The verb shares its etymology with words like descrizione and with the Latin root describere, formed from de- "down" and scribere "to write," historically meaning "to write down" or "to describe." While mainly used in subordinate clauses requiring the subjunctive, descrivano is sometimes encountered in formal writing and in literature to express nuance, uncertainty, or hypothetical description. See also Italian subjunctive mood and verb tables for descrivere.