descrivete

Descrivete is the second-person plural form of the Italian verb descrivere. It functions as both the present indicative for voi (you describe) and the present imperative for voi (describe). The same spelling is used for both moods, with meaning determined by context.

Etymology and meaning: The verb descrivere comes from Latin describere, meaning to describe or to write down. In Italian, descrivere is a regular -ere verb, and descrivete inherits its stem from descriv- with the typical -ete ending for the voi form in the imperative.

Usage and examples: In the present indicative, you might say, Voi descrivete i vostri sogni, meaning “You describe your dreams.” In the present imperative, used as a command to a group, you would write or say simply, Descrivete la scena, meaning “Describe the scene.” The imperative form is commonly used in classroom settings, writing prompts, and collaborative tasks.

Grammatical notes: Descrivete can be ambiguous without context because it appears in both the indicative and the imperative. Tone and punctuation usually clarify whether the sentence is a statement or a command. Other forms of descrivere include descrivo (I describe), descrivi (you describe, singular), descrive (he/she describes), descriviamo (we describe), and descrivono (they describe).

Translations: In English, the present indicative sense is “you (plural) describe.” The imperative sense is “Describe!” when addressing multiple people. Descrivete does not change for gender or person beyond the second-person plural form.

See also: Italian verb descrivere; Italian grammar—present indicative and imperative conjugations; Latin roots of Italian verbs.