distinguono

Distinguono is the third-person plural present indicative form of the Italian verb distinguere, meaning to distinguish, tell apart, or differentiate. The verb is transitive and commonly used to indicate creating a difference between two or more elements, such as concepts, objects, or categories.

Etymology and usage notes: distinguere comes from Latin distinguere, formed with the prefix dis- meaning apart and a root related to tinctus or tingere, signaling marking or separating. In Italian, distinguishing is often expressed as distinguere tra or distinguere da, depending on the intended contrast, with tra used for comparisons and da for identifying differences relative to a reference point. Common synonyms include differenziare and discernere.

Grammatical notes: distinguere is a regular -ere verb with a notable first-person form distinction in the present tense (io distingueo? Actually io distinguo). The present indicative forms are: io distinguo, tu distingui, lui/lei distingue, noi distinguiamo, voi distinguete, loro distinguono. Therefore, distinguono specifically marks the third-person plural subject in present tense.

Typical usage: distiguono is used to report that a group or subject differentiates among options, features, or categories. It can be followed by a direct object and a complement introduced by tra or da, depending on the meaning. Examples include distinguishing facts from opinions, separating different strategies, or differentiating colors, shapes, or meanings in analysis.

Examples:

- I giudici distinguono tra fatti e opinioni.

- Gli esperti distinguono tra diverse varianti del modello.

See also: distinguere, differenziare, discernere.

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