indagare

Indagare is an Italian verb meaning to investigate, inquire, or probe. In legal, journalistic, and administrative contexts it refers to the act of seeking facts, examining evidence, and pursuing information to determine what happened or who is responsible. More generally, it can mean to inquire into a topic or problem or to scrutinize in depth.

Conjugation and usage: Indagare is a regular -are verb. The present indicative forms are indago, indaghi, indaga, indaghiamo, indagate, indagano. The past participle is indagato, used with essere or avere to form compound tenses (ho indagato, è stato indagato). The verb can take a direct object (indagare qualcuno) or be used with su to specify the topic of the inquiry (indagare su un caso). The expression essere indagato refers to a person under investigation and is common in news reports and legal language.

Related terms and nuances: The noun indagine (investigation) is closely linked to indagare. A person who conducts investigations may be called un investigatore, while the verb investigare exists as a near-synonym in some contexts, often used in formal or juridical language. Indagare emphasizes the act of searching for facts and evidence, whereas other verbs like esaminare or studiare may stress examination or study of information.

Examples: La polizia sta indagando sul furto. Una persona è stata indagata per frode. Le autorità hanno avviato un'indagine indipendente.

Origin and usage notes: The verb is formed from the stem indag- with the standard -are ending, and its meaning centers on inquiry and examination, across legal, administrative, and investigative contexts. See also indagine, investigazione, and related legal vocabulary in Italian.